Sunday, January 10, 2010

Bangkok (20) My Thai Massage

Bangkok (1) The idea to go
Bangkok (4) The drive to the hotel
Bangkok (5) P2 Boutique Hotel
Bangkok (6) The Family from SA
Bangkok (7) Breakfast on Wed morning
Bangkok (8) Pratunam, Scooters & Tuk-Tuks
Bangkok (9) Central World
Bangkok (10) Sukhumvit Road 
Bangkok (11) Himali Cha Cha
Bangkok (12) Beware of Cheating Drivers
Bangkok (13) Private Tour - for FREE?
Bangkok (14) Chao Phraya River
Bangkok (15) Chao Phraya River Vids
Bangkok (16) Stop at the Temple
Bangkok (17) Chin Jewelry Factory
Bangkok (18) FURIOUS in Bkk
Bangkok (19) Lunch at Swagath
Day 3: Thursday, December 31 2009

After saying bye to Kabir and Sarah, I decide to walk around a bit. I have no plans for the rest of the day. I almost forget it's New Years Eve. If I don't meet the girl in my hotel from South Africa, I plan on being in my hotel room. As much as I want to, I'm a bit nervous to be out alone. After walking for a while, I come across a massage parlor. It doesn't look dingy inside. Women are sitting outside trying to lure customers. The price seems reasonable, so I ask for a traditional Thai massage (no oil). They tell me to take my shoes off and put it on a rack outside. I ask if it's safe there. I have no other shoes with me! There are only women working here. I wonder if this is a "naughty massage parlor" - you know, the kind where they give massages with a "happy ending"? Places like that refuse female customers, but didn't refuse me, so I think I'm OK.

(When I was in Hong Kong, my friends and I wanted to go to a massage parlor and they told me it was "only for man")




A woman leads me upstairs and gives me cotton pajamas to wear. I have to lie down on an orange mattress. I only ask for neck and shoulders. Two minutes into the massage, I felt like I reach Nirvana. I feel AMAZING! When she's done, she taps me on my shoulder from behind and says, "Give me tip, please!" People aren't shy to ask for tips here...



I get dressed and go downstairs. I pay and give my masseuse a 100 Baht tip, which I've been told is the average amount for a tip in Bangkok. She was probably expecting more, because she turned her face - unimpressed. As I go outside to put my shoes on, I notice it started raining. I hate walking in the rain.

I see an arcade across the street with adverts of coffee shops and Dunkin' Donuts'.  I cross the street and enter into a shopping arcade that is buzzing with tourists and shoppers everywhere.

Bangkok (21) Am I invisible in Bangkok?

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