Guest Blog Post: Pampering, Manila Style

Note: The following post is a guest post from my visitor Karolanne.  It details her experiences with the various treatments we tried.

I should begin by telling you that I’ve only had a couple ‘real’ massages in the States.  They were nice but nothing compared to the treatment and ambiance in Manila.  When I first arrived, Sarah took me to ‘The Spa,’ which had the best ambiance of all the places we visited.  You walked up the stairs into a dimly-lit hallway with running waterfalls and proceeded to enter the changing room where you got your lockers, robes, towels and slippers.  You could either take a steam bath or shower at this point.  The showers were really beautiful, as they had natural black stone lining the area where you stood.  Then you relaxed with a cup of ginger tea while they prepared your room.

I had a hot coconut oil massage there, which is called the Hilot.  They warmed the coconut oil on their hands by holding them over a set of candles.   They also placed warm coconut covered banana leaves on your back during the massage.   The massage was definitely luxurious and more of an experience that anything I’d had previously in the states.   A note for future visitors: I would recommend ‘The Spa’ for anyone that wants the complete experience of a Spa, not just a good treatment.

A few days later Sarah and I went to Coras Dermatology for skin treatments.  We each got a facial and diamond micro-dermabrasion.  This was my first real facial experience.  The part I found most intriguing was when they used this little tool to get out all the black and white heads.  I really didn’t think I had any, but I am sure they were getting something as the pressure was intense sometimes. When I went to the mirror after the facial, I could definitely tell that my pores were smaller.   After the facial came the diamond micro-dermabrasion.  During this process they take an object that looks and feels like a small vacuum cleaner hose to your face.   The end of the tool is about the size of a dime and the edges are lined with small diamonds around the nozzle.  They move this up and down your face and gently exfoliate off dead skin cells, which the vacuum then sucks up.   Having the equipment used on my face made me a bit uneasy, so it was not really that relaxing.  I had them try it on my hand to show me what was going to happen.  After that, they put on some lotion and went over my face with a laser to reduce the redness.   I can definitely tell that my pores are smaller and skin dramatically smoother.

My favorite treatment by far was the 90 minute massage at Qi Wellness Spa.  The entire spa was very mod.  White walls, glass walls and glass sliding doors.  Very chic!  Like ‘The Spa’, they too had a little waiting area with white leather sofas to sit in while they prepared our room.   The amenities like a shower, locker and robe were not provided like ‘The Spa’ but the Lymphatic Massage itself was great.  They used long, circular strokes to work on the muscles.  The music was just the right volume and rhythm to keep my mind from wandering.  It really kept me in a relaxed state the entire time.

Last but not least was the acupuncture.  We arrived in a one-room office that was partitioned up so they could serve about 7 patients at a time.  It was actually pretty amazing to see how many staff and patients they had crammed into that room!  They way they had it set up though surprisingly made you able to relax and tune out what was happening around you.  First up was 20 minutes of holding two electrodes.  He said they worked on the parasites in my body but it did not seem like an exact science.  The technician said, “Is that okay?” and I replied, “I can feel the tingle.”  I was not sure if I was supposed to try and take as much tingle as possible or just let her know when I could feel it.  Anyway, I looked at the machine and it read 7 volts.  There was another meter but it did not have units to it so I am not sure what it was measuring.   20 minutes of tingles.  Then a 20 minute foot bath with salt to detoxify.  After that he pressed on 5 parts of my hand and I told him the one that hurt the most and he told me that it is associated with digestion.  Then he pressed on my calf and ankle in 5 parts (they were already sore from the massage) and I told him the back of my lower calf was the part that hurt the most and he said that was associated with sweets.  I do like sweets but I have not had many on my three weeks of traveling in Asia so maybe that indicates I am going through withdrawal.  Note to self: must eat copious amounts of ice cream when I get back to Wisconsin.  That should not be a problem.

Then it was finally time for the therapy part.  They warmed up the backs of may legs with heating pads and he pressed on some areas and then did some stretching.  I am pretty flexible so it did not hurt much.  He went easy on me because I have hives and a lot of pressure would inflame them.  For the acupuncture, he inserted the needle in my 90 degree bent elbow.  He said this would stimulate my auto-immune system and hopefully help with the hives.

