Comparative Analysis of Shanghai Rub Downs

I’ve had two massages while here in Shanghai. They were very different in every way except for this.

They were cheap. ($24 and $12) and they both made me sick! I get the distinct impression that massages here are a therapy to remove “toxins.” And remove they did.

Massage #1 was a typical Chinese massage- it was dry. You wear pajamas and the girl massages you through those and focuses on a body part at a time. I liked, but didn’t love it.

Afterwards, I took a large nap and woke up not well. I was freezing cold for a couple of hours, with a determined feeling of puking. There was no puking, but sufficient to say there are other methods of toxin removal. After a couple of hours, I felt super hot, and then it just…went away.

Not to learn lessons the first time, yesterday I headed to a different place – recommended by co-workers. They said it was amazing, and there definitely was oil. I figured it’d be more like the amazing relaxing massage I got the first time I came here.

Wrong. The girl twisted my body and joints in directions that weren’t comfortable. She moved so hard and fast up and down my back, you could hear the muscles moving under her hands. And. It. Hurt.

This massage ended with a two drinks. The first was cold, green and cloudy, and had a good amount of solid-ish stuff in the bottom. It was too thick to be tea. It may have been some fermented bean drink? I didn’t like it. The second one was also cold. It had a familiar taste, though I wouldn’t call it tea like. It lacked leaves, which is typical in Chinese tea, so I don’t know what it was.

Friends accomplished in Eastern medicine – any ideas on either of them?

I loaded up on water after massage 2 to avoid another bout of sickness. My body was super achy, and my neck just hurt. I felt odd, but not sick, and I was super excited about our dinner plans at the “unmissable” Japanese restaurant. It was amazing. I can’t even begin to describe the modern concrete space.

Just after I finished eating (about 3 hours after the massage), I felt suddenly and strongly nauseas. I left the guys with the bill and hopped in a cab. I prayed for a swift return to the hotel. This time, with a belly full of food, I did puke (nasty), and there was those other affects as well. After a couple of hours, I felt better, and passed out.

Bottom line – Austin-based massage therapist/excellent friend Liz is far better!