Bathing Korean style

and so we meet again in this strange internet land. . .where I do all the talking without care or interruption, and you sit intensely on the edge of your seat drooling at my infinite insights and wisdom. . .

. . .didn't you know? in a blog, anything is possible. . .

so, i find myself in a state of total relaxation with my mind a-buzzing. . .about. . .bathing.

Yes bathing.

Now, a few years ago, I watched a week long History channel in-depth analysis of the History of the Bath--it was inspiring, magical, and down right interesting. I, of course, retained a bare minimum of the information. . .the only thing I can recall perfectly is that in the Middle Ages, men and women bathed together, took their time, and were even served meals on floating tables while musicians played. . .of course as my friends would point out this would be the one thing I remember because it contains my four favorite things. . .men, bathing, eating, and music (in no particular order)--however, what really sealed it in my memory is that it was the Middle Ages!--this is a time that seemed to have a dark sinister shadow in the shape of a church cascading across the land. . .of course, the church eventually extended its dirty fingers into this simple practice twisting the customs and contorting them to suit their needs--just like they did with theatre.

and now, I find myself in a convoluted tangent. . .

quick!

take a right turn. . .

now left. . .

flip a bitch. . .

and. . .wait. . .yes. . .whew!

got out of that one just in time. . .

now, back to bathing in Korea. . .

First, let's talk the home shower. There are no doors, no curtains, and no tubs. Every morning, I wake up, push a button for hot water, stumble into the bathroom and turn on the shower. My entire bathroom becomes the shower. . .if I needed to. . .I could shit and shower at the same time. As of yet, I have not needed to, and I don't think anyone ever needs to shit and shower simultaneously, but I do hope I find myself in that position one day. . .Needless, to say, the shower is purely functional. I cleanse. I leave. Cool.

Throughout the week this is fine. I am not one to take my time in the shower--I am there on business only. . however, when Sunday rolls around. . .the day I wash my hair (yes, I wash it once a week, deal with it), this is the day I take my time. Back home in America, this is when body got a total overhaul. . .on Sunday, my bathing turned into a 30 minute self-indulgent cleanse fest. I scrubbed, I scented, I relaxed, and I sang. . .some people go to church on Sundays. . .I get naked and wet.

All this changed when I got to Korea. . .because the bathroom is just so, so, so. . .well, functional. . .there is no tub to lounge, no fan to circulate the moisture, no real water pressure, just nothing conducive to a real Sunday body praising. . .I was fine with this. . .knowing, that in a year's time, I would once again be standing under the best shower in the world. . .however, a couple weeks ago. . .EVERYTHING CHANGED. . .

I was introduced the Jimjabong. . .the Korean bath house. . .

Here is the basic run-down. . .for about $4, you can enjoy, hot tubs, saunas, showers, and steam rooms. . . they are separated by gender and you go in the nude (yes, the nude, you crazy Americans).

Here is a typical day. . .you pay, take an elevator, enter the room, take off shoes, give ticket to lady, she gives you key, you go to locker, strip down, walk into room full of goodness. There are showers to the left and right. . .ahead you find a huge hot tub heated to 38 degrees celsius across from it is another tub with individual "chairs" that have personalized jets. . .next to that a hot tub at 42 degrees celsius. . .then another at 48 degrees celsius. . .then there are three saunas - 74, 64, 43 degrees celsius. . .then individual vanity stations with chairs, showers and mirrors.

The place is scattered with women of all ages and children. . .women are scrubbing women. . .chatting about this and that. . .drinking beer and soda. . .and generally having a good time. . .

No one is hindered. . .or impeded. . .they are just cleaning themselves, each other, and relaxing. It is simply amazing. At the risk of sounding mystic. . .there is a cleansing of body and soul here. . .scrubbing off the dead cells and the annoyances that built up throughout the week.

I hear some of my friends voices. . ."oh that's so unsanitary!" . . . "you know they don't keep that place clean!" . . . "how can you just BE naked in front of everyone?" My question is. . .why is being naked unsanitary? And my other response is. . .being naked is liberating. . .I think Americans would have a lot less body issues if we weren't so lost in our ingrained puritan beliefs.

And of course, we have the whole bath house stereotypes of the 80's. . .but, I won't delve into all that. . .what I will say is this. . .

I know my body is not perfect. . .I've got wobbly bits. . .I've got freckles. . .I've got mosquito bites (ugh!) and currently, I have a huge zit on the side of my huge nose. . .but I don't know. . .I walk into a Jimjabong, slip out of my clothes, and into a warm hot tub bubbling over as people fill the air with laughter and a language that (to me) is almost musical and well, everything yucky washes away. . .

I think everyone should have that moment. . .perhaps, then we will have world peace. That's what I would do if I were president. . .create bath houses all across the land. . .

But for now. . .I will enjoy my local bath house. . .and hope to find a friend that will truly scrub my back while I soak in a hot tub. . .

so, my furry friends. . .my mission to you. . .find a friend, steam up your bathroom, get naked, and soak in a tub. . .enjoy being naked. It's simple.

I feel the need to leave you with some Walt Whitman tonight. . .

"the art of art, the glory of expression and the sunshine of the light of letters, is simplicity."