The lifestyle discussion with the acupuncture doctor was helpful.  Nothing earth shattering really, except that you should not drink with your meal, or if you must drink; only warm or hot water in little sips.   I really enjoyed that a doctor wanted to take the time and talk about holistic healing which includes things like posture, exercise, stretching, fiber, diet, water, electrolytes and what bowel movements should look like.  I really do believe it is all connected so it was refreshing to hear a doctor talk about them all in one visit.

Sorry for the really long post.  I tend to get too descriptive when I am writing about something new.   All in all, I loved all these treatments and would recommend them to anyone that wants to get back on the health wagon and start paying attention to their body more.  Manila pampering and healthy healing rocks!

Sarah Survives Acupuncture!!!

Wow, big day for this girl.  First ever Acupuncture treatment!  Truly, I’ve been wanting to do this for years, but never had the courage.  Maybe I was just being cheap too because now that I’m married to Sir Nicholas our kick-a** health plan covers 40 massages and 40 acupuncture visits a year!  I heart preventative care!

Okay, let’s get to the details because I know you’re dying to hear all about another crazy Sarah adventure.  I feel like I’ve been kind of boring lately, so I’m excited to have something to share with you!  Here goes…. So I first heard about this Doctor through one of my Cancer patient client/friends and she just raved about him.  I also liked that only MD’s can practice Acupuncture here (I didn’t want those needles going in the wrong place, you know?)  So this morning she sent me the info and I decided that today was the day.  So I called up and was sitting in the office 3 hours later.  Love that!

The office was itty bitty and all sorts of things were crammed into it – reclining chairs, beds, knick-knacks, screens, etc.  It was very full.  Kind of reminded me of my Grandma Bev’s house in that the assortment of things was both random and disproportionate for the space.  That being said, I took to the place right away (probably something subconscious with the Grandma-related aspect).

The treatment took 3 hours to complete!  Holy crap, huh?  It was $55 for the entire thing.

Here’s how the time was spent:

First up, a chat with the doctor to learn about what was going to happen to me.  He gave me a basic overview of the treatments I’d be receiving including meridian balancing, acupressure and acupuncture.  He then had to determine my greatest ailments.  He pressed six different points simultaneously on my left and right hand and I had to tell him which point was the most painful and then identify if it was worse in the left or right side.  He then did the same thing for my feet.

Turns out my kidneys are overworking (translation: I take too many bathroom breaks) and my hormones are in hyper-drive (translation: I cry too much).  Pretty sure my husband had diagnosed those problems during my last period…  :)  But still, it was nice to hear it from a professional!  Now, what to do about it?

I started with a 15 minute foot-soak in salt to release the toxins in my body.  It was a great way to start.  After that I went and laid face-down on a bed.  One person did Reflexology on my feet while an assistant moved these heavy, heated pads around my legs, arms and back.  The combination of the two felt AWESOME.  I was still doing great at this point, feeling very relaxed.  Little did I know what was coming…

So here I was scared about the Acupuncture, when what was really the killer part was the Acupressure!  Damn did that hurt.  I didn’t think my body was that out of whack but as he worked from top to bottom, it was very clear that I had some MAJOR opportunities.  There is basically a right meridian and a left meridian that go from head to toe.  The acupressure essentially is a rhythmic pressing in a line up those meridians.  I don’t mean to sound like a wimp but I swear he was pressing with all his weight on my poor little muscles.  They didn’t stand a chance.  So I just winced and grunted and asked questions like, “Is it going to hurt this much next time?” and “Is this normal to be in so much pain?”  His response?  Laughter.

Next up was the Acupuncture, which I had made out in my mind to be even worse.  As you can see by the video, I couldn’t even tell when it went in!  So now that I’ve been through the process once, I’ll know to prep myself mentally for the Acupressure part more next time….

The Acupuncture was really a non-event.  There was only 1 needle and it went in painlessly and just rested there for 30 minutes while a therapist gave me a facial massage.  I only felt tingling by it once or twice.  On the whole, the entire experience left me feeling a deep sense of calm.  I’m curious to see if my body will have improved by next week when I go again.  We will see!

This definitely was a cool experience.  I’m supposed to get a broader variety of treatments next time, so I’ll make sure and do a follow-up post.  I notice that I’m much more able to embrace non-traditional therapies now than I was a few years ago.  I really feel like I’m developing a more intuitive connection with my body, which is changing the kind of treatments I choose (I now see the Doctor a lot less and incorporate more alternative therapies).  I do appreciate having the choice with my health care (and did I mention that I LOVE that my insurance encourages these alternative treatment methods??).  Medicine still has a long way to go but at this moment I’m feeling grateful for new treatments that have become an affordable option for me in recent years…. YAY FOR CHOICE!

