South Korea - 9

Well, yesterday the weather was foggy, cold and grey. Still better than in Europe I guess, with temps of around 15 degrees C. At the end of the morning it started to drizzle.

Today, another grey day but a little sunshine came through inviting me for a walk along the beach. It is quite different from a beach in the Netherlands. The water is really blue and the sand is very clean but it is not as commercially developed. There are restaurants and tiny supermarkets half of which are open today .. but there is some activity going on. Owners are preparing for the summer season, which is in July and August. Shops and inventory are being cleaned and repainted, an old merry-go-round was removed which makes me wonder if it will be replaced.

Language is still a barrier, though. Except in the spa.

Yesterday I went for another visit and I wanted a scrub as well. One of my Facebook friends has been kind enough to send me a schedule of how spa's in the Netherlands work. Okay, there I go, with all my necessary materials.

After a round of the baths and enjoying a great water massage where all body parts were spoilt, I had enough and went for the scrubbing place. The ladies sitting there were all with a friend. Hmmm, what to do. I started to scrub myself, but, then, scrubbing the back oneself is a problem. I observed a lady who was by herself. So, imitating what happened the times before I walked over and asked her if she needed help in scrubbing her back. She was very surprised and jumped up and said "나는 허리를 샅 샅히 뒤져 것". I said, no, I'll do yours first. She insisted, so my back gets treated very well. When she had finished I returned the favour. All of a sudden I heard shouting from a couple of other ladies, my lady starts to laugh and moves her hands in circles (that is what I was doing at the time). So I asked her, is it okay. She said "예".(They only work the scrubbing glove, up and down and left to right). Well, I suppose she got the royal treatment from "yours truly", the massage therapist :0))

Interesting. I have the feeling of a universal language. Just like children from different countries, meeting each other on holidays for instance. They meet, they decide they want to play together and off they go. No barriers whatsoever. Great experience.