No one really knew what to expect when we found out we would have the option of participating in a traditional Turkish Bath experience. All we were told was this: You go into the bath and get scrubbed down by a professional Turkish bather person. Oh, and you're naked.
Here's what happened.
We're each handed a plaid bath towel, underwear, a pair of slippers, and a scrubber at the door. Girls and guys separate to go into their respective chambers. We enter a large, warmly-lit circular room and walk up the stairs to a series of locker rooms, where we are given lockers and keys. We change into the underpants (nothing on top) and wrap ourselves in our towels, stuff our clothes in the lockers, take our scrubbers, and head to the bathing room.
It is even warmer and steamier in here. There is a giant, smooth, heated marble slab in the middle of the room. All the women are lying on it, and the ones on the outside of the circle are covered in suds, being scrubbed down by professionally-trained turkish women in swimsuits. We find room amongst all the bodies and lay out on the heated slab, which is very relaxing. Everyone's naked on top but it is, surprisingly, not awkward. (We're all girls, after all.)
When it's my turn, the nearest Turkish women pats my booty and scoots me over to the edge of the slab, where she begins to scrub my entire body. She then dips the sponge into some sort of special soap and COVERS me with suds, then scrubs some more. Every inch of me is polished when she's through. She pats me again to signal that she is done, then leads me by the hand to a small fountain on one wall. Here she lathers my hair and washes it and my face and neck. Then she shows me where to go next: the jacuzzi room.
It is a small room off the main one that contains two jacuzzi pools. One is like a normal-sized hot tub; the other is the size of an actual pool, and about as deep. The water is hot and there is a fountain at the far end. We hang out in this pool for a long time, swimming laps and washing off the last of the suds.
And that's it. We get warm, dry towels and dry off. Change back into our clothes. We're offered drinks and facials. Everyone feels warm and relaxed - a perfect end to a long day of walking.
Conclusion? Operation Turkish Baths: SUCCESS!
