4 hours of having your face and body softly touched, caressed, kneaded, stroked, rubbed … I just had a full body massage.

Life’s not too bad if you can afford some luxuries.
Went to Qi Salon and Spa of Shisheido. It’s a building of its own, reminded me of Watercourse Way in Palo Alto, except that this place is probably geared more towards women.

Thao and I picked the Serenity package, which includes facial, body massage, body rub, tea and snacks, hair wash, manicure and pedicure. All that, for 2, costs us $154 which is quite high for the locals but totally reasonable price for me.

We started with the sauna. What striked me at this place is its aroma which is not just asian, but very vietnamese. A melange of lemon grass, ginger, kumquat, and cinnamon. And the products used come in different temperatures and textures. Warm oil, cold gel, hot towel. Soothing, smoothing, oily, sandy. My masseuse is in her 20s, small-shaped, with the strongest hands. I fell asleep a few times.

It was such a sensuous experience. The masseuse climbed over my body and sat on my back to leverage the force. And being a highly sensitive person, I can feel her body warmth, hear her breathing, sense her touching first with the fingertips, then fingers, then whole hand … Good thing I’m a woman :)

During the massage, I was so ecstatic with life here I  flirted with the thought of not going home to the US. What if I just quit my job, drop everything, come here, open a coffee shop, and live life? If I were unattached, I would do it without a second thought. But life holds me down with its sweet invisible webs. Or is that my excuse for not making a decision that will throw me into the unpredictable and uncertain winds of life? Am I afraid to create my own  future?