3 Things I Love… 3 Things I Hate about going to the Salon in China
3 Things I Love include…
#1 – It is very affordable. It costs a total of $1.25, and since that is what it cost 4 years ago, my guess is that inflation won’t affect this perfect pastime – that’s good news in a city where it costs twice as much to eat out as it did in 2002
#2 – For at least one hour someone is tending to your needs… which include a good old fashioned dry hair wash, a rinse & dry and a massage from the top of your head to the tips of your fingers. You just get more than you bargain for… and in this case that is a good thing. I love that the hairdresser turns a bottle of Herbal Essence or Pantene upside down and forms a fist size blob of shampoo on my dry head, then squeezes just enough water from a bottle to get the suds going, then washes and washes and washes, and usually adds some more shampoo somewhere in between.
#3 – The massage! Especially on your shoulders, arms and hands. It is quite different than anything you might get at One Fine Day. They always do this thing where they shake your arms then tickle your fingers… then sometimes they cut off the circulation by grabbing tightly around your wrist – only to release their grasp and run their fingers down the palm to create that little tingle.
3 Things I Hate include…
#1 – The process of kneading the soap through my long hair, which always means my scalp will be thoroughly scratched and pounded. I haven’t yet figured out why they bunch my hair into a ball and push it into my head with great force. It even makes a clunking sound…and then there is the karate chop – and oldie but a goody I know, but I’m not sure I enjoy it on my head.
#2 – They rarely use conditioner. I cringe at the sight of a bamboo comb coming toward me, then after a few minutes the pain and agony are over and I relax for the next stage of my treatment…. the massage, ah.
#3 – Something always gets popped that just shouldn’t… like on my recent visit the lady was determined to pop my funny bone!? I cried “Ouch”, but that didn’t work, so I finally reached for her elbow and proceeded to pop hers. She thought that was mighty funny. There are also a lot of pressure points that sometimes feel they get a little too much pressure. I am always concerned that my temples may implode or maybe I’ll have lasting indentions on my cheeks or eyebrows.
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If my descriptions were not vivid enough for you then you should definitely hop a plane to China for a visit. I can take you to a local shop that will even turn on the AC just for your visit. Of course, the sad thing is that your 10 yuan probably doesn’t even cover the electricity it takes to run the AC. I always feel like I should pay more, but tipping is not something people do here.
