First of all, thanks yet again for a fantastic experience. I'm so glad that you don't meet the stereotypical view of what many must think you are. You did not feature a swarthy, mustachioed Turk twisting and contorting me into a world of pain. You did not feature a room full of sweaty, dodgy men with eyes darting to and fro. And you most certainly were not a gateway into Istanbul's dark world of hashish and crooked deals.
On the other hand, you were everything I hoped you would be. I'm glad that we trusted your out-of-the-way location behind Suleymaniye Mosque. It contributed to the privacy and peace we were looking for. I'm grateful that your staff was kind and helpful. The wooden slippers you gave us to help us from slipping on the marble floors of the hammam were well-intended, even if I thought they would cause me to topple over and meet my doom, rather than slip.
The 100 degree temperature in the hammam was just right, as we let the stresses of the year sweat out of our bodies. Laying on the heated marble for forty minutes may have just a bit too long, but nobody passed out. When the scrubbers came in a greeted us with a cascade of freezing cold water and a friendly laugh and smile, we again knew we'd chosen the right place.
And then we got down to business. A great exfoliating scrub, hard but not too hard. A luxurious, foamy soap down and massage, again hard but not too hard. Another rinse, a quick dry, wrapped up like burritos and an apple tea to relax and it was over.
Hard to believe that ninety minutes had gone so quickly, but when we left, we were rejuvenated, happy and ready to continue our exploration of a great city.
Scrubbed and happy,
jason
On the other hand, you were everything I hoped you would be. I'm glad that we trusted your out-of-the-way location behind Suleymaniye Mosque. It contributed to the privacy and peace we were looking for. I'm grateful that your staff was kind and helpful. The wooden slippers you gave us to help us from slipping on the marble floors of the hammam were well-intended, even if I thought they would cause me to topple over and meet my doom, rather than slip.
The 100 degree temperature in the hammam was just right, as we let the stresses of the year sweat out of our bodies. Laying on the heated marble for forty minutes may have just a bit too long, but nobody passed out. When the scrubbers came in a greeted us with a cascade of freezing cold water and a friendly laugh and smile, we again knew we'd chosen the right place.
And then we got down to business. A great exfoliating scrub, hard but not too hard. A luxurious, foamy soap down and massage, again hard but not too hard. Another rinse, a quick dry, wrapped up like burritos and an apple tea to relax and it was over.
Hard to believe that ninety minutes had gone so quickly, but when we left, we were rejuvenated, happy and ready to continue our exploration of a great city.
Scrubbed and happy,
jason
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