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Sep 22-29, 2016
Scrubs and Hilot at Holiday Gym and Spa
Location: Holiday Gym and Spa, F. Torres St., 8000 Davao City, Philippines
GPS waypoint: 7°03'51.7"N 125°36'27.8"E
You Only Live Twice
In an interesting stroke of fate, lightning struck twice at the same place. And that's how it was with all that pampering I'd been getting at Holiday Gym and Spa. A second round ensued this time with tradition-honored Pinoy Hilot Massage with Body Scrub and a Foot Scrub.
Pinoy Hilot (90 mins)
(Sep 22, 2016) Pinoy Hilot is the traditional Filipino massage as practised in the rural sections of the country by local shamans, healers and massage therapists. Like Swedish Massage, Pinoy Hilot uses oil and a lot of muscle kneading. But unlike Swedish Massage that uses 'hard' gliding strokes with limb stretches, Pinoy Hilot employs a thorough light pressure thumbing-through the matrix of the body - square inch after square inch. There are no body stretches but it uses heated banana leaves applied on the back to absorb the unwanted 'cold' that has been trapped inside the body. Although ideally suited to older people, you could ask for a harder version if you want a 'beaten to a pulp' after-feeling. Josephine was thorough and meticulous as my therapist.
 with the Pinoy Hilot Massage, hot banana leaves are pressed on the back to absorb the unwanted 'cold' trapped in the body
Full Body Scrub
(Sep 28, 2016) The only body scrub I know of is the folkloric 'hilod' - you get a flat stone and scrub your body with it. But here at Holiday Spa, it's not as pedestrian (of course!). My therapist, Lorin, used powdered seaweed to exfoliate dead skin off my body, applying smooth circular strokes - from head to foot. I then took a shower to wash off the seaweed and came back to the massage table for the moisturizer. Using a light massage, she worked the lotion into my skin. It was a weird feeling coming out of the spa - this was my first time to get such a treatment! My skin felt delicate - a far cry from bush-whacking and blazing trails up in the mountains. I like spanning a broad spectrum...and just did :)
Foot Scrub
(Sep 29, 2016) As if life wasn't tough enough, I get the final treatment - the foot scrub. First, my foot was soaked in warm solution to soften the tough calluses. Then, Leyra, my therapist, using a foot file, filed away the calluses for that consistently smooth texture. Like the body scrub, a seaweed exfoliant was rubbed into my foot to clear away dead skin. This was followed by a soothing foot massage with a liniment balm. What makes this treatment special from other providers is the added foot reflexology - applying pressure on reflex areas that are connected to various internal organs via the central nervous system. This optimizes the organs and nerve functionality for added vitality.
Ending Thoughts
All the treatments are wonderful and professionally administered. I cannot even go heads-or-tails on which is better. However, I noticed that I get the most relaxation if I do my yoga first, followed by sauna and then the soothing massage. That combination should be taken as an integrated whole. It's a pleasurable fix I don't mind getting addicting to.
--- TheLoneRider
ps - If you want me to write about your massage/spa treatment, email me.
Sep 22-29, 2016
 Davao City, Philippines
 tourist attractions
 - hotel
 Bahay ni Tuding - central Poblacion location, wifi, hands-on owner
160 San Pedro Street, 8000 Davao City
0947 361 3544 | 7°03'57.6"N 125°36'28.3"E The Pinnacle Hotel and Suites - central location, new management, newly renovated
Sta. Ana Avenue, Davao City 8000, Philippines
(+63) 932-8708621 | 906-3185885 | 7°04'34.2"N 125°36'54.2"E The Apo View Hotel - Davao's iconic hotel, old world charm, casino
150 J. Camus Street, Davao City Philippines 8000
+63 (82) 221-6430 to 40 | 7°04'09.2"N 125°36'27.4"E North Zen Basic Spaces - great rooms at affordable prices
Sobrecarey St. (corner Lapu-Lapu St.), Davao City, 8000
(082) 295.3997 | 7°04'43.0"N 125°37'04.3"E Urban Living Zen Hotel - newly opened - all NEW!
