Ow! Hot tub!
I discovered a cool activity this week unlike anything I've done so far. This is a very relaxing thing to do and I'm sure it will become a weekly ritual. I don't have any pictures to show, and be very thankful for that. While this is a Korean thing to do and is worth an entry, again, be very thankful there are no pictures.
Suspense killing you? Alright, I'll alleviate your tension by relating the method for alleviating my own. Thursday night after class I decided to take a trip down the street to the Jinjo Bang. "Bang" (pronounced closer to bong than bang) is the Korean word for "room", as in DVD Bang, PC Bang, and Norae (song) Bang. I don't know what "jinjo" means, nor am I sure I even spelled it properly. However, I will tell what it is.
The jinjo bang is a sauna, or bathhouse, which is very popular among Koreans. It's a very relaxing place, albeit a bit scary at first. It costs 6,000 won (about 6 bucks) per visit and is well worth it. There are separate men and women only areas, along with a community area. On check-in, I receive shorts and a t-shirt, and a locker key. Before I get into specifics, I have to say that the first thing I saw when I walked into the locker room was a buck-naked Korean dude bending over. I believe my response was "HYELLO!!". After getting dressed and regaining my vision, I walked downstairs to the community area. This area has several different rooms of varying temperatures, so I sat in the hot room and got a good sweat. On this floor one can also get a massage, get on a computer, buy a snack, watch tv, and basically relax in any desired fashion.
After getting a nice sweat, I went back upstairs to the locker room and checked out the hot tub, shower room. I must say that there was a virtual plethora of bare Korean butts in this room. There also, however, is a variety of pools and hot tubs, combined with steam rooms and saunas. I ditched my clothes and took a bold step into a room full of naked Korean dudes. My first impulse was to grab a wet towel and start snapping away at unsuspecting victims, but I didn't think it would go over very well.
While it might seem like a very self-conscious and uncomfortable situation, nothing could be further from the truth. No one bothered me or gawked (even though I was quite intimidating...wink, wink), and everyone seemed completely comfortable in their nakedness. I actually felt invisible--since everyone is naked, they pretty much avert their eyes. Believe me, I was averting mine.
Feeling comfortable enough to make my way around the room, I spent equal parts time in the hot tubs, whirlpools, hot rooms, and cold pools. There is a pool that is really, really cold. It's quite invigorating to hop into this pool after sitting in the really hot one. I have to hand it to the Koreans on this one: They know how to chill. These saunas are a welcome respite for many people who work insane hours, as well as for spoiled, lazy English teachers. I can't adequately explain how great my body felt after this, but I can tell you that I've been back since. I went after soccer this morning, and this time I skipped the community floor and went straight to a shower, hot tub, and steam room treatment. Ahhhhh, that's what I'm talking about. (Cameras not allowed.)
Suspense killing you? Alright, I'll alleviate your tension by relating the method for alleviating my own. Thursday night after class I decided to take a trip down the street to the Jinjo Bang. "Bang" (pronounced closer to bong than bang) is the Korean word for "room", as in DVD Bang, PC Bang, and Norae (song) Bang. I don't know what "jinjo" means, nor am I sure I even spelled it properly. However, I will tell what it is.
The jinjo bang is a sauna, or bathhouse, which is very popular among Koreans. It's a very relaxing place, albeit a bit scary at first. It costs 6,000 won (about 6 bucks) per visit and is well worth it. There are separate men and women only areas, along with a community area. On check-in, I receive shorts and a t-shirt, and a locker key. Before I get into specifics, I have to say that the first thing I saw when I walked into the locker room was a buck-naked Korean dude bending over. I believe my response was "HYELLO!!". After getting dressed and regaining my vision, I walked downstairs to the community area. This area has several different rooms of varying temperatures, so I sat in the hot room and got a good sweat. On this floor one can also get a massage, get on a computer, buy a snack, watch tv, and basically relax in any desired fashion.
After getting a nice sweat, I went back upstairs to the locker room and checked out the hot tub, shower room. I must say that there was a virtual plethora of bare Korean butts in this room. There also, however, is a variety of pools and hot tubs, combined with steam rooms and saunas. I ditched my clothes and took a bold step into a room full of naked Korean dudes. My first impulse was to grab a wet towel and start snapping away at unsuspecting victims, but I didn't think it would go over very well.
While it might seem like a very self-conscious and uncomfortable situation, nothing could be further from the truth. No one bothered me or gawked (even though I was quite intimidating...wink, wink), and everyone seemed completely comfortable in their nakedness. I actually felt invisible--since everyone is naked, they pretty much avert their eyes. Believe me, I was averting mine.
Feeling comfortable enough to make my way around the room, I spent equal parts time in the hot tubs, whirlpools, hot rooms, and cold pools. There is a pool that is really, really cold. It's quite invigorating to hop into this pool after sitting in the really hot one. I have to hand it to the Koreans on this one: They know how to chill. These saunas are a welcome respite for many people who work insane hours, as well as for spoiled, lazy English teachers. I can't adequately explain how great my body felt after this, but I can tell you that I've been back since. I went after soccer this morning, and this time I skipped the community floor and went straight to a shower, hot tub, and steam room treatment. Ahhhhh, that's what I'm talking about. (Cameras not allowed.)
posted by Christopher at 11:21 PM
3 Comments:
I love the sauna. The one I go to has a spa sort of area where you can get scrubbed and such. How will I ever go home and stop being so spoiled?
Did you get a rub and a tub?
I really enjoyed looking at your site, I found it very helpful indeed, keep up the good work.
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