Tarihi Galatasaray Hamami. A Turkish Bath.

Tarihi Galatasaray Hamami is over five hundred years old. I was walking in the commercial district near Galata Tower. It started raining and I saw the sign pointing  off down a narrow side street. I had this on my list of places I wanted to experience.

This is inside the main bath. It is quiet today.  I was the only one in here.  I laid on a big piece  of hot marble. I was naked with a towel over my  middle.  The slab is very hot and I am sweating. I imagine if the place is filled with men getting a Turkish bath the slab would be covered with naked men sweating.  After a bit a guy comes in and washes my body.  He  first dumpsy dumow bubbles from a cloth bag. Then he scrube with soap and with a hand covered  in a rough wash mit.  I was  first rinsed here on the slab, and then  a final rinse sitting by the faucet.

There is a sign out front of the bath that shows in Japanese how to take a Turkish bath.  It is a bit different than a Japanese bath.

A Japanese tv show visited this place several years ago. It was w comedy show.  I think the Japanese men would have a fun with this different bathing experience.

In this area your person who bathes you dries you off.

I think the Turkish got one idea from Japan and that is heated bidet toilet seats. This Turkish style bidet is far behind  the Japanese bidet. 

Up stairs are the changing rooms where you can rest a bit.  I had an oil massage.   This is the first time I had a massage with someone wearing latex gloves, not wearing a shirt, and sweating on me.  He was a fairly big guy so when he climbed on my legs, I said don't crack my back.  I don't like that. He gave me a really hard sport massage.  I had asked for a gentle swedish massage.  I guess he thinks swedes like it hard.

I don't know if the Turkish bath industry is on any type of growth,  but it seems like these really big bath houses that have been operating a long time,  may not be able to keep up with modern spas that offer more privacy in the bathing. In the old days people probably got together and talked to each other while doing the bath treatment.  Now people just look at their phones. It is sad that people don't do this kind of activity together.