R&R in Amari Rincome

The swank hotel we stayed in our first two nights was called the Amari Rincome. The lush grounds included elephant-shaped topiaries, a giant birdcage, towering palm trees, and dark secluded fountains and pools.
When coming down off 24 hours of only juice, there's nothing quite like an exotic buffet feast to really kick off that "all better" feeling. At an "Asian Extravaganza" in the upper restaraunt, the flavors of China, Thailand, Japan, and Laos were featured, including lemongrass salad, crispy roasted duck, and everyone's favorite dessert, "Semolina Barfi".
We escaped from the $6 glasses of juice at the hotel and breakfasted two days in a row at a lovely little outdoor cafe. Unfortunately, a lonely ex-pat screenwriter from L.A. (yes, you know the type) held us captive for two hours with his excrutiating tales... "Visa runs" to Burma, his escape from a flooded bungalow in Pai, and multiple parasite-related surgeries via the Thai medical system. The phrase "Dig it" still echoes in my head...
We figured we should indulge in some serious relaxation, and headed to one of the many day spas nearby. In Chiang Mai, spa experiences range from 100 baht (about $3) for an hour-long foot massage in an open-air parlour, to infinity and beyond for the high-end hotels. The rustic, well-run little operation we chose provided 3 1/2 hours of good stuff (less than $100 for us both). Herbal steamroom, mineral bath jacuzzi, facial, aromatherapy massage, and body scrub (with soy milk - truly amazing softening properties!). The masseuses were two women smaller than me, who got up on the tables to press down on our backs. Sometimes, they would touch a part of my body (like my feet) and comment to each other. Let's hope they were saying "Lovely shade of nailpolish".

Chiang Mai: R&R