Chula-U

Did you know that there is a long tradition in Japan regarding communal bath houses?  For many centuries men and women would take daily baths in the theaputic waters of spring-fed bath houses while sharing community news or gossip.  If you don't believe me, think back to that scene in Memoirs of a Geisha.  They went to bathe in a communal hot spring bath.  It's really not so much a bath as a soak in a hot tub after you bathe the dirt and grime off you bod (those Japanese are clean folks!).  I suppose it's very tranquil and relaxing if you're 1.) comfortable walking around naked, 2.) don't mind sharing a bath (while naked) with strangers and 3.) don't have kids along clinging to you and asking inappropriate questions about strangers' strange things.

With all that, what am I leading up to???  Well I've heard a lot about a place called Chula-U since we moved here.  It's a spa/bath house that's located right on the ocean less than a mile from our place.  I beleived it to be, from the write-ups, a hybrid bath house with pools and saunas as well as therapeutic water and, ahem...communal bath.  So before your mind starts wondering too far, no, I did not go for the Full Monty (and neither did Steve or the kids).  Instead we enjoyed the other attractions like a variety of pools, jacuzzi, sauna (heated to 160 degrees!) and Doctor Fish.  The kids had a ball while Stevie and I tried to relax.  I have to say the setting was really pretty, set right on the ocean.  And the warm therapeutic water pool was wonderful to sink your body in (if only those kids weren't pulling on me the whole time!) 

Emmy and Stevie in the jacuzzi

Great view of the ocean from the pool!

Probably the best part was the Doctor Fish, which we've tried before and about which I've previously written.  Basically it's a large tank of a special type of miniature carp that you submerge your feet into.  Immediately the fish go to town eating all the dead skin off your feet.  Feels like Pop Rocks on your feet!  Of course, I go out to try the fish first and sit down with 3 Japanese ladies and 3 Japanese men.  The fish, apparently, have a taste for American skin and swarmed my legs and feet leaving the others with a few measly fish clinging to their big toes.  No, seriously, I must have had 200 fish on me while one of the Japanese men had 5 (I counted them) on him.  They were amazed, I was embarrased and the fish - I guess - were stuffed to the gills (no pun intended!)  If only I had known that I was going to be a one-woman freak show, I would have at least shaved my legs and touched up my Emmy-given pedicure!