We’re in Seoul already, still reeling
from an eventful exit from Thailand that included chicken foot soup, a canceled
plane, some club music loving cab drivers, lots of waiting around, and, sadly,
a lost water bottle (it was, seriously, the best). However, we arrived in one
piece and are excited the next leg of our adventure.
As Zak mentioned earlier, it’s hard to
believe that a month has flown by and Thailand is still fresh in our minds. So,
I thought I’d share a few salient points of interest from our trip and the
experience of a farang, or foreigner.
Here we go:
Thai
Massages:
Prior to this trip, I had received one Thai massage ever, in Filipino town in
LA, a random but eye-opening introduction to what really is a workout that
someone performs for you. Most Thai massage is done on a mat on the ground,
rather than a massage table. Masseuses are generally female but not
exclusively, and they start with a prayer then very systematically work from
your feet up. You start on your back for a reflexology-style foot massage, then
it’s up your legs, to your quads where they’ll hold at your psoas for just
enough time so that when they let go you can feel the rush of fresh blood all
the way down your legs. You then turn on your stomach for back and arm work,
all the while the masseuse using hands, fingers, elbows, and yes feet to get
the job done. Finishing touches include aided back-stretches (think cobra, for
the yogis), back cracking, head and face acupressure work, and finally a
pound-pound with the fists and sweep you clean with their hands. It can
actually be quite intense, and you may even be sore the next day but it’s a
whole-body experience that leaves you feeling light and limber, ready to hit
the sweaty, grimy streets once again. Thais make this a regular part of their
routine; in fact, it’s a facet of their spiritual-mental-physical approach to
balanced health (herbs and religion being the other two). As a foreign
traveler, I made it a frequent activity. For US $4.50 an hour, it was hard not
to.
Spirit
Houses: Thais
are deeply religious, primarily influenced by Hinduism and Theravada Buddhism.
Images of the Buddha as well as other dieties can be found at every wat, or temple, and every home has a
spirit house, a mini shrine built in an auspicious location to appease the
spirits that lived there prior. It’s really beautiful to walk around in the
mornings to the smell of incense and fresh flowers left as offerings at the
spirit house along with rice and other foods. Thais are also incredibly
respectful of the elderly, of ancestors long gone, and of spiritual sites.
On
Exercise: Running, mountain biking, yoga, pilates, P90x – all of our
Austin fitness routines seem a distant memory right now. Our primary mode of
exercise has been walking, and lots of it not uncommonly 3-4 hours in a day. We
have managed a few park workouts, but even getting there takes some effort
involving dodging traffic, inhaling diesel fumes, and side-stepping dog poop.
Renting bikes in Chiang Mai was super fun, but I still wouldn’t categorize it
as a “work-out.” More commonly here, for the local anyway, you see Tai Chi, Qi
Gong, and lots of meditation. South Korea, from what we hear, is a hiker’s
paradise, so we look forward to that!
We have a few last Thailand photos from
our trip to ruins in Ayutthaya. Check them out, and next post to come from
Seoul!
~Ashley
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