WanderingWhy…

We’ve been quiet lately I know, my apologies. But after so much time in Thailand, that is exactly how Malaysia seems–very quiet. Except for my room tonight where there is a Karaoke bar right below my window. Greatest hits of the eighties are made ever “greater” by drunk people who think they can sing. Cheering for “Wonderful Tonight” from one boozer to another is a bit distracting as I write this.

Maybe the most unusual thing we’ve done here so far is a visit to the “Fish Spa.” A spa to get your goldfish pampered you might be asking? Er.. no, not exactly.

The Kenko Fish Spa in the Pavilion Mall in Kuala Lumpur utilizes “Dr. Fish Spa Therapy.”  “Dr. Fish species have a unique dietary habit, where it would naturally peck away at the dead and diseased skin of bathers.”  Ideas like this could only originate in Asia… well, according to the brochure,  a hot spring in Turkey actually.

(They are living “La Vida Loca” outside now… did I mention it’s a nice open air courtyard so the sound travels for blocks?  If you travel with anything–make it earplugs.)

Hundreds of Garra Ruffa fish fill two huge tanks where guests relax while the “little masseurs” (the fish) “micro-massage” your feet.  We took a look inside and people really seemed to be enjoying themselves. The place looked nice and very clean so for $12 a half-hour session we figured we’d give it a go.  Some goofy new-age stuff like this would probably go for $90 and hour back home.

We paid up, washed our feet with a special enzyme (probably some kind of chum) and got ready to dip our toes in the water.  I grabbed some reading material under the delusion this was going to be a relaxing experience.  The woman working there told us to start with the small fish tank and move onto the larger one once we got used to the sensation.

Massage is not a word I would use to describe sticking my feet into a tank full of toothless piranha.  The little bastards swarmed all over me the second my feet were in the water and started biting all the most tender spots.  It’s wasn’t really painful, but having tiny fish bite the arches of my feet and between my toes was not exactly comfortable.  How could everyone else be enjoying this?

Dawn adjusted faster than I did:

We moved on the the tank with the larger fish and they had a feast at the size twelve buffet.  If only they would only gnaw on the rough spots and leave the tender ones I may have enjoyed it a bit more.  If anything, It was an experience.  Would I do it again?

Maybe for a laugh.

Bookmark To: