Traditional Khmer Massage

 This morning after breakfast at the hotel we walked about 1/2 k up to Serendipity Beach Road, the main tourist strip, to Meta Spa. Tim had recommended it for massages so we thought we'd give it a try. We each asked for a traditional Khmer massage for 60 minutes at a cost of $9 each.

 Here's Anita waiting for a few minutes in the bamboo lined waiting room. This is really a nice place. They offered us cold water while we waited although it was only a short time. Because there are frequent brownouts and blackouts here, the spa had no airconditioning while we were there, just a fan but it was very comfortable. That's all their generator could handle. Most businesses have generators because blackouts happen all the time and can last 8 or 10 hours. I'm not sure where they're going to get the electricity for all the development that's happening.
Anyway, we were soon led into a cubicle screened off from the rest, with 2 massage tables. You take off all your clothes and dress in these light, loose cotton pajama things. Then 2 masseuses came in and started work on the 2 of us. A traditional Khmer massage is different. They use very little or no oil. The women are barefoot of course (you often take off your footwear at the entrance to a building) and most of the time they're right up on the table working on you. They ask you at the start if you want strong, medium or soft. Anita chose medium and I chose strong. It's like a combination of a massage and chiropractic treatment. They use their hands, elbows, knees and feet. They massage, stretch and bend you around for an hour. At one point, although I was face down, I'm sure that the masseuse was walking up my spine.
After the treatment we got dressed and went out to the waiting room where they gave us a cup of tea. You really have to sit down for awhile after the massage so you can re-orient yourself to the world. This was the best massage either of us have ever had.

Here's Anita walking up Serendipity Beach Road, the center of all the tourist action. After the massage, we walked along Occheuteal Beach and bought a sliced pineapple and mango for $2. We took it back to our hotel where we took beer and wine down to the pool and just relaxed for a couple of hours.
After a nap, we went back to the new Sea View Villa for the blue plate special. Another excellent meal for $15 including wine and 2 beers. All in all, a relaxing day.