Any ideas on what I should try next?  Possibilities include: ear candling, cupping, reiki, emotional freedom technique.  Let me know if you’re a fan of something!

New Hospital about to give Makati Med a Run for Its Money…

The big news in our neighborhood this week was the opening of St. Luke’s Global City, a new hospital in Fort Bonafacio.  With 600 rooms and 400 doctors’ clinics, it’s sure to give the current front-runner Makati Medical Center some good competition.  Not that too many hospitals is ever a bad thing, I just wonder which one we’ll be referred to now.  As previously mentioned in 3 posts, I am intimately familiar with the Emergency Room at Makati Med.

With global medical tourism on the rise here as well as in other parts of Asia, it doesn’t really surprise me that countries are making significant investments in hospitals.  This is especially true in the Philippines, where I would estimate that 35-50% of college-educated people become doctors or nurses (next time you’re at a US hospital, take a look around and count how many Filipinos are caring for you – I swear, nurses are the biggest thing they export here!).

I’m not sure about the merit of this statement, but a recent article in the paper quoted, “…St. Luke’s is better equipped than 95 percent of hospitals in the United States…”  This could mean big business for relatively inexpensive Asian countries like the Philippines if they can deliver on their promises and capitalize on rising medical costs in the US.  Based on our own experiences here, I can provide testament that we’ve gotten equivalent care at a fraction of the cost (visit from a neurologist for $40 anyone?)

Before you check into your local hospital again, I invite you to take a moment and consider the top-notch care a stay at St. Luke’s could provide instead:

1. A helicopter ride to the hospital to avoid all the annoying press outside
2. A 24 hour concierge service that allows relatives to call from anywhere in the world and have errands done for their confined patient
3. A Customer Care Officer to manage all your needs
4. Your choice of private lodging – a Private Room will set you back $75 a day
5. Or the more opulent Presidential Suite might be more of what you’re looking for – at $1100 a night, this 500 square foot suite on the 16th floor comes with a commanding view, a living room, dining room with table for 8, guest accommodations and a Jacuzzi.  Not too shabby, if I say so myself!

With our history of ER visits, I’m sure we’ll be checking out this facility quite soon.  I’ll be sure to give you an update and let you know if the paper’s review did it justice… this may be yet another reason to visit me here – just think of it as a 2 for 1 – some bonding with me and a cheap surgery to boot!  Warning: No trips should be planned without first consulting your insurance company (they may not want you to get that good of a deal).

Ode to a Neti Pot

There once was a house that fell ill

And racked up an emergency room bill.

They hacked all day and night

With no end in sight,

Thank God the Neti Pot works better than a pill.

WE LOVE YOU NETI!  Thanks for clearing up our sinuses.  You’re so much more reliable than Western Medicine!

Here’s a little educational video on how to use one:

For those who haven’t tried this before, no judging until you give it a shot.  Yeah, it feels super strange – but it works like a charm on sinus problems and allergies!   Neti pots are becoming so mainstream that you can even get one at Target!  Here’s the brand that we picked up before leaving, which includes 50 packets of the salt rinse you need to mix with the lukewarm water.  1/2 pot per nostril is our rule.  Experience the magic for yourself!

Another Emergency Room Visit and Healing Massages: Our Weekend in Review

Yes, it is true.  We are still sick.  New symptoms seem to be showing up each day.  I haven’t kicked my cough yet despite all the various remedies I’ve tried.  And then Nick woke up on Saturday morning and told me he had an ear infection and needed it looked at immediately.  So off we went to the Emergency Room for the second time this week!  I’m starting to become a regular there – it’s really quite sad.  He was diagnosed with Swimmer’s Ear, which is essentially an infection of the ear canal.  Quite painful!  With drops and pain meds in hand, we settled in for another rest-filled weekend.

I’ve written several times about how I frequent The Spa, which is in Greenbelt.  While I still love my “home” spa, I felt like a change-up was in order because I was so used to the routine of the various massages that I’d know which direction I needed to turn or bend my leg before they had even prompted me.  The buzz in the Embassy community has been around Neo Spa, located in Fort Bonafacio.  I decided to test it out with a friend on Friday and see how it compared.

