before lechon came a massage

forget the fact that in my last trip to cebu, the only place i got to go to aside from the hotel was ayala center. after we had done the tourist-y things and stuffed our faces full, it wasn't long before we found ourselves in a mall.

specifically, ayala center cebu. don't worry, i have an excuse: the last time i was there it was raining crazy so i didn't get the chance to fully explore the terraces:
let's just say that while i love alabang town center, and while it used to have this much open space, all the construction going on over there now is making it feel a wee bit cramped.

in any case, we went around, and around, and around. we were supposed to watch captain america but we weren't sure what time we would be meeting our friend for dinner, so we decided not to watch it anymore. and we ended up going around and around and around some more. when we had memorized the location of all the stores in the mall, we decided to go visit a church on my map.

but since we were so tired from walking, i easily got distracted by this:

more particulary, this sign:

a massage for P200 bucks? and free diamond peel? and i don't need a voucher for it? sign me up!!! we went in and inquired ... turns out the massage is P200 under the promo (afternoon delight!) but if we wanted the diamond peel, we should shell out P230. uhm, hello! yes, please!!!

see, a happy camper:

{sorry for the finger-on-the-lens shot, but this was cuter than the rest

of the shots i took of myself so you're pretty much stuck with this}

the place was your typically it's-so-dark-so-no-one-can-see-your-flabs-and-ratty-underwear spa. the decor was also to be expected: asian art with lots of buddhas and carved wooden thingees to make you feel as if you were in bali or something (not that i've ever been to bali). but, none of those things were really important to me. what was important was that (1) they had a shower (so i could wash away the entire day's grime) and (2) they had comfortable rooms for the massage.

i especially loved the masseuse cause after starting out "strong", she tapered off to the perfect pressure which i loved. i hate it how you'd tell a masseuse to ease off only to return to the same bruise-inducing levels she started off with. the strokes were perfect to rest my weary, tired, and aging body. by the time she said, "tapos na po" i was ready to melt onto the massage bed.

let's just say that i wasn't the only happy camper -- my friend, a massage virgin -- predicted that this was something that she was going to get addicted to as all her aches and pain from even prior to our vacation had been pounded out of her body.

now, the P30 diamond peel could've done with more finesse, but considering that even the cheapest jollibee meal is more expensive than the treatment, i had absolutely nothing to complain about. at the end of the treatment, my face felt smooth, my cheeks were slightly ruddy, and the cool stone attachment (they didn't use the typical laser wand at the end of it) which rounded off the treatment was absolutely divine.

so, i don't care if the time which should've been spent looking for the taoist temple was spent instead inside this spa. i reached "zen" (or is it the wrong religion? oopsie!) at zentuary!

p.s. i'm so sorry for the cheesy ending. i couldn't think of anything smart or cute or anywhere literary.