My Massage

I had a massage at Herbaline Spa and Salon. It was wonderful. The building has nice clean lines outside, pretty simple. It has very nice landscaping. When a person arrives they walk up the stone steps to a wall. At the opening in the wall is a bridge across water. There are large fish in the water. I think Koi fish. One crosses that to get to the front doors. A person has to be buzzed in to enter. Inside it smells great. The receptionist was dressed in a plain white dress. Very simple and about knee length. She was also wearing white slippers. The counter was white, tables, chairs, and tiles. It smells wonderful in there, very soothing. The lady took my name and had me take a seat. Across from the seat and to the left of the counter, facing the counter, are two tables with little stools. That is where I sat to fill out simple paperwork, drank tea, and was given a hand towel to wipe my face and hands. After that I was shown through the tall narrow doors. I passed by a kitchen with a granite counter and some stools. Passed that there is a door that is straight ahead. Stairs that go up on the left, and also a path that goes right. I was lead to the right on flagstones over rocks. They use large white rocks. I passed by some glass windows, but didn't really look. I was concentrating on not falling off the flagstones. I was led into a room that has a two tiered wood section. With a little wood platform to sit on. I removed my shoes and was given paper slippers to wear.  My socks and shoes where placed in a basket and placed in a tall wooden cubby hole holder that divided the room in half. I started off with a foot bath. I turned around and there was a sink set in the floor in front of me with water in it. They have three of those platforms with sinks. Sea salt was added for sanitation.  There was a scrub brush and dipper in the bowl beside the sink for me to use for scrubbing my feet. I was there for 5 minutes. After that I put my slippers on and led outside to an enclosed section. There was a huge cube like structure that had a large wooden edge to sit on. I sat in it and swung my feet over the edge and into the water. At the center of the water was a fountain. This is the fish reflexology. All these tiny tiny fish come and attach themselves to one's feet and lower legs. They are getting rid of the dead skin on that part of the body. It feels very weird and ticklish at first, and I kept moving my legs and scaring the fish. I could watch them they move all over and their little mouths going as they suck the dead skin off and eat it.  It was a cross between being tickled and having lots of tiny electric shocks at the same time.  Eventually I got better and was able to hold still. That was done for ten minutes. After that I put the slippers back on and was escorted over to this pillar that had a covered bowl on top and was surrounded by white gauzy curtain material. It was drawn back and the lid was lifted off. I was told to remove my glasses and place my face over the bowl and close my eyes. It was hot and I pulled back and then placed my face over it again. I was told to breathe in and out 3 times. The lady put her hand on my back so she could feel me breathing. This was aroma therapy, then I was escorted to a massage room. Outside of it was the massage lady, and she clasped her hands and bowed to me. It was very large and had two beds. (Right now they are running a thing where if you bring a friend it is only 1/2 price for the friend.) It was not super bright in there but not dark either. Natural light was coming in through the door to the dressing room. Up above is a huge white gauzy covering. Towards the back of the room and on the right was a doorway with a like a bead curtain only it was just long white strings.  I was taken through that and to the right. There was a huge dressing room with toilet, and shower behind. There was also a smaller enclosed space that looked like it might be a sauna. I was given directions that after the lady left I was to remove my clothes, put a shower cap off, enter the shower and rinse off. When I came out I was to put on these white underwear and kimono, then go back out to the other room and ring the bell. The lady doing my massage would then enter. I was told to enjoy my massage. It would be 1.5 hours. So she left, and I showered and put the kimono on. The underwear were a little harder. They were very small. All of the ladies I saw were Chinese, very slender and petite. I put them on anyway but they just barely covered me. I was embarrassed, but I think even if I lost weight they would still be small on me. I went back out and rang the bell. The lady came in and unrolled the blanket, and gave me a white soft shower cap to put on. She was dressed in simple white pants and button up shirt. Then she told me to untie the kimono and lay face down. She placed the blanket over me and helped me take the kimono off. She went around to my head and told me to breathe in. She kind of made a motion on my shoulders like I needed to lift up, and I could not quite understand her, so I lifted  my head up. Then laid back down she said it again, and so I lifted my head up, and she pushed me back down. Then I understood what she was wanting me to do. After that my massage started. It was very good. She had strong hands. My spine cracked all the way down my back. After she was done with my back she held up the blanket so she couldn't see and had me turn over. Then she did my front side. She did my neck and as she was doing my neck my cap came off. I thought uh oh, but then she actually took it off to massage my head. I figured the cap must be used to keep the hair out of the way when she is working on my back and neck when I am face down. When I was face up she placed a little thing over my eyes. I did get a peak after I had flipped over, and I saw she was wearing a mask over her nose and mouth, probably so she wasn't breathing on me. As she was massaging me after she finished with like a leg or arm she would use it to kind of wipe the oil off that area. When it was over she left me for a few minutes. Then she came back lifted the blanket as I sat up and tied it around me so I was still covered. She brought back a hot wash towel and wiped down my back, arms, and legs.  She also brought in this spa soup. It was like a hot drink with all sort of like cinnamon, etc. in it. It was very good and very hot. She told me to drink it slowly then go and get dressed, and she would wait outside. She told me not to show for one hour.  I got dressed and came out. We found my socks and shoes. She took me back to the aroma therapy and had me do a different one. Then we walked back to the kitchen. I sat down and had a cup of tea, while another lady answered some questions about hours, facials, and such. I was asked some questions like where are you from, do you have children. Then she told me I should bring a friend next time because of the deal they are doing.  After that I paid her, and she walked me out. It smelled good inside and was very soothing. I am used to talking to the person who gives me the massage, so that was different, but there was soothing music, and I really relaxed. She asked me a couple time if I was ok. I said yes. She also asked me if I was cold, and I said no. It was very cool in there but it felt good.
http://www.herbaline.com.my/
This is the website.  I got way more for my money than if I had gone to a spa for all of this in the US. I was very happy and will go back. My neck feels better. My ankles have been tender and I don't know why but they feel better too. My back was tender when I went to bed last night and actually couldn't lay on my back to start, but I think with all the flying and carrying of things and all the packing I did before I left I think my back and neck were really tight, and she really worked hard to get the knots out. She also didn't do my face which my massage therapist back home always did, but maybe since they do facials there that is why they don't.