Since I’ve been sick for almost 3 weeks now, I opted for a unique massage geared toward helping your immune system.  It’s called a Lymphatic Drainage Massage and although the name isn’t very sexy, it ended up being in my top 3 massages of all time.  This style of massage boosts the flow of lymph around your body, refreshing your immune system and flushing out toxins.  For those of you that aren’t into biology: Lymph is a clear, yellow fluid that flows around your body, bringing white blood cells and antibodies to your tissues and organs.  These are vital to your immune system and help fight infections.

It’s hard to describe what the massage felt like.  At times, I felt like she was kneading my muscles, pushing her hands together from both ends.  She also used a unique S stroke that I’ve never experienced before.  Everything was long and flowing, but there was an intensity about it as well that felt different than Swedish.  She started at my toes and worked up to the top of the body, seemingly squeezing all of the toxins out through my head.  Simply amazing!  For those of you who like massage, add this style to your repertoire!

You can just about guess how excited I was about this new spa I had found!  So what did I do but book another appointment on the spot for Nick and I for the following day. I got him the Lymphatic Massage that I’d just received and decided that I’d sample a new massage called Tui Na, which is a form of Chinese Manipulative Therapy often used in combination with acupuncture.  I was struggling to explain the basics of Tui Na, so I pulled a short excerpt from Wikipedia to share with you:

The words Tui Na translate into “push-grasp” or “poke-pinch” in Chinese. Physically, it is a series of pressing, tapping, and kneading with palms, fingertips, knuckles or implements that help the body to remove blockages along the meridians of the body and stimulates the flow of qi and blood to promote healing, similar to principles of acupuncture, moxibustion, and acupressure.  Tui na is a hands-on body treatment that uses Chinese taoist and martial art principles to bring the body to balance. The principles being balanced are the eight principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The practitioner may brush, knead, roll/press and rub the areas between each of the joints (known as the eight gates) to open the body’s defensive chi and get the energy moving in both the meridians and the muscles.

I had no idea all that was happening but I can say that it felt sensational.  The most unique aspect of the style was that it was done almost exclusively with the two thumbs.  I can’t imagine what kind of hand strength that must take!  And the great thing about this new spa is that they have 4 or 5 other unique massage styles that I’ve never had before including: A bamboo massage, a Seashell Massage and a Lomi Lomi Massage.  I can guarantee that I’ll be sampling every style at least once!

 

 

The Miracle that is Eyebrow Threading!

In the spirit of radical self-care, I decided to treat myself to an eyebrow make-over last night.  During my many, many visits to the Greenbelt Mall, I had happened across a shop entirely devoted to the art of eyebrow shaping.  Please, allow me to share my find: it’s called Browhaus!  Based out of Singapore, it’s an Asian chain devoted to all things brows.  It’s even got a little attitude that comes with it for free.  Take, for instance, the doors to the appointment rooms:

No, I was not in a submarine!  And just as an amusing aside, when I tried to take my own picture of the place, they told me that cameras were not allowed because everything they do is proprietary!  Darn those secret-stealing eyebrow competitors!!  So alas, no pictures of my own.  The Browhaus Brow Architects (their name, not mine) have a full menu of products to offer:

1. Brow construction – Shaping with tweezing or threading
2. ColorTweak – brow coloring (dying)
3. Lashgraphy – tinting your lashes a darker color
4. Lash Curl Up – A permanent curl for your lashes
5. Lash in Bloom – individual lashes are glued on to your existing ones
6. Brow Resurrection – A new brow is created and applied, strand by strand

Whoa, huh?  They tried to convince me not only to shape my lashes, but to color my brow and dye my lashes.  Next time, friends.  We’ve got plenty more visits in our future!  So I ended up choosing a Brow Construction, but the method I chose was THREADING.  Now what is threading, you ask?  I didn’t even know!  Watch this 2 minute video to see the process in action:

I have to tell you, I will never go back to waxing!  It was beyond incredible to take one of the most excruciating processes known to women and eliminate the pain.  CRAZY!  It’s hard to explain what it felt like, almost like someone took an itty bitty scissors and got right up against my skin and clipped out a few strands at a time.

