The Adventures of Tai'an

Since I've been in China I have never found anywhere to have a pedicure. Today I found a place in the cobble street near Dai Temple.

I was in desperate need of a pedicure. What an experience. I sat in a very comfortable Pink velvet chair. My feet soaked in some minerals with rose buds. It was 80Y which is expensive by Chinese standards but cheap by our standards an worth every single cent

It was Barbara's Birthday on the 13 July.

Now I'm a great believer in celebrating the opening of an envelope so there was no way Barbara was getting away with no Birthday. Her Birthday turned into a weekend event.

Saturday night we went to the potato restaurant. A restaurant that we love. Then Barbara and I tried to tell a cabbie where we wanted to go to go to a club. We saw parts of Tai'an we have never seen. We eventually found the address. But we never did find the club.

We walked the streets and found a bar called the 'Blue Fox'. They had a live band and not many patrons. We had a rendition of 'Hotel California', a drink and came home.

Sunday (Barbara's actual birthday) it was off for the facial and massage. It is a womans right to have pampering on her birthday. We went to the spa that we always go to for a facial and asked for a facial and massage. They put us into two separate rooms.

I was told to take my clothes of and wash. I couldn't work out where I was to wash as there was no water. Eventually through body language we worked out I was to take my clothes of, put the bath robe on and follow the therapist to another room where I would shower.

I showered and was then lead to what looked like a cupboard. I thought they were going to lock me in a cupboard for the remainder of my life, but no this was actually a two person sauna. Sauna's are not necessary in China. Every day is a sauna.

So here I am in this Sauna sweating like a pig. The door has a little door inside it to which the keep handing me water. Eventually the big door opens and her is Barbara. She has the same thoughts as me. We sit in the sauna for another ten minutes.

Then we are taken to our rooms where they start the massage and have a facial. It was a great experience. Barbara thinks it might have been the best she has had here. I'm not so sure.

That night we go to the Ramada for Barbara's Birthday dinner.

Happy Birthday Barbara.

Having visited the salon once I thought I knew what I was in for. Something you learn early in China is nothing is ever the same second time around. This time I enter the salon and no Maggie. I figure it can't be too hard to explain to colour, cut and blowdry.

I was taken to a chair and I do my best Marcel Marceau impersonation. The colour is chosen. A young funky Chinese Man starts to wash my hair in the chair. Using a small plastic bottle squeeze bottle, water was dripped onto my head and shampoo added to create a lather. Eventually I'm all lathered up and it is now time to rinse. I was taken to the rinsing bed were I lay and the shampoo is rinsed out and I have an amazing head massage before returning to my seat. If there is one thing the Chinese are exceptional at it is massaging.

Back in the original chair and my head and shoulders are massaged. An amazing routine that should be implemented into Australian Salons immediately. They clean out your ears too. I don't recommend that this is introduced in Australia. Some things should be left to one to do themselves.

Now it's time to dry my hair before colouring. Some of the people in the salon want to practice their English. We communicate although at times it proved very difficult.

The hairdresser (who I think is also the owner) gave me a preferential card. Why wouldn't he? Everytime I go I draw the crowds in. A foreigner having their hair done, how different could it be to a Chinese person having their hair done??? So my preferential card gives me a price of 68% of the cost.

The colour is set and it's now time to rinse. Back to the basin.

Now it's time for the cut. They sure do like their scissors. I think my hair is the shortest it's been in the last 2 years.

Time for the blow dry. 3 hours later I leave the salon. This experience was at the cost of 258 RMB $43. Still add a 1 in front of that and it is still less than what I pay at home.

Whilst there I enquired about Chemical Straightening. They said it would be OK. Thought though I should check with my hairdresser, Aretha. She wasn't overly thrilled by my suggestion but gave me some strict instructions to follow. Look out for a Chemical Straightening Update in July 2008.

Having you hair done in China is such a fantastic experience.