One of the great things about BANGKOK is that one can get a full beauty treatment – haircut, facial massage & scrub, manicure & pedicure and foot massage - for a very reasonable price. As is my custom, I usually get my treatment the first or 2nd day after I arrive. Even though there any number of beauty salons that are less than 200 meters away from the President Park (Sukhumvit Soi 22) - the hotel that I have stayed the last four years - I always return to The Arena Beauty Salon, an establishment located a good 15 -20 minutes away by taxi on Sukhumvit Soi 16. While the Arena may be not as convenient as other salons, it is hands down my favorite. Whenever I walk through the door, the owner, Khun Mahuttida, who speaks reasonably good English, always greets me with a warm smile and welcomes my return; she values my business.

On my last visit, after Mahuttida gave me a very close haircut, trimmed my eyebrows and mustache, she had me go into the back room and lie down on a reclining chair. Before you know it, four of her girls were working over me at the same time. While one gal was giving me a facial massage and scrub - applying all sorts of exfoliating creams to my face - the other three were busy giving me a foot massage, a manicure and pedicure respectively. Talk about getting the Royal Treatment. Walking out the door about 90 minutes later, I felt like a new man. Total damage 1350 baht (38.00USD)

As I strolled down the street towards the Sukhumvit, I was greeted by many lovely THAIgers who called out to me – “Handsum Man, come here.”