A TURKISH HAMAM

Years ago, before my trip to Turkey, I read a book titled, "Tales from the Expat Harem."  These tales are about Turkish life written by foreign women (many are Americans) living and working in Turkey.  The stories written about the Turkish baths (hamams) fascinated and intrigued me.  If given the opportunity to go to a hamam, would I go or not?  I was soon to find out.

It was the fourteenth day of my visit to Turkey when my inhibitions would be put to the ultimate test.  I was staying in the old town of Antalya.  Aykut, the Turkish guide for my trip, asked our group of thirteen people who would be interested in going to the historic Sefa Hamam that afternoon.  At first I thought I would rather walk around the old town, maybe do a little shopping, too.  My husband was encouraging me to go try the hamam with the other women in our group.  After all, it was Mother's Day, and he thought it would be a nice gift for myself.

The morning was spent visiting the ancient ruins of Perge.  Several hours passed before we drove back to Antalya for lunch, and during the drive I kept thinking about the hamam.  Should I or shouldn't I go?  I didn't consider myself a prudish person, just a more modest one.

Finally Aykut asked for a final hand-count of those planning to go to the hamam.  O.K.  My moment of reckoning had arrived as I timidly raised my hand.  When in Turkey do as the Turks do!

I had just enough time back at the hotel to change and put on something that I wouldn't mind getting oil on; stuff some money in my pocket; don my sandals; and leave with six other women from my group for the hamam.  Aykut accompanied the seven of us as we walked the short distance from our hotel to it.  We entered a small room and our guide told the proprietor in Turkish that we were all there for the full treatment - bath, soap scrub, and oil massage - all for 35 Turkish Lira (about $28 USD).  A 5 Turkish Lira would be enough for the tip.  When the preliminaries were complete, Aykut bid us farewell, and we were left in the hands of these smiling Turkish women who didn't speak a word of English.

We were then taken to the locker room area of the hamam and a young woman came out holding a stack of what-looked-like red plaid tableclothes.  She gestured for us to each take one, then go into small, individual, changing rooms and disrobe.  We were also given a pair of plastic sandals to wear.  A scrubbing mit made of coarse fabric was handed to each woman too.

I removed my clothing and wrapped my small plaid tablecloth around my body.  I was soon to discover what this hamam was all about.  My clothes were put into a locker and I, along with the other six women, were ushered through a short, arched marble entrance into this entire marble world, with its history dating back more than two thousand years to the ancient Roman baths.  The hamams began as a continuation of this practice. 

We entered a marble room (about 12'x12') with a domed ceiling and a marble bench around the perimeter.  In the center of each bench, on each wall, was a large marble sink with two ornate spigots running hot and cold water into it.  Two silver bowls rested on the ledge of each marble sink.  We each sat down next to a sink and a young Turkish woman came around to each of us and dipped the silver bowl into the sink, pouring warm water over us.  We were instructed to continue doing this to ourselves.

As I dipped and poured the warm water over my bare shoulders I could feel my inhibitions beginning to wash away.  My red plaid tablecloth was now soaked and clung to my body.  With every dip and pour of the water I felt freer and freer.

I had no concept of how much time had passed as I performed this ritual.  Eventually another young Turkish woman wearing a two-piece swimsuit entered the marble room and, going to each of us, she pinched the skin on our upper arms.  I suppose she was testing to see who was ready for the next step, because she picked two of the women and lead them through the marble archway into an adjoining marble room.

As I continued pouring water over myself I could see what was going on in the next room through the arched opening.  Naked bodies on a marble slab meant I would soon be wearing just my birthday suit!  Before long the Turkish woman in the swimsuit stood before me.  It was my turn.  In the blink of an eye she removed my inhibition-soaked red plaid tablecloth.  At last I was free, with all my imperfections on display!  At this point it no longer mattered to me because I was fully embracing the moment and the experience.  I was taken into an even larger marble room with another bench and sinks around the perimeter, with a marble slab in the center of the room.  This room also had a domed ceiling and, just like the previous room, everything was marble - ceiling, walls, floor, etc.  I laid down on the marble slab next to another woman who was being scrubbed by a second young Turkish woman wearing just her panties and bra.

The other women in my group, who were done being scrubbed, sat on the benches in the room, looking like naked Goddesses, observing the scrubbings while once again pouring water over themselves.

I lay on my back while Rose, the Turkish woman in the two-piece swimsuit, began quite vigorously scrubbing my body with the mit on her hand.  The dead skin cells came off like a snake shedding its skin.  I was amazed.  When my front was done being thoroughly scrubbed I turned over on the wet, slippery marble and she began vigorously scrubbing my back.  Although rough, it was quite relaxing.

When she was done, I stood up and joined the other naked Goddesses on the bench; becoming a Goddess myself.  Once again I used a silver bowl to pour water from the marble sink over my body, rinsing off all the layers of dead skin as well as years of former inhibitions.

The next part of the hamam was absolutely wonderful!  I watched it being done to each woman and couldn't wait for my turn to come.

I once again laid on my back on the marble slab and Rose held up a cheesecloth-looking sack (about 3' long) which she dunked in a soapy mixture.  As she quickly gathered the top together billows of foamy, bubbly soapsuds oozed out of the cheesecloth covering my body with this white delight.  When every square inch of my body from chin to toes was foamy she began massaging the soap all over my front, then my back, as I slipped around on the marble.  It was pure heaven!  When she was done I sat up and almost slid off the table.  She led me back to the bench and, squirting shampoo on my head, began a very pleasurable head, ears, neck, and shoulder massage.  Water was poured over my head again and again until all traces of soap were gone.

I stood up and a pink towel was wrapped around my head and another pink towel was wrapped around my body.  I followed the other pink-wrapped Goddesses into another room with a table and benches in the center.  We sat there in our pink towels sipping hot Turkish apple tea before the final part of our hamam experience.  The oil massage was next and it was absolutely divine!

My hamam experience was now complete.  I almost floated back to the hotel I was so relaxed.  What a special Mother's Day gift, indeed!