We actually managed to stay overnight in the hot spring. I have heard of this before, but never done it. I always heard that you can stay for 24 hours in the SPA. As they close the doors to the room with all the baths at 11pm I went for a quick soak at around 10pm. I was actually happy to see that all the smaller basins were already empty and the staff was scrubbing and cleaning them. The hot water late at night made me really sleepy.
We slept in the resting room with a Chinese elderly couple. it was actually very comfortable. We slept until 10am. We slowly got up and had breakfast. We planned on soaking in some hot springs, then getting a wine therapy massage and then back into the baths until about 2pm. Of course I was counting the German way: Yesterday we arrived at 4pm so that means we can stay until today at 3:59pm, right?No. They said we have to leave before 12 noon, it does not matter at what time we came the day before. So then no wine massage, only soaking in the different hot springs.
Then we decided to find a restaurant for lunch. It was not so easy even in the town of Huailai. Most of the businesses and shops and even restaurants were closed for Chinese New Year. After some searching we finally found a street with a few open restaurants.The first 3 we went in were all reserved and packed with big families. We were about to give up when we found a small restaurant that still had some space.
After we ordered a few dished the drunk owner offered a small plate with a mix of cold dishes for free. He asked us where we are from. Soon after he offered us pickled garlic and asked if can give work to his sister.We said no, finished our lunch, had to do poses for the family on the table next to us for pictures with their son. And then we headed back to Beijing.