My architect went insanely fast though.  I couldn’t see what was happening because one woman spread apart my eyebrow (holding my lid closed) and little pieces of hair were flying all over, so I wasn’t supposed to open the other eye.  Apparently this practice was developed in Asia, which is why it’s so common here.  Only $10 for the treatment!  Hard to believe that a little sewing thread can extract things so precisely.  It’s one of those life experiences that you’re unfortunately going to need to go through to understand.  I just can’t put my joy into words.  So I’ll use pictures instead:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Now, mind you – I have curly hair in my brows, so they’re a bit unruly to begin with.  In fact, we had to draft an entire “Brow Plan” for my beauties.  I was instructed to come back exactly 4 weeks from today and to UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES remove any hair underneath the brow.  We are working on regrowing some patches that I had apparently overplucked!  OOPS!  Well, thank goodness I now have a Brow Architect!  What a fabulously foreign experience!  Here are a few other shots worth sharing… But before I leave you, a short public service announcement: Overplucking hurts the environment and YOU!  Don’t do it… leave it to the professionals!

I know I promised…

not to write about massages anymore!  But then the internet went down yesterday….and I just felt like The Spa was calling to me….”Come visit Sarah, we miss you”….and I was feeling bold and adventurous….and so I tried my first THAI MASSAGE!  The pictures I found on the internet do it more justice than words:

I had no idea what to expect (but assumed that I wasn’t going to like it and this would be my only Thai Massage of my life).  I COULDN’T HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG!  Wow, there was something so soothing about the Thai style.  It’s very different than a Swedish or relaxation massage where the strokes are long and fluid.  This style can best be described as a combination of assisted stretching and heavy, focused pressing across each part of your body.  I’ve never experienced anything like it – I was almost in a trance at certain points, the rhythmic pressing was so hypnotic.

The mechanics of it are this:  You are given shorts and a t-shirt to wear for the session.  You enter the small room and there’s a mattress laying on the floor.  I lay face-up to start and she covered me with 4 different small sheets.  All pressing takes place through the sheets, so there’s no skin-to-skin contact, nor is there any oil or lotion used.  Again, it’s VERY different than Swedish!  She worked each side of my body meticulously, working from top to bottom.  I felt like Gumby and the therapist reminded me of a little acrobat jumping all over the mat.  Each segment started with pressing and then progressed to stretching.

This was no passive massage!  There was one instance in which she had all her bodyweight on me and was kneeling on my bottom and walking her hands up and down my back.  At another point I had locked my hands behind my head and she had lifted my torso (by hooking through my outstretched elbows) and was tilting me from side to side.  Head, Elbow, Legs, Foot, Hands – you name it, she used it!  I’ve never had such a cool relaxation experience.  It was so different than anything I’ve ever partaken in.  And at $28 for 75 minutes, the price matches the quality of the experience – which means that I’ll be rotating a Thai in every other week between the Swedish types.  Makes for a little better variety – I mean who wants to get tired of getting massages??  Next up: A Volcanic Rock Massage.  Stay tuned…

And so I apologize for talking massage again, but I just had to share this experience with you!  I hope you’ll forgive me…

Addicted to The Spa

Photo from Flickr: Daniel_isBored

Hello all, please indulge me for a moment and allow me to gush about my most recent pleasure, The Spa.  I know that I’ve written about this before, but I haven’t really given you a run-down on the entire experience.  I’m sure you think my attendance is a bit excessive (and perhaps it is) but our insurance covers 30 massages at $30 a piece each year as a wellness benefit.  So if you do the math, I still have 27 to get in before the end of this year!

So here goes…I’ve been to the spa 4 times since July 1st.  1 Pedicure, 1 Aromatherapy Massage and 2 Hilot Massages.  The Hilot is the most memorable, so I’ll walk you through that experience.  Nick and I did a couple’s massage last night.  When we arrive, we pay our $25 per person at the front door and then ascend the steps you see above to the prep area.  Men to the left, ladies to the right.  Inside, you are handed a robe and invited to strip down.  They Filipino attendants point you in the direction of the Steam room to start which is then followed up by a shower.  Next is another waiting room in which you’re given ginger tea until being taken to your suite.

My name was called and I was led to my room, where Nick was already getting positioned on the massage table.  The room evoked that fabulous Thai feel – dark wood, candles, aromatic perfumes, light linens.  Just stunning – I didn’t want to close my eyes.  The Hilot is a traditional Filipino massage.  There are 2 aspects that make it quite unique:

1. The massage therapists use coconut oil on your body (which smells fantastic, by the way).  In addition though, before they put in on your body they warm their hands over a square configuration of 12 tea-light candles, so that each time they rub a body part moving heat sensations tickle your skin.  I can’t even tell you how grand this is!
2. When they are doing your arms and legs, they place a coconut oil-soaked banana leaf across your back and then top it with warm volcanic stones so that your middle is soothed and warm while they’re working on your arms and legs.

