As Soft As A Baby's

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Well, the ritual is simple, hot and relaxing as a result.

The requirements are simple as shown above:

Pestemal, nalin, sabun and tas.

When entering to a Turkish hamam (English: hammam), first you have to wearing only a pestemal in Turkish, that is a large striped towel fringed at both ends, and wrap all around your chest.

Carved exquisitely, very beautifully embellished that is most often with mother-of-pearl, a pair of wooden nalin in Turkish, or say clogs, is to keep your feet clear of the wet floor. So nice to hear when its clanking on the marble in the nalins.

Your body from top to feet seems as completed. What's next?

You are shown to enter now in a high temperature room filled with the sound of splashing water, the scent of soap and wafting steam through no any daily concerns or worries can penetrate. In a gentle moist heat, while your body relaxes your nerves are also soothed.

In this moment, you will be applied peeling & sabun masaji, or say soap massage. Hammam attentant will be in your service to pour hot water over your body with a tas in Turkish, or bowl that made of silver, gilt or tinned copper or of brass, the tas is always grooved and inlaid ornamented (see top photo). So it begins to scrub every square inch of your body.

Afterwards you are given the choice of many different massages types including classic, arometherapy, medical, shiatsu.. with a relaxing music on the background. One of these massages you select is guaranteed to make you feel really relaxed. When it's done, then it's your time to leave the steam room.

Giving fresh towels, you come to the cool room, lobby, to rest and dry off getting some refreshments you wish, and socialize with other guests who are now Hammamers.

Before leaving the Turkish Hamam, do not forget to take a fleeting look at yourself when passing by the mirrors. You would see how relaxed you look like, and your skin be glowing rosily. Feeling it as soft as a baby's skin:)

? Did you know...
The Romans built Istanbul's first public baths.

Hammam Photo: via National Geographic.