F.s. Dizon Bacaca, 8000 Davao City
(082) 287 3133 | 7°05'28.4"N 125°36'22.3"E The Royal Mandaya Hotel - heart of downtown Davao City
J. Palma Gil Street, Davao City, 8000
(+63 82) 225.8888 | 7°04'09.4"N 125°36'36.8"E Alu Hotel Davao - central downtown location
M. Roxas Avenue corner Padre Faura Street, Davao
+63 82 227 5232 | 7°04'07.7"N 125°36'51.7"E One Oasis Davao - hotel accommodation in a condo unit
Eco-west Drive, Ecoland, Davao City
suki_tac@yahoo.com | 0925.500.3211 | 7°02'49.2"N 125°35'19.1"E
 van rental
 Apollo Van Rental - Davao City tour, Samal Island tour, airport transfer
0925.500.3211 | suki_tac@yahoo.com
 yoga | health | fitness
 tour
 resto |  cafe
 advocacy
- one of the cleanest potable water in the country
- smoking is banned from commercial establishments
- pineapple samurais are endemic here and nowhere else in the country (pineapple vendors who cut-up whole pineapples into chunks with just a few strokes of their carving knives)
- public utility drivers conspicuously display their IDs
- durian Mecca of the Philippines (not to mention Marang, Mangosteen and Sweet Pomelo)
- you want to add some more? please submit on the form below
- the weighing scale of fruit vendors specially the durian push cart vendors are a blatant cheat - showing almost twice the actual weight
- Revisiting Davao Aug 22-Oct 31, 2016
- A Roof Over my Head in Davao Aug 22-Oct 31, 2016
- Davao Yoga Scene Oct 31, 2016
- Pranayama Oct 24, 2016
- Yoga Beyond the Mat Oct 21, 2016
- Grilled Tuna Overload in Davao Oct 13, 2016
- Duterte Mania in Davao Oct 12, 2016
- Sirsasana, Sarvangasana - Yoga Makaranda II Oct 7, 2016
- Tirumalai Krishnamacharya Oct 5, 2016
- Ashtanga Yoga with James Fritz Freire at Holiday Gym and Spa Oct 1, 2016
- There was a Bomb Explosion? Sep 30, 2016
- Jin in Davao Sep 29, 2016
- Scrubs and Hilot at Holiday Gym and Spa Sep 22-29, 2016
- The Fabulous Dabawenyos Aug 22-Sep 26, 2016
- Nirvana Breathing Fitness with Lita C. Quisumbing Sep 21, 2016
- Massage, Sauna and Ear Candling at Holiday Spa and Gym Sep 17-19, 2016
- Downpour in Davao Sep 18, 2016
- Lounge One Yoga Sequence by May Bel Le at North Zen Hotel Sep 16, 2016
- Celebrating Davao's King of Fruits - Durian! Sep 11, 2016
- The Blast that Rocked Davao Sep 2, 2016
- Hatha Flow Yoga with Joanna Lizares Co at Holiday Spa and Gym Aug. 31, 2016
- Conducting a Power Yoga Class at Yoga Davao Aug 29, 2016
- Good Eats with Mel Pangan's Davao Food Tour Aug 26, 2016
- Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) Aug 25, 2016
- A Gifted Dell Laptop from the Usual Suspect Aug. 24, 2016
- The Duterte Phenomenon Oct 21, 2015
- 20 Days in Davao City July 4- 24, 2014
- Goodbye Davao...Again! Sep 28, 2013
- Wine and Cheese at Malagos Farm House Sep 27, 2013
- Custom-made Peanut Butter at Davao City's Bankerohan Market Sep 27, 2013
- Yoga in Davao Sep 26, 2013
- Celebrating 25 Years of Habitat for Humanity Philippines Sep 18, 2013
- Clobbered in a Vicious Karate Match Sep 17, 2013
- Back Into the Black Sep 1, 2013
- No Reply Aug 30, 2013
- Full Body-Cavity Search without the Latex Aug 25, 2013
- Fun Day with Crocodile Sonny and Sports Unlimited Dynamic Duo, Dyan Castillejo and Marc Nelson Aug 15, 2013
- Fun! Fun! at Maxima AquaFun, Samal Island Aug 11, 2013
- Goodbye Davao Jan 22, 2013
- Davao City's Peace and Order Jan 21, 2013
- Holiday Spa Yoga, Davao City Jan 20, 2013
- Free Yoga at People's Park Jan 12, 2013
- Davao City: Family Ties Dec 15-22, 2012
- Breakup Diaries: Chance Encounter in Davao City Dec 19, 2012
- Davao City June 20-23, 2009
- Davao City March 18-20, 2008
- Mount Apo March 15-18, 2008
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