Chinese Bath, Massage & Barbeque

I met a Chinese teacher, teaching English, here at Ludong. He lives in the next building over. He is 25, and taller than me. We chatted, after the market lady down the street got confused about what I wanted. He speaks English well. So he invited me to go out to dinner tonight. We went to have Chinese BBQ, which includes: squid, lamb, pork, sausage, fish, corn bread, bread, and egg drop soup. Everything is brought around the restaurant by the waiters, and they ask you whether you would like some. Prices are charged by the skewer, which is added up after the meal is done.

I had originally wanted to go find a good guitar shop. Josh (aforementioned Chinese English teacher) said he had a friend who knows where several are. We ate dinner first. After dinner, unfortunately all the shops were closed. We were going to go to a pool bar and play some pool, drink a few beers, but Josh mentioned that he likes to go get a bath and a massage every week. He had missed his weekly bath and massage. I made sure it was not a gay thing, subtly, but surely. Chinese men love the massage, and he said I have the choice of a blind man or a woman. I chose a woman, although blind men are apparently way better at massages: I doubt it.

For 38 Yuan, I was able to take a shower and sona (steam bath), with the option of some guy washing me (which I declined), and then went upstairs where a girl gave me a full body massage. It was purely massage, no sucky sucky or anything like that. She started by cleaning my ears with q-tips. Then my face and temples with oils, and then my shoulders, arms, hands, legs; then she turned me over, and massaged my neck, head, shoulders, back, thighs, calves. She then jumped up and started walking all over my back, doing various acrobatics, with the assistance of ceiling bars. It was a very thorough massage. Then she oiled and cleaned my feet.

The whole thing took about an hour. I feel very relaxed now. Oh, and I found about four guitar shops all within a vlock or two of eachother: just take the number 46 bus from school, and I am there! Tomorrow I will check out some guitars. Guitars here are very inexpensive: 500 Yuan for an acoustic electric, of decent quality, or 600 yuan for an Epiphone acoustic, 1800 yuan for a signature model Steve Vai Ibanez, and about 1400 Yuan for a fender telecaster, although I don't think the tele is authentic.