Spaaaaa....AH!

Last night marked the second time we visited the local spa. Let me rephrase that...Last night marked the second time we visited the water wonderland replete with equipment to fill all your water massaging, spa soaking, steam room steaming, lap swimming, water slide sliding, ginger tea drinking, lavender and orange-scented hot tub soaking needs. Seriously, if you think it would be relaxing and good for your body and it has to do with water in any of its various forms, this place definitely has it...and lots of it!

How do you like the requisite swimcaps? A bright metallic blue one with gold and silver spots now calls my closet home. I think this may turn into a Saturday tradition for some of us. After spending the day biking close to 15 miles all while gaining approximately 1,500 feet in elevation, the spa sure felt like heaven.

The lady at the front desk probably thought so as well. I don't think I've ever been one to be ashamed of changing my clothes in front of other people at swimming places. Everyone has to do it, so it seems normal, right? Well, with absolutely no sense of trepidation I proceeded to disrobe and put on my swimsuit when my Taiwanese friend came running into the locker room to warn me about not doing so next time. He pointed to the corner of the room where the wall meets the ceiling where resided a small black globe. Yes, it was a camera. Supposedly they had a theft problem last week and decided to monitor the first compartment where people are drying their hair ONLY. I didn't know I was supposed to use a changing room! Let's hope the hoards of people gathered around the front desk didn't notice the prominently displayed security televisions with the not so prominently displayed naked white man!

This is one of the 4 orange farmers we met on our little bike adventure. I don't know if its because I told them that Dad is a dairy farmer and they then felt some sort of farmer connection, but all of them gave us tons of oranges. They were SO NICE! and patient with my attempts at Chinese. People seem to be very flattered that I am actually making an attempt and have been extremely helpful when I've practiced with them.


One of the casualties of the bike path. This grasshopper was literally the size of my face!


We explored this very ornate Buddhist Temple after descending from the monstrous hill we climbed. We felt we deserved a little break.


Aren't we a cute couple?

It was relaxing and refreshing to be out in the countryside with all of the farms and orchards. We stopped at a hot dog stand on the way home and the vendors suggested we take a few cloves of raw garlic to eat with our dogs. Mom, this is for you...I ate a whole one plain and then another one intermittently between bites of my hot dog. C'mon...you know you love it!