Today I once again spent the morning at the house, then headed up to Hilo after lunch for a 3 PM massage at the Big Island Academy of Massage. This is a massage school, and you can get a one hour massage for $35 from a student. You can also pay more and have a licensed massage therapist. I didn't really get offered a choice when I called, so I got a student by default. When I got there, it was very laid back. The premises are not fancy, but they are clean and comfortable. I arrived about 15 minutes early, since I wasn’t sure how long it would take me to find the place. The young woman, Beth, who was going to do my massage told me it would be a few minutes while she got the hot rocks ready (I added hot rocks to my massage treatment for an extra $10). I told her there was no rush, since I knew I was early.
Overall the massage was a very good experience. I like firm pressure, and Beth had just the right touch for this. The hot rocks were nice, although they weren’t used as extensively as I had hoped, so I’m not sure it was really worth the extra $10. When I got them before, the therapist rested them in spots on my back while she massaged other areas, and this had a very relaxing effect. Beth actually used them to do part of the massage on my back, for perhaps a total of 10 minutes. It was nice, but again, not what I had expected. She also disappeared for about 5 minutes in the middle of my massage, ostensibly to wash her hands. I thought that was odd. So, in total, I got about a 50 – 55 minute massage for $45, including hot rocks. I thought it was a good deal, and felt very relaxed afterwards. More about The Big Island Academy of Massage at www.hilomassage.com.
Incidentally, Beth, who told me she was born and raised on the Big Island, said that the guidebook I’m using is the best one. It is called The Big Island Revealed, and it is by Andrew Doughty. It’s updated frequently, and written by someone who lives in Hawai’i. Beth said she has the ones for Maui and Oahu. Their website is www.wizardpub.com/bigisland/bigisland.html.
Since I was in Hilo, I decided to take a yoga class at Yoga Centered. It’s just a few blocks from the Big Island Academy of Massage. I went to the all levels Vinyasa Flow class with instructor Molly. I really enjoyed the class. Molly encouraged people to go at their own pace, and she offered modifications for people who couldn’t handle the full poses (that’s me, sometimes). It was a fast paced class, and it is humid in Hilo on a June afternoon, so I was quickly sweating, and felt very much like I had done a lot of work by the end of class. There were a lot of people at the class – probably about 20, but it is a nice big studio, so I didn’t feel crowded at all. Drop in classes are $14, but if you pretend you just moved to Hilo, you can get 10 days for $10. They didn’t seem to check that you were actually a Hilo resident in order to give you this deal, as I found out from watching the guy behind me check in. So, if you plan to do a lot of yoga while visiting Hilo, that could be the deal for you! But you might get some bad karma from lying. I just paid the $14. Find out more about their classes and boutique shop at www.yogacentered.com.
Afterwards I decided to treat myself to my first dinner out in Hawaii! First, I investigated a restaurant called Pescatore, right near Yoga Centered in downtown Hilo, but the vegetarian options looked meager, and it was expensive. It is highly recommended in my guidebook, and it looked very nice, but it just wasn’t what I was in the mood for. It looks like it would be great if you like Italian style seafood. So, instead, I set off in search of a highly recommended Thai place called Sombat’s. It is on Highway 11 (also called Kanoelehua Ave. in Hilo), just south of the Kamehameha Ave intersection, next to Ken’s House of Pancakes. I mention this because it is not exactly easy to find, especially at night. It’s in a little shopping complex building. I want you to know how to find this place because it is a great little Thai place! It was full when I got there, on a Tuesday night at about 7 PM (always a good sign for a restaurant). I got a salad and coconut soup, and everything was very tasty. The service was attentive without being intrusive, as well. Portion sizes are large, and I had a lot of soup left over to take home with me. They have a good selection of vegetarian, meat, and fish entrees. If you are ever in the mood for Thai while in Hilo, check out Sombat’s! Their website is www.sombats.com.
Thus passed another beautiful day in Hawaii. On the schedule for tomorrow is a visit to Kalani, so stay tuned!
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