Day 10

We had ice cream cones for lunch today. It wasn't a planned thing, it just seemed a lot easier to eat a 50cent ice cream cone from 7-11 than to find a decent restaurant and sit down. Besides, I love pre-packaged ice cream cones while traveling.

I had chocolate, Neal had strawberry and Perrin had some weird black-bean paste flavor. In the midst of eating my cone and walking around, I felt a sudden, strong grip on my wrist. Lulu, in the front pack, had grabbed my wrist and was trying to pull the cone towards her mouth. I laughed and pointed it out to Neal and Perrin and then tried to move my arm away. But couldn't. That is one strong, determined girl. I honestly needed Neal's help to get her tight little grip off of me! But, then we decided to let her have a taste. Based on her continued face plant on to the ice cream, she liked it. Perrin didn't have ice cream until he was 3 -- and, then it was a taste of organic vanilla. Oh well.

That afternoon, Neal and Perrin visited a local park. At the park they boys fed food to the fish, ran around on the grass, and drove electric motoboats around the 'lake'. They came home refreshed and engergized and Lulu and I felt the same after an afteroon of napping and dancing in our hotel room.

Once Lulu was alseep I decided to finally head out to for a massage. My lower back and shoulders have been aching from carrying Lulu everywhere and I had a headache all day. I think Neal was happy to have the room to himself (and the DS) for a few hours.

The massage place is really a traditional medicine clinic. There were several doctors in white coats (smoking outside) available for consultation. And, there were rows of jars with Chinese labels containing different herbs and tinctures. I opted for a straight forward massage -- no accupuncture or cupping. They showed me to a clinical room that contained a massage bed and indicated that i should change and lie down. A few moments later a large man entered ready to begin.

He started the massage by pressing both hands firmly on my back. And the bed let out a long creeeeeak. I was worried it would break! But,in looking through the face hole I could see that the bed had big thick legs holding it up and the liklihood of my flatening the bed was slim. He picked another part of my back and pushed down - -creeeeeeak. And then he began to push and rock my body ,warming it up for the massage -- creak creak creak creak creak -- it sounded like a million crickets calling to one another on a warm summer night. Luckily I was face down as I started to laugh hysterically -- I was worried that I would have the giggles for the rest of the massage. But, the laughter soon died away. The following is my pain scale for Chinese massage.

0 - Yeah, this feels kind of good

1 - Wow, this guy really knows his muscles

2 - Hmm, I really hope this guy knows his muscles or I might have long term damage

3 - Gosh, I am really getting my money's worth

4 - Oh my, I wonder if I can pay him for an hour and call it quits after 10 minutes

5 - Ok, this really hurts

6 - <silent scream>

7 - <silent scream> I can't breathe

8 - <silent scream> I think he cut off my blood circulation

9 - <silent scream> I think my heart has completely stopped and I see stars

10 - Umm, I can't feel any part of my body -- I might be dead

I don't really remember the walk home afterwards, but I was feeling no pain and my headache is long gone. I might have to go again tomorrow night.

--
Amanda Myerson
cell: 206.949.7301
amandamyerson@gmail.com