Rub it in...rub it in!

Before we left, nearly all of our USA and Ecuador friends made comments about how much we would enjoy Thai food during our trip. While that has certainly been true, one unexpected memory we will certainly carry back with us and treasure for a long time to come is memories of the enjoyment of a good Thai massage. We have had several of these during our adventures here. The most recent was a one hour foot massage streetside in a bar and restaurant district in Chiang Mai at 11:00 pm before calling it an evening. We lounged in recliners on the front portico of the massage parlor and watched contentedly as the evening crowd passed by (except for the more than dozen others who were also enjoying their massages along side us!).

A trained Thai massage therapist can knead your skin, muscles and tendons plus manipulate your body parts in ways that would probably make the typical midwest chiropactor swoon and faint. The end result of all this assault on your physical being, however, is a nearly thorough sense of rejuvenation and even a hint of physical euphoria. The fact that most massages here will only cost about four to five bucks an hour makes this pretty amazing and memorable, as well.

Opportunities for good Thai massage are everywhere! Malls, street fairs, spas, even kiosks between gate areas in the airport are potential locales to obtain a good Thai massage. There is even a massage center at the outlet store of the Women's Penitentiary Occupational Rehabilitation Center in Chiang Mai!

There are always three things, you're never very far away from in any city, town or village in Thailand: A beautifully constructed wat, a good restaurant or street food vendor offering great authentic Thai cuisine and a spot to enjoy really good Thai massage. We will have many beautiful photographs of the first to cherish. With a Thai in the family and Roger's cache of Thai spices he's bringing back in his suitcase, we will periodically get to enjoy the second. We may, however, really miss really good, highly affordable Thai massage once we leave here.

That's one of the reasons there are probably several more one or two hour "therapy" sessions on tap for us before we depart Thailand and continue onward "juntos en el camino de la vida".