MIND & BODY
Philippine Hilot Massage The ancient arts of healing from the Philippines makes its debut at the Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri’s Chi Spa
“Think of it as reflexology on your whole body, rather than just your feet,” our masseur Dev tells us as we arrive. So, using coconut oil to increase the heat from his hands, Dev gets to work on us. This is far from being one of those sublimely relaxing massages where you’ll drift off into a peaceful slumber. Expect a bit of pain as the therapist prods and kneads away at your flesh. But it was worth it. Lower back pain has always been our Achilles heel, so to speak. And so Dev spent 30 minutes digging his thumbs into the small of our back and massaging the surrounding area. It hurt a bit, but afterwards all traces of our spine problems had apparently been eliminated. Only time will tell whether this has been a long-term fix to our backache, but so far so good. Chi Spa, Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi, Dhs700 for 90 minutes. Tel: (02) 5098888. www. shangri-la.com
Over in the Philippines, the manghihilot was a part-mysticcum-part-doctor type who, until the advent of modern medicine, was the go-to guy for pretty much any illness. Using a combination of chanting, herbal concoctions and massage, he was, supposedly, able to identify and cure whatever ailed you. The Chi Spa’s interpretation of this traditional massage may have, thankfully, ditched the chanting and spiritual side of the treatment, but it’s still based on the manghihilot’s tried and tested technique of massaging various pressure points dotted around your body.
Fisho Fish Spa
Feeding the fish – with your feet – at Wild Wadi
94 WHAT’S ON JUNE 2010
Fish Spa? What’s this all about? Feet cleaning using live fish. I’m sorry, feet cleaning using what? Live fish. It couldn't be simpler. After giving your feet a thorough clean, roll up your trousers and dip them into a tank full of tiny fish. What on earth would that do? Well, once in the water, dozens of toothless Garra Ruffa swarm around your toes and begin to nibble away at the dead skin. Wow, that sounds weird. Well, the sight of your feet disappearing in a cloud of little black fish can be a bit unnerving, but that’s nothing compared to the tickling sensation you feel when they start to do their thing. Thankfully this soon subsides and
what’s described as a micro-massage, which is sort of like an ever so slight electric current pulsing through you feet and lower legs, replaces the awkward tingling. Is it relaxing? It is quite relaxing, really, despite the fact you're sweating it out in the middle of a crowded water park. How long does all this take? The fish are done in about 15 minutes and the results are instant. Your feet feel smoother and softer, with almost all of the unsightly patches of tough old skin being eaten away. The fish also clean out the pores on your feet, removing dead cells and improving blood circulation. Bonus. Fisho Fish Spa, Wild Wadi, Dubai, Dhs40, Dhs30 for children. Tel (04) 3484444. www.fisho-spa.com