Bali Part 4...how to relax

So if you are in Bali, you really shouldn't have to have suggestions on how to relax, but here are a few anyway. If you are like me, the concept of relaxing is extremely foreign. There is always something you should go see or do, but if I have learned nothing else, I have learned that doing nothing in the right company is the way to go.
The first two are rather obvious...pool or beach? Either place you can read a book or take a snooze (only if covered in SPF 10,000), or take a swim in beautiful waters. From time to time folks selling hats and sarongs and shirts might look for a quick sale but they don't bother you too much.

 This next bit of relaxation may not be for the faint of heart but is a must when coming to Bali or even in Korea. In Korea it is known as Dr. Fish. I don't have a clue what they call it in Bali but this was our first experience with this concept. What happens is you put your feet with all these little fish and they nibble all of the dead skin off your feet and ankles and stuff. Now before you get too grossed out you have to give it a try. It is the oddest feeling and can be ticklish at first. If you are worried about cleanliness, fear not, your feet are wiped down before and after the process. From what Eka told us, these fish are very sensitive to keep alive as well. These particular fish are from Turkey and there the practice is quite common. You just have the pool the right temperature with the the right air circulation and all. It is such an odd feeling and you get even odder looks from people walking by but it really works. Your feet feel amazing when you are all done.

 There are combo deals at the place we stopped by. We could do the Dr. Fish thing which was awesome and then we could also do massage and reflexology. For those of you who don't know, reflexology focuses on the feet, hands, and sometimes ears. It is designed to stimulate the systems in your body, something closer to acupuncture. It helps balance the body internally which really does seem to help you relax more. When we asked the technicians if they could feel where we were more tense or our circulation was poor, they would say yes and usually they work on certain areas where they feel that tension.  Unfortunately, due to my neglect of constant reapplication of sunscreen I could not partake in the neck and back massage. But while I was getting extra focus on my hands, I watched my new friends nearly fall over in a relaxed stupor. It was amazing to watch their bodies just start to slump so quickly. Let's just say that after these experiences (which we did twice on our trip) we went back to the hotel droopy, drowsy, happy, and relaxed.
I cannot speak for the balinese massage. My friend Kim had that done, and although there was no screaming, there was definitely some slapping and beating going on back there that I don't know all the details of. She seemed no worse for wear by the end of that though. So in short, you can fully relax in Bali for $0-$20 dollars US. (That's right $20 bucks) and if none of that appeals to you then you might need to try a better local my friends.