This morning we took it easy. We were a bit run down after the traveling and the non-stop walking action yesterday. Our first stop (after another wonderful breakfast) was the Underground Cistern (aka, Basilica Cistern, www.guideistanbul.net/yerebatan.htm) which is an underground holding cell for water built in 532, providing water to the grounds of castles/churches/mosques in the main square. It was dank, moist, dreary and magical. It has 336 columns in it - all very huge and tall, two of which have the head of Medusa at the base - about the size of a Mini Cooper. I told Brad this place should host a haunted house, assuming, of course, that they celebrate Halloween - or something like it. Oh, and there are huge carp swimming around in the water the size of Kate.
After this we took a tram thing to the Bosphorus Strait (http://www.about-turkey.com/tourism/bosphorus.htm) for a boat ride. This strait divides the Istanbul between Europe and Asia (we're staying on the Asia side) and connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara. The boat took us up the Europe side of Istanbul and down the Asia side. It was a beautiful trip - and gave us an interesting perspective of this place. We saw castles and incredible homes, as well as cement apartment buildings piled one on top of another. After the boat ride we ate some corn on the steps of a mosque and then took another tram over a bridge to Europe. Brad went over there last night for the rock show and told me that it was super cool, but I didn't really believe it until I saw it. It was fantastic! Old and ornate and masses of people walking, shopping, eating. We had a great dinner on a little side street and chatted with a young, friendly Turk. We shopped a little and had Turkish ice cream (called Dondurma). A magic ice cream man served us, doing tricks with the ice cream. We were delighted. Turkish ice cream is a cold gooey solid that you have to bite to eat. It was great (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dondurma). Check out the link - it provides a picture of a man holding a large clump of it.
We just now came in from a visit to a traditional Turkish Bath. Whoa. While laying naked on a hot marble round table I thought, "THIS is an experience!" For those of you who have never done this before, a play-by-play is below. I'm certain you don't want to hear this, but after I get home I plan to look back on this to remember the crazy, shocking details. PLEASE NOTE: there are some gruesome details here. Beware.
1. Brad and I arrived at about 9:30pm (they are open from 6am to midnight daily) and signed up for a bath. He signed up for the "Traditional" and I signed up for the "Luxury" - which was the same as his with the addition of a 30 minute oil massage. We departed, both of us not having a clue as to what we were about to experience.
2. I walked into somewhat of a long, narrow, women's locker room. A woman handed me a sarong-type piece of fabric and directed me to an unused locker. I think she told me to undress, wrap the fabric around me, put on some rubber sandals and pointed me toward the baths. The room was PACKED with woman of all ages and of all levels of nudity. I was in a bit of confused shock, but did what she told me to do.
a) one thing I haven't mentioned about this culture is that there is no such thing as personal space, managed lines or what we would consider civility when it comes to moving through a crowd. Please keep this in mind as I tell you that I had to literally push my way through this locker room to the baths.
3. I pushed open a huge wooden door to a BEAUTIFUL marble, round, domed room with a huge, round marble table in the middle. All types of naked women were everywhere (some were wearing thongs or bikini bottoms - I soon realized that these were the women employed at the Bath). I had to observe for a moment, but figured out that the process was to lay in the middle of the hot marble table and relax until it was your turn. I was sweating instantly (from the heat, I assumed, but maybe also from my state of confusion and bewilderment).
4. It was very busy, so I sat next to a fountain on the outskirts of the room and waited until a large, bikini-bottomed clan woman whom I will call Olga for the purposes of this recollection told me to "sit!" And trust me - I did what Olga told me to do (please note that there is no way on earth this woman's name was Olga, but I felt that name gave you the most appropriate visual).
5. She pulled my sarong off of me and laid it on the table like a beach blanket. Olga said, "Lay!" I laid. All of us being bathed laid around the circumference of the table, head-to-foot. I laid there sweating it out until she came back - probably about 10-15 minutes.
5. All of a sudden Olga showed up again and started scrubbing me with a loofa-type wash cloth. When she wanted me to turn she hit me on the back. When I didn't respond (not knowing why I got the slap) she said, "turn!" I turned. When she wanted me to sit, I sat. You get the gist. She scrubbed me with the loofa, then rinsed me by pouring a bucket of water over my head. "Lay" again, and next came the suds! I don't know where they came from, but I was covered from head to toe, front and back, and then more rinsing. Next she ordered me over to the bath (where the spigot is located) and I sat on the ground while she sat and washed my hair. When she was finished she said, "Done!" and sent me on my way.
6. Because I signed up for the Luxury bath I headed into the massage room, where there were 5 massage tables in a row. I received a great rub down; however, the culture here does not call for quiet, mediation-like circumstances when receiving a massage, so there was chatting and cell phones, etc. - but all of it intriguing since I couldn't understand a word.
7. When it was finished I headed back to the locker room and threw my clothes on as fast as I could. There is only so much open nudity The Gooch can handle.
When I met UB in the lobby I think we both didn't really want to discuss it (I'm scared of offending someone due to my lack of understanding of this culture). We took a walk and stopped for a cup of coffee/beer to discuss our experiences. As it turns out, the men don't get naked. They get a private dressing room and keep their sarong on throughout the bath. And afterwards they even get a private shower. Huh.
So, that's that. It is likely too much information. Maybe you've read this far - maybe not. Regardless, I'm headed to bed a pool of my own cleanliness and massage oil. What a day.
Istanbul - it is a very cool place.
PS - UB just found Major League Baseball on TV. And I thought we'd escaped it for a few days... maybe in Amsterdam.
1 comment:
That's SO cool!!! I'm having fun reading about your adventures. Keep writing it down cause you'll love reading it when you get home! Kate and your Mom wandered down yesterday. Sounds like they are doing great. Have FUN!!!
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