Relaxation, Thai style

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After all the romantic views of the Angkor temples, I decided to have time on my own in Bangkok and do the things a girl loves most - shopping and massage!

Last year I was at the Wat Po Thai massage school for the General massage course which works on the whole body. This time I went back specifically to learn the Foot massage technique. This course is also 5 days at the famous Wat Pho massage school. It's a great way to meet people and learn a new skill. There was a group of around 20 in our class - from Thailand, Japan, Bolivia, Israel, France, England and Scotland - an international group, but all with a love for the Thai tradition.

Wat Pho is a particularly good place to learn Thai massage as it is steeped in the history of the tradition.
Wat Pho houses ancient texts on massage written in Pali and Sanskrit - these were in danger of being destroyed when Thailand was invaded in the past. In the 19th century King Rama V had these translated by royal doctors, and the Wat Pho traditional medical school was then set up in the 1960s. The current course material which has detailed diagrams and instructions was written by a monk at the monestary.

Apart from rubbing feet, I hit the shops and markets to find the luxuries and styles that you just don't get in Saigon. It was a great time to shop as all the big shopping malls around Siam had fantastic sales for Chinese New Year. Another favourite of mine was the material market in Chinatown - so colourful and so many bargains!

So now I head back to Ho Chi Minh with full bags, and ready to tackle feet of any shape and size..

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Photos

It's good to give..
but Adzoo and I agree that sometimes it's better to receive!

With teachers
My lovely teachers Gaw, Pook and Phao.

Comments

[khin gibbons]

Hi Sof!
Sof, Wo! I can't wait to have one and learn a bit from you. Were you away in thiland for 5 days for this course? It's so lovely to know you are having all that experiences really. Are you both thinking of staying on? or come back and settle? I think of yoy a lot as I've been doing new things and suppose moving on in my life too. Email me? talk to me? Love khin

[ryan 'aka' dinnerbhoy]

feet 'n that...
hey sof, good to see you're still learning, hope there was naeb'dy wi jammy feet?! p.s TX still rocks and we haiste ye back! xxx

[Lindsay]

Hey Sofie!
Lindsay (Ciara's friend) here! Could you book me in for a foot massage please? After that amazing Indian head massage last year, I'll happily travel for it. If all goes to plan, I'm hoping to be bumming around Asia for a month in September/October so if you're still there I'll get in touch. Hope you're both well, loving your blogs xxx