Should I Get In the Hot Tub?

Last week we were invited to join some friends as they visited the nearby hot springs. I was sick all week so I really didn't feel up to going but then I realized that we will soon be leaving China and I had better seize the opportunity while I have the chance. Going to a hot spring, spa, and resort is definitely not something we can afford in the US. Also, if I didn't go I would be passing on the opportunity to relive a classic SNL (Saturday Night Live) skit; James Brown's Celebrity Hot Tub. (If you have never seen this skit, check it out at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdjv5ZwQcdQ) So on an overcast, cool morning we made the hour long trip to the spa. Once we arrived, it didn't take long for me to realize that I had made the right decision. The resort had over twenty pools, filled with different types of water. There was a coconut milk pool, a green apple pool, and a pool with rose petals. One pool had tiny fish in it to eat the dead skin off your body. Basically, the fish serve as a glorified loofah. In Japan, this is a very popular and very expensive treatment, but we got to experience it with the price of admission (which was less than $20 US). One of my favorite pools was filled with red Kool Aid. Don't worry, I know it looks like I tasted it but that was all staged for the picture. As I settled into the water, however, I did say the obligatory "Oh Yeah"! We finished our visit to the spa with a dip in a traditional hot tub. One of our friends said it looked like I was in the pot of some hostile natives, slowly cooking. Thankfully though, the natives were friendly and the only thing they were cooking was good Chinese food for a good price. Five of us ate for around $15. All in all, I am very glad that I listened to my friends and accompanied them. We now know of a nice place to visit this winter, when it is cold what can be better than being in a hot tub. - Frank