Wellness in China - Bath House

After a day of sightseeing near Nanjing on my recent trip to China, we were asked by our host if we would like to go and take a shower before we headed home.  I thought personally why go somewhere else to have a shower when I had one in my room, but it was further explained that after a shower we could have a massage.  Well, that sounded much more appealing so off we went. 

As we were driving there I noticed it seemed to be taking a long time and we were no longer on the way to Nanjing - it turned out the 'Shower Place' was 50 kilometers out of our way in the Province of Anhui as this was apparently 'the best'. 

When we finally arrived we entered a very large lobby, not unlike a hotel lobby and were greeted by a couple of young ladies who rushed to get us slippers, take our shoes and give us a numbered key to a locker.  We were then taken to a dining room where a buffet was set up and we could enjoy some dinner, this was all part of the 'shower experience' and covered in the cost.

After satisfying our hunger we then went separately to the women and men's sections, found our locker and prepared for the shower.  I looked around for a towel or robe but no sign of any, so off I trundled with just my rubber slippers and found a lovely hot shower already for me.  Still no towel in sight when I got out of the shower, yikes!  Instead I am whisked over to another room where 20 naked ladies are on beds with an attendant for each.  I was told this room was for 'getting the dirt off my body' - (isn't that what the shower was for!)  So after lying down on the plastic sheeting I had hot water poured over me and I saw my attendant wrapping a towel around her hand in a very precise way and she was ready for action.  I got thoroughly loofahed from head to toe!  Then some Chinese Massage that always includes some thumping and slapping, and finally lotion was rubbed on to the skin.  Then I am sent off again to the shower to rinse, and finally I'm given a towel!!!  After drying up I was given a two piece (shorts and a tunic) and a pair of disposable panties.

I felt fabulous and thought we were done, but no then it was off for a 2 hour massage!  We were put in our own private room for 4 along with a TV (there are TV's everywhere in China - in the buses, in taxis, in subway cars).  The massage starting with the face and neck, included the feet, again more thumping and slapping and ended up with the attendant using her feet to massage my back. 

Of course after 1 hour of Shower and Loofah, and 2 hours of massage, one has worked up an appetite again so it was time to head to yet another restaurant for more food and some fruit.  In fact you can stay at this Bath House for 12 hours.  There are billiard tables, computer rooms, TV rooms and a ray of other treatments to try, all for a VERY modest price!