The Pleasure Center: The Turkish Bath, part 3

I don't know any people who can afford their own heated marble slab and bath attendants (If I did, I surely wouldn't be sitting at my computer right now. I'd be visiting them!).

The best any of us can do is fake the experience in our own bathrooms.

It does help if you have a bath tub, but even shower aficionados can enjoy Turkish-accented bathing.

If you want to spend money, here are some fabulous things to add to your bath.

Turkish Towels aka pestemals are thin towels made of silk, cotton, linen or a blend. They dry fast, they dry you off even when they are wet, and don't turn into huge, heavy, dripping messes when they get soaked. I love mine. I travel with them as they can be used as a sarong, a sheet, or a blanket. But if you are broke, your regular towels will work just fine. :)

A kese or exfoliating bath mitt is the cheapest bath luxury you will ever experience. It's my favorite way to scrub and it is better for your skin and the environment than plastic puffs. Your skin will feel as soft as a baby's when you use a kese. This is the most essential part of faking a Turkish bath on your own.

The dipping bowl adds a sense of real luxury to your bath. Just dip the bowl in the water and pour it over your head or your limbs or your body. The cascade will still your mind and soothe your body. Yes, you can use a plain ol' bowl for this. Just don't use anything glass! Broken glass is not pleasurable under any circumstances.

What do you add to your bathing routines to increase your pleasure?

In memoriam

Today, I attended the funeral of my dear friend and fellow author Sloan Addams. She contracted polio when she was a very young girl and survived into her 70s with the harrowing reality of post-polio syndrome and resulting complications.

Despite her gimp status (her words, not mine), she was a world traveler, a mother, a teacher, and a writer of warm, cozy mysteries. She supported my crazy, sexy vampires, and would occasionally complain that I gave her yummy things to read at the times she was not allowed *ahem* intimate conversation. What a compliment!

In memory of Sloan, I am reposting my essay about going to a Turkish bath, dated October 18, 2010.

The hammam is one of the few things in the world that I experienced, but she did not.

Cheers, Sloan.

*** 

Photo from www.istanbul-turismo.com

When I was in Istanbul, the one place I knew I had to visit was a hammam. I went to one of the most famous Hamams in the world - Cagaloglu Hamami.

This is the description I sent my fellow author, Sloan Addams. She calls me Wonder Woman. I call her Power Girl.

***

Power Girl! I have come to the conclusion that the hamam is the cure for all the world's ills.

First, some nice lady pours hot water all over you as you sit on a heated marble floor. Then you get to lay there in wet, fabulous bliss. She comes in with soap and a exfoliating mitt and scrubs you all over, front and back, so that your skin is incredibly smooth and clean. This is not fast, either. It's complete relaxation.

You get rinsed by more hot, clean water splashed over you. This feels like heaven.

Then you realize that heaven is even cooler than you thought, because you get a massage with the soap suds. The soap and water is so thick and bubbly that your massage is slick and relaxes every damn part of yourself.

Finally, she washes your hair.

At the end, you ooze your boneless way back to your little room and try to remember how to put on clothes.

I bought some of the soap and one of the mitts there, so I can give myself a cheater's hamam here at home. No heated marble floors, you know. ;)

***
Her response?



Wonder Woman - I just turned green.

Important news.

In the meantime, I'll look at lots of pictures of the Topkapi Palace for inspiration.

On the publishing front - the release date for Dracula's Secret has been pushed back (again) to early fall.

I am pleased to say that this is due to the natural growing pains that happen when a publishing house starts a new line. (As you may remember, Dracula's Secret is one of the flagship books for Kensington's brand new e-book line).

So when you ask me when my book will be out, the answer will be, "I don't know, but I will certainly tell you as soon as I find out!"

Things I love

Our luxurious hand-made silk Turkish rug. Everyday I look at it and every time it makes me smile.

It's easy to forget how we need both break and roses. This over the top luxury good always brings great joy.

Travel picture of the day.

I was missing Istanbul this morning. So here is a picture to remind me of that magical place.

This is part of the Sultan's bath in the Topkapi Palace. Water would fill the marble basin, then the bather uses a dipping bowl to pour the water all over himself. That way, the basin and the water remains clean, even after scrubbing.

Other wonderful Turkish things:
A most unusual movie with Peter Ustinov and Melina Mercouri (Love her name!) as part of a jewel heist from the Topkapi Palace.

The Turkish Bath. I firmly believe that it could bring world peace. And Apple Tea is good for everything that ails you.

The Topkapi Palace

The Turkish Military keeps armed guards at the Palace.

 The Charming Man and myself spend over five hours at the awe-inspiring Topkapi Palace. To quote Wikipedia,

The Palace was the official and primary residence in the city of the Ottoman Sultans for 400 years of their 624-year reign,^[2] from 1465 to 1856.

Here are a few of my favorite photos to give you an idea of how huge, lavish, and jaw-dropping this palace.

This was a quiet day at the Topkapi Palace

The interior of the Library of Ahmed III.

I think every library should look like this!

Again, Wikipedia:

The Imperial Hall (Hünkâr Sofası), also known as the Imperial Sofa, Throne Room Within or Hall of Diversions, is a domed hall in the Harem, believed to have been built in the late 16th century. It has the largest dome in the palace. The hall served as the official reception hall of the sultan as well as for the entertainment of the Harem. Here the sultan received his confidants, guests, his mother, his first wife (Hasseki), consorts, and his children. Entertainments, paying of homage during religious festivals, and wedding ceremonies took place here in the presence of the members of the dynasty

Breathtaking stained glass in the private chambers in the Haram.

Visiting Cagaloglu Hamami

I don't have a Turkish keyboard, so I don't have the diacritics that belong in the name. Please forgive me!

Photo from www.istanbul-turismo.com

When I was in Istanbul, the one place I knew I had to visit was a hammam. I went to one of the most famous Hamams in the world - Cagaloglu Hamami.

This is the description I sent my fellow author, Sloan Addams. She calls me Wonder Woman. I call her Power Girl.

***

Power Girl! I have come to the conclusion that the hamam is the cure for all the world's ills.

First, some nice lady pours hot water all over you as you sit on a heated marble floor. Then you get to lay there in wet, fabulous bliss. She comes in with soap and a exfoliating mitt and scrubs you all over, front and back, so that your skin is incredibly smooth and clean. This is not fast, either. It's complete relaxation.

You get rinsed by more hot, clean water splashed over you. This feels like heaven.

Then you realize that heaven is even cooler than you thought, because you get a massage with the soap suds. The soap and water is so thick and bubbly that your massage is slick and relaxes every damn part of yourself.

Finally, she washes your hair.

At the end, you ooze your boneless way back to your little room and try to remember how to put on clothes.

I bought some of the soap and one of the mitts there, so I can give myself a cheater's hamam here at home. No heated marble floors, you know. ;)

***
Her response?



Wonder Woman - I just turned green.