I don't think Jed ever thought he would be able to say that another man scrubbed him vigorously and then soaped him in sheets of bubbles, but now he can! This is one of the ultimate cultural experiences while in Turkey: the Turkish Hammam (bath) and I will take the blame.
In the name of cultural discovery, amusement, and relaxation, I convinced Jed we should go to a hammam. Hamam has been around since the Greeks and Romans, however the Turkish bath style is still popular and many of the old baths, set in beautiful buildings, are still in use around Istanbul. Different from the public baths we visited in Budapest, the Istanbul-style hammam involves time in a hot chamber, a scrub, a wash, and a cool down. Many hammams have become more spa-like, offering various deluxe treatments. This was not one of those hammams.
In the name of cultural discovery, amusement, and relaxation, I convinced Jed we should go to a hammam. Hamam has been around since the Greeks and Romans, however the Turkish bath style is still popular and many of the old baths, set in beautiful buildings, are still in use around Istanbul. Different from the public baths we visited in Budapest, the Istanbul-style hammam involves time in a hot chamber, a scrub, a wash, and a cool down. Many hammams have become more spa-like, offering various deluxe treatments. This was not one of those hammams.
 Traditionally the men and women are completely separate in the hammam, however one of the most well known and beautiful hammams in Istanbul is for couples and families. This hammam was the private bath of one of the most well known Ottoman sultans, Suleimanye the Magnificent. It was built around 1560. At the risk of sacrificing some of the integrity of the tradition, we opted for the couples hammam. Surprisingly, we had the place to ourselves. Arriving at the Suleimanye Hammam, just outside one of the largest and most spectacular mosques in Istanbul, we were greeted warmly and given towels to change into. They also gave me a swimsuit top and shorts. We were instructed to also wear these strange wooden shoes that were really difficult to walk in, especially on the marble floors. |  |
Not Caitlin and me, but use your imagination We first entered the heating room. The interior felt like a step back in time (it was the private bath of the sultan after all), with a huge marble slab in the middle heated to a very high temp. As with any sauna, it's at first a little difficult to breathe and the slab was almost too hot to sit on. As time passes you get accustomed to the heat and the sweat. Man, did we sweat. Jed swore he had never been that sweaty to in his life. We were the only ones for nearly all of our sweating time.
Stock photo from our Hammam, but gives a good idea of what happened Eventually, two men entered and brought us to the next stage. We each had our own attendant. Sitting next to a large marble sink, first we we were doused several times with not hot, not cold water then the attendant took each body part in hand, and in a highly rhythmic and ritualized way, scrubbed us with a rough sponge to remove all the dead skin that had also been loosened during the sauna portion. We were each led to a marble table, instructed to lay face down. As we heard the sink filling up with suds, I was nervous. As I was face down I'm not entirely sure how it happened, but soon I was covered head to toe in the thickest blanket of suds possible. (see stock photo)
The descriptions of the massage part I read were described as "perfunctory" so I thought it might be a quick shoulder rub and that's it. Oh, no. Starting with the back, working down to the legs and feet, this was the fastest, deepest of tissues massage I've probably ever had. I don't mind a hard massage but this was fast and furious. Is this how the Sultan's liked it? I have no idea. I would be lying if I said I wasn't in some pain at certain points. As he went for my feet, I immediately tried to look for Jed, who does not like his feet touched in any way. Just as I did I heard his masseuse make a strange sound, something like, "eeeeeeeooooowwweeewww!" Basically he had registered Jeds discomfort. He would make this noise many more times before the end. I was caught between stifling laughter, sympathy for Jed, my own pain like when he twisted my arm round my back to dig into my scapula, and trying to relax and enjoy the experience. I think the whole massage/wash part lasted 15 min but it felt much longer.
Next was the rinse off, one final splash of shockingly cold water and we off to the cooling room. But not before another man dried us off and wrapped us in fresh towels like a baby out of the bath.
At this point, we were glad it was over, a little light headed from the heat of the sauna and dying to discuss it with each other. I was praying that Jed wasn't furious at me for making him go through with it.. The cooling room is another architecturally beautiful room with couches to lounge. We sipped fresh pomegranate juice, a Turkish tradition, as our bodies returned to normal temperature, and I decided I liked the whole experience and would do it again. At least it was a good activity to do before catching an overnight bus to central Turkey. I think I slept pretty well that night.
The descriptions of the massage part I read were described as "perfunctory" so I thought it might be a quick shoulder rub and that's it. Oh, no. Starting with the back, working down to the legs and feet, this was the fastest, deepest of tissues massage I've probably ever had. I don't mind a hard massage but this was fast and furious. Is this how the Sultan's liked it? I have no idea. I would be lying if I said I wasn't in some pain at certain points. As he went for my feet, I immediately tried to look for Jed, who does not like his feet touched in any way. Just as I did I heard his masseuse make a strange sound, something like, "eeeeeeeooooowwweeewww!" Basically he had registered Jeds discomfort. He would make this noise many more times before the end. I was caught between stifling laughter, sympathy for Jed, my own pain like when he twisted my arm round my back to dig into my scapula, and trying to relax and enjoy the experience. I think the whole massage/wash part lasted 15 min but it felt much longer.
Next was the rinse off, one final splash of shockingly cold water and we off to the cooling room. But not before another man dried us off and wrapped us in fresh towels like a baby out of the bath.
At this point, we were glad it was over, a little light headed from the heat of the sauna and dying to discuss it with each other. I was praying that Jed wasn't furious at me for making him go through with it.. The cooling room is another architecturally beautiful room with couches to lounge. We sipped fresh pomegranate juice, a Turkish tradition, as our bodies returned to normal temperature, and I decided I liked the whole experience and would do it again. At least it was a good activity to do before catching an overnight bus to central Turkey. I think I slept pretty well that night.
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