My first evening in Changchun, a friend took me to a bath house to shower and sleep for the night (bath houses being cheeper than hotels overall, in some ways similar to the concept of hostel in Canada, but not quite the same.
Anyway, that was the first time in my life to stay in a bath house, and I did have a good impression overall in terms of the price to quality ratio in comparison to a hotel. Anyway, sinse I didn't know the city very well (I've only been here a little less than a week so far) I didn't want to be bothered trying to find the place again, when, after all, a bath house is a bath house, if you've seen one, you've seen 'em all, right?
Wrong! as I was about to find out later.
The second night in Changchun, I stayed in a hotel, a little expensive, so I decided on the third night to go to a bath house again, but this time without my friend's help (she'd provided a temporary apartment for me, but I don't like it, so in order not to offend, I decided to just go out and find the bath house myself rather than tell her I don't like the apartment).
So on the third night, I'd found another bath house, also clean, and looking decent from the outside. I showered, and then started heading past the shower room to my bedroom. And lo and behold, a brothel on the way to the bedrooms! Ladies wearing heavy make up and scantily dressed sticking their heads out of a red-lighted room and giggling, obviously having noticed the white foreigner comming in. I immediately stepped back in shock, not knowing how to react, at which they and the male staff started laughing!
OK, after having regained my senses a few seconds later and concluding that I'll just mind my own business and go to bed, one of the staff askes me if I want one for the night! I flipped!
I stormed up the stairs into the bedroom, and tried to call, 110 (911 for the police around here). I was furious and insulted at their offer, and still recovering from the shock of realising that this bath house doubled as a brothel! Unfortunately, the phone had no outside line, lucky them! So I went to bed, and woke up the next morning early, showered, and left, still shocked at the incident.
Fourth night in Changchun, thinking that I was just unlucky the previous night with that bath house just being an exception, I decided to go to another bath house. Well, I found one and, again, it looked pretty normal from the outside. Bad news, it was worse! They had pictures of naked women in the shower room, but by then I was already stripped and showering, so too late for that, but at least it was a forewarning.
So I went upstairs, and sure enough, it made the previous night's broth... uhm, I mean, bath house, ... look pretty decent! (at least at the previous one, they'd asked me once, and when I'd said no, that was it!). In this place, the initial cost agreed to was 10 RMB for the night, pretty good really. But once I got to the dorm, Yikes! Crawling with pimps and prostitutes! I even started wondering about the cleanliness of the bed sheets, even though they did look clean and upon asking they'd confirmed they were. Anyway, this time saying 'No' wasn't enough. They kept asking, so finally I stormed out infuriated, and tired and asked for another private room. Suddenly it went up to 40 RMB. OK, whatever.
Then, in the private room, door closed and again after having enquired about the cleanliness of the sheets (which again did appear clean), came a knock on the door, and a womean walkes in without being asked. I send her out. Thirty minutes later, same thing, so finally I push her out (gently enough mind you, but enough to send a clear message to the staff to leave me alone)! They finally get the message, but by then it's well over 11:30 at night, and this is after about 5 hours sellp from the previous night's shock (I mean, uhm, sleap).
So the next morning, I leave early again, unable to sleep in such a place.
So by the fifth night (last night!) I finally decided to try to find the first bath house again, and finally found it! Thank God! Now I fanally know where to find relatively inexpensive accommodation without the debauchery!
What a week it's been!
Anyway, that was the first time in my life to stay in a bath house, and I did have a good impression overall in terms of the price to quality ratio in comparison to a hotel. Anyway, sinse I didn't know the city very well (I've only been here a little less than a week so far) I didn't want to be bothered trying to find the place again, when, after all, a bath house is a bath house, if you've seen one, you've seen 'em all, right?
Wrong! as I was about to find out later.
The second night in Changchun, I stayed in a hotel, a little expensive, so I decided on the third night to go to a bath house again, but this time without my friend's help (she'd provided a temporary apartment for me, but I don't like it, so in order not to offend, I decided to just go out and find the bath house myself rather than tell her I don't like the apartment).
So on the third night, I'd found another bath house, also clean, and looking decent from the outside. I showered, and then started heading past the shower room to my bedroom. And lo and behold, a brothel on the way to the bedrooms! Ladies wearing heavy make up and scantily dressed sticking their heads out of a red-lighted room and giggling, obviously having noticed the white foreigner comming in. I immediately stepped back in shock, not knowing how to react, at which they and the male staff started laughing!
OK, after having regained my senses a few seconds later and concluding that I'll just mind my own business and go to bed, one of the staff askes me if I want one for the night! I flipped!
I stormed up the stairs into the bedroom, and tried to call, 110 (911 for the police around here). I was furious and insulted at their offer, and still recovering from the shock of realising that this bath house doubled as a brothel! Unfortunately, the phone had no outside line, lucky them! So I went to bed, and woke up the next morning early, showered, and left, still shocked at the incident.
Fourth night in Changchun, thinking that I was just unlucky the previous night with that bath house just being an exception, I decided to go to another bath house. Well, I found one and, again, it looked pretty normal from the outside. Bad news, it was worse! They had pictures of naked women in the shower room, but by then I was already stripped and showering, so too late for that, but at least it was a forewarning.
So I went upstairs, and sure enough, it made the previous night's broth... uhm, I mean, bath house, ... look pretty decent! (at least at the previous one, they'd asked me once, and when I'd said no, that was it!). In this place, the initial cost agreed to was 10 RMB for the night, pretty good really. But once I got to the dorm, Yikes! Crawling with pimps and prostitutes! I even started wondering about the cleanliness of the bed sheets, even though they did look clean and upon asking they'd confirmed they were. Anyway, this time saying 'No' wasn't enough. They kept asking, so finally I stormed out infuriated, and tired and asked for another private room. Suddenly it went up to 40 RMB. OK, whatever.
Then, in the private room, door closed and again after having enquired about the cleanliness of the sheets (which again did appear clean), came a knock on the door, and a womean walkes in without being asked. I send her out. Thirty minutes later, same thing, so finally I push her out (gently enough mind you, but enough to send a clear message to the staff to leave me alone)! They finally get the message, but by then it's well over 11:30 at night, and this is after about 5 hours sellp from the previous night's shock (I mean, uhm, sleap).
So the next morning, I leave early again, unable to sleep in such a place.
So by the fifth night (last night!) I finally decided to try to find the first bath house again, and finally found it! Thank God! Now I fanally know where to find relatively inexpensive accommodation without the debauchery!
What a week it's been!