Blind Body Massage

Yesterday I decided to go have a massage. We had read several times that the blind excel in this field, so we picked the “Blind Body Massage” place.

A taxi brought us to the address, and the security guard said to go to the 4th floor. The elevator did not look very safe to me but we did get to the 4th floor. The corridor was very dim, with no decorations that would indicate this was an elevator lobby. After we got off the elevator we saw a bunch of Chinese characters and two arrows, one pointing left and one pointing right; of course we took the wrong one first. We did arrive at the right place, though it wasn’t clear at first that it was a massage facility. It looked like someone’s living room with a TV and clothes hanging to dry on the balcony. The room looked somewhat run down and none too clean. There were several people in the waiting area/living room, and they looked none too clean, either! (I was surprised to find a western style toilet in the restroom, but it was none too clean either, so no sitting! Thank God for strong thigh muscles.)

Somehow they understood what I wanted and showed me the massage room. That room was very clean so I decided to go ahead and have the massage. (Malinda went shopping for the one hour I was on the massage table – that’s where she found the “Arts and Grafts” shop).

The young blind man was brought in by a lady who, I assume, told him there was an old white devil lady on the table. He looked so young and frail that I wondered if he would have the strength to do a massage. Oh boy! That was the hardest massage I have ever had (not the best, this is reserved for a massage therapist in Fort Worth who is outstanding).

He spent about 20 minutes on my face and scalp, so I’m pretty sure he now knows exactly what I look like! I then indicated to him that I wanted him to work on my upper back and shoulder, and he really worked it. He could feel exactly where I have knots that needed kneading. He even found some sore spots I didn’t know I had! He also worked my shoulder more like a physical therapist, circling my arm over my head and to my back again and again, rather than just massaging it.

All in all it was a very good massage and more than worth the price – 30 yuan (about $3.50) for one hour! Even with a 20 yuan tip it was incredibly cheap. Even counting the two taxi rides it was really inexpensive. (Sorry I didn’t think to take a picture.)