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Go Backpacking > Destinations > Asia > China > Spa Life, Giant Pandas, And Movie Night

Spa Life, Giant Pandas, And Movie Night

March 25, 2008 By Dave

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Ping pong in pajamas

Chinese Spa

Around 1 am Charlie, Jody and I arrived at a 24-hour spa.

We spent the next four hours swimming around in four pools of varying sizes and temperatures, playing ping-pong in the provided pajamas (which gave us the distinct look we were in an insane asylum), and sweating out the toxins in steam and dry saunas.

Charlie models a free Chinese bathing suit

A few funny moments occurred. First, as we put our stuff in lockers, Charlie explained to me how Western-style bathing suits were often mistaken for shorts by the Chinese.

A moment after we walked into the pool area, an exchange occurred in Chinese.

Charlie told me they had asked whether we were going to change into bathing suits which cracked us up.

Secondly, before the sauna, Charlie got a cup of water and after a big gulp immediately spit it out, saying it tasted like pool water.

I tried it as well and thought it was more akin to sweat. Once we were in the dry sauna enough to work up a nice sweat, Jody left and went to get a cup of water.

I motioned to Charlie that she was about to drink the bad water as we watched through the glass, expecting her to spit it out too.

To our surprise, she gulped it down, and even refilled her cup!

When we emerged with quizzical looks, she explained the health benefits of drinking saltwater. I'll stick to lemon-lime Gatorade.

Giant Panda Research Base

Baby pandas chillin'

I had booked a half-day tour to the Giant Panda Research Base through Sim's, and since it left the guest house across town at 8:30 am, I didn't go to sleep after the spa.

The adult pandas were cute while eating their morning bamboo, while the baby pandas playing around were about as adorable as an animal can get.

Nepalese red panda

I paid $7 to hold a Nepalese Red Panda, though he was too busy eating his fruit to look at the camera. It was worth it to feel it's tiny heart beating.

Momma panda gives baby a boost

Movie Night

After being up 27 hours, and catching up on a little sleep during the afternoon, I ordered a Sichuan-style pizza from The Mutts Nutts, a fairly new Western-owned pizza place in the area.

It came with tons of peppers and ham, very good!

Charlie has a lot of movies, concerts, and shows on a server, so I picked out Chungking Express since it was set in Hong Kong.

I really enjoyed it, and only afterward found out how well regarded the 1994 movie is among critics.

Planning a trip? Go Backpacking uses and recommends:

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Filed Under: China

About Dave

Dave is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Go Backpacking and Feastio. He's been to 65 countries and lived in Colombia and Peru. Originally from New York, Dave now calls Austin, TX home. Find him on Instagram and Twitter.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. crambox says

    March 27, 2008 at 4:42 pm

    Thats the good life spa’s pandas and yes salt water dave great post!!

  2. crambox says

    March 27, 2008 at 11:42 am

    Thats the good life spa’s pandas and yes salt water dave great post!!

  3. Phil says

    April 1, 2008 at 1:12 am

    Sweet blue spacesuit did you get to keep that :p

    • Dave says

      April 12, 2008 at 4:43 am

      Negative ghostrider, we tried to snag the pajamas but it was a no-go.

  4. Phil says

    March 31, 2008 at 8:12 pm

    Sweet blue spacesuit did you get to keep that :p

    • Dave says

      April 11, 2008 at 11:43 pm

      Negative ghostrider, we tried to snag the pajamas but it was a no-go.

  5. spa control systems says

    February 2, 2010 at 8:44 am

    Wow that's a pretty amazing spa Ive ever seen, because do you a have a panda,

  6. Spa Heater says

    February 4, 2010 at 5:38 am

    Good job
    Thank for information, I'm looking for it

  7. Spa Heater says

    February 4, 2010 at 5:40 am

    Good job
    Thank for information, I'm looking for it

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