The Curative Effects of Fish Sputum

Making New Friends Anywhere and Everywhere

Battling colds most of the fall, I boarded the plane to Sanya feeling as though I was right on the edge of getting really sick once again. Mind over matter, not 24 hours after the last day of school ended, Craig and I were off to the Tianjin Airport. Our destination was Sanya on Hainan Island. Warmth, tropics, moist air (it has rained/snowed here maybe once in the last two months), we couldn't get there fast enough. Fortunately, flying within China is cheap and easy. We were even pleasantly surprised when the plane took off fifteen minutes early. Note to self - don't ever be running late for Air China.

We met an older gentleman on the plane with near perfect English. He told us about how he had learned English in school until his last two years of High School. Suddenly all his hard work to learn English was looked upon as a "bad thing" and he was forced to learn Russian instead. He said he never really picked up the Russian and the English never left him. He is an engineer in JiXian and we hope we cross paths again.

Settling In For a Few Days in Paradise

We arrived in Sanya a day ahead of our friends/co-workers from school. They had suggested the hotel, and for good reason. It was gorgeous. We were on Yulang Bay, otherwise known as the clean bay in Sanya. (There are 3 bays in Sanya). The beach was beautiful, and the scenery was mostly beautiful. One end of the bay is a naval base, so occasionally our perfect tropical view was interrupted by warships. A little bizarre.

The first morning we awoke to the sound of our neighbour's television at six am! Our goal had been to sleep in, we were a little miffed. The best reception could do was assure us they were checking out that day. Making the best of it, we had breakfast (amazing) and made our way to the beach. It was early enough that we had the place pretty much to ourselves. We found ourselves some beach chairs and watched the sand crabs dig their holes. About an hour and a half later we woke up, surprised we had fallen asleep and glad we had chosen chairs under umbrellas. Nothing like a morning nap on the beach.

While the price of food at this five star hotel was surprisingly reasonable, the price of drinks was not! That afternoon we went into Sanya to a grocery store to stock up on snacks and drinks. Our hotel was located quite far away from Sanya actually, maybe a twenty minute drive. However we enjoyed the strawberry fields and mountain scenery. I bought myself a bathing suit, as the one I brought literally disintegrated when I tried to put it on, dust fell out of it and the spandex part no longer existed. It was a funny moment to say the least.

Our first three days were wonderfully uneventful with the hardest decision being, which restaurant to eat at, and whether to sit by the beach or by the pool. Every evening the staff sang Christmas carols. It was odd but nice.

Christmas morning, five of us exchanged stockings in our room. We had breakfast and then a gift exchange. Craig and I had actually filled a whole suitcase just with Christmas decorations and presents provided by my Dad, brothers, Jane and Craig's parents. Thanks to everyone for the amazing gifts. Craig and I have become a mini-lending library we now have so many books! Christmas dinner was enjoyed on the beach. We could have paid exorbitant amounts to eat in the Banquet Hall, but we decided fajitas and fish and chips on the beach was just fine for our Christmas dinner. Rough life eh?

So What Else Is There To Do?

Not that another day of lying by the pool seemed so terrible, but for Craig's birthday (Dec. 26th) we headed out on our own for the day. The hotel recommended visiting a museum about the island's minority peoples and the Hot Spring Resort. We had quite the interesting day.

It wasn't so much a museum, but an Upper Canada Village type park. Informative if not a little tacky we learned about the customs of the Li people. From greeting your friends by pinching their ears, to weaving with foot looms, we learned a lot about the people. They tried to get Craig to pay 60 rmb to go through a marriage ceremony with one of the pretty girls. We declined. However, we did sample their food. We bought a bottle of very potent rice wine, sold in a very hygienic (joke) used water bottle.

When we realized just what was involved, we decided to embrace the experience. We watched some crazy dancing with sticks, and Craig was sport enough to dress up and try it too. Young men climbed sword ladders, walked across broken glass and licked scalding hot metal. It was bizarre.

The nicest part was the hike up the mountain to a scenic outlook. Most tourists only go halfway up, so we were eventually left alone. Nobody trying to make us pay to have a monkey on our shoulder etc. Of course my camera battery died on the way up, so I can't show you the view. On the way down we passed an ancient worshipping site, where they worship (and still do) statues of male genetalia. They are very old, and worn, and yet, still quite obvious in their significance. They are in their original location, and part of the reason this park/museum was built at this site. We have no photographic evidence as my camera was out of juice; however, we wouldn't have been allowed to take pictures anyway.

The Hot Spring Resort was unlike any hot spring I've ever been to. Its a good acre of different pools of different temperatures. Some pools had giant tea bags, literally a tea bath. However the best pool was yet to come.

Dr. Wong of the American Institute of Science and Technology certifies the anti-ageing effects of fish sputum. We had to read this sign twice. Instructions followed, after soaking in other hot tubs to open our pores, we were to sit in this pool full of little fish for fifteen minutes. The little fish would nibble on our sweat, releasing their high collagen sputum onto our skin. Well, this is one of those disgusting things you just have to try.

It tickled like mad and I did screech a few times when they got in behind a knee cap etc. And while I'm not sure if fish poo has any curative effects, I hope it does, as the fish certainly seemed to excrete a lot from eating our "sweat globules". It was good to shower afterwards.

Back at the hotel we enjoyed Craig's Birthday dinner with our friends. When Craig went back to the room before dinner arrived to fetch something, I took advantage and ordered cake and provided the waitress with birthday candles. I thought we understood each other, but as soon as Craig sat down (before our meals had arrived) over came the staff with Happy Birthday and a piece of birthday cake aflame. Too late to change the course of events, we all shrugged and joined in the singing. Craig made his birthday wish and enjoyed dessert before dinner.

That night we enjoyed our last coconut drinks on the beach, and said goodbye to the sand crabs. The next day we flew on to Xiamen by ourselves. This time I boarded the plane with a bit of a tan, no cough or runny nose, and feeling much healthier (perhaps thanks to Mr.Wong's advice ... but who knows?)

To call a spade a spade, this trip did little to further my understanding of Chinese culture. Conversing with the locals was difficult as they have a southern drawl and we found it hard to understand each other. We wanted to spend Christmas with friends if not our family, and found a beautiful place to do so. I had a much needed break. Knowing it would be far from adventurous, we tagged a mini-adventure on to the end of our trip. Craig and I ventured off to Xiamen on our own for three nights to check out a university town that looked interesting. Stay tuned for our next belated blog.

Happy New Year Everyone!

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