Can you see why I’m such a fan??  And it just goes on and on… for 75 minutes.  Perhaps the only adjustment is that they’re a bit more open with touch here than in America spas.  Bellies, Behinds and Chests are all fair game here, although they will ask you if it’s okay first.  For those coming to visit, this is a must-do experience….And it will give me another reason to go that week!  I promise, no more mentions of the spa for at least two more posts!

I found Bodypump!!

I never thought it would be possible, but I managed to find a gym that has Bodypump classes in Manila (and it’s within walking distance of our place!)  A little background on Bodypump… it’s a fabulous weight routine where you do 10 tracks in one hour, each of which is coreographed to music.  Each track focuses on a different muscle – abs, chest, gluts, bicep, tricep, shoulder, etc.

In order to go to Bodypump, I first had to join a gym.  As usual, this was a bit of a process.  I went over at 7 AM on wednesday to check out the gym.  I got the usual tour and an overview of the rates, etc.  What I wasn’t expecting was that Filipino salespeople are a bit more aggressive than I’m used to.  I was planning to wait until next week to join, but my salesperson called me at 6:30 AM on both Thursday and Friday to inquire if I was coming in that day.  I decided that I did not want to be woken up at 6:30 again on Saturday and finally turned in my application on Friday.

SIDE NOTE: Apparently this pestering thing is a very common Filipino characteristic.  Saying that you’ll do something doesn’t actually mean you will.  For example, if a Filipino says they’re coming to your dinner party, you’re supposed to follow-up the day of to remind them/confirm that they really meant it.  This is all in an effort to “save face” and avoid saying no.  It’s better to say yes and then just not show apparently… I am not a fan of this cultural aspect yet.

And so now I’m a proud holder of a gym membership!  I did my first BodyPump class this morning with 30 Filipinos.  Where are all the other foreigners??  I swear I read that there was a large Expat community here.  How come I don’t seem to be coming across any of them??  Alas, I’m getting used to being the one that stands out.  Good thing I enjoy attention!  I suppose if I was really trying to blend in then I wouldn’t have walked in late, taken a place at the front of the room and promptly started belting out the lyrics…. I still have quite a bit of work to do around the blending thing!  All I can say is that it felt SOOO good to pick up this old favorite of mine.  Be sure and look for my toned muscles in upcoming swimsuit photos!

Pixie cuts and Manila…

apparently do not mix.  I ventured into my first salon on Monday to get a much-needed trim.  As I previously mentioned, I already stick out horribly amongst the dark-haired, dark-skinned Filipinos.  What I had failed to notice was that no women have short hair cuts.  The most racy look is a chin-length bob!

And so the story begins…I set off on my adventure to get my hair cut and didn’t have to travel but a few steps into the neighboring shopping mall.  I picked a swanky salon because, why not?  My cut with the Senior Stylist was still only $17!  (Have I mentioned that I’m never leaving here??)  So I’m seated in the chair and the stylist comes over and does a double take when he realizes that I have short hair already and I’m there to get a pixie cut.  He reminded me of a kid in a candy store, ready to go to town on my hair….

But wait!  In the Philippines, the senior stylist cannot be bothered to do anything but cut!  So the assistant was called over to wash my hair and massage my back.  He wrapped my head in a fancy little turban and left me to await the Senior Stylist.  Can I just begin by saying that I’ve never had such a thorough haircut?

So he clipped and razored and shaved and chipped and did this whole process over and over again.  He had this fancy thing he did where he’d swing the scissors around his index finger from a “resting” to “cutting” position.  My hair has never received so much attention!  When he was done with the preliminary cut he beckoned over the assistant to wash my hair AGAIN and blow dry it.  By the time I was dry he was back to put the finishing touches on it.

My favorite part was at the end when he said, “We’re having a fashion show today and the show is you!” He was referring to the fact that all the staff kept parading by because they never see women getting short hair cuts.  So funny… what an experience to remember!  For those of you planning to visit – save a haircut for while you’re here!  You won’t regret it… there’s nothing comparable to the Filipino service industry.  Here’s a picture of my new cut: