The Hammam
Trip Start
Jun 06, 2006
1
9
12
Trip End
Jun 23, 2006
Ribat El Kheir, Morocco
Sunday, June 18, 2006
You enter an outer room (of three) and there you disrobe down to your bottom undies, hang your clothes, and get your two buckets to take into the warm wash rooms to claim your washing space. After placing our shampoo, soap, and scrubbies in our space, we proceeded into the hot, sauna type, room to fill our buckets. There is a pipe of very hot water filling a 4x8x4 vat with a bucket tied to a rope. You lower the bucket, fill it up, and fill your two buckets halfway. Then you carry those buckets to a faucet in the wall that is cold water and take as much as you want to get the temperature just perfect for your liking. You definitely don't want to spill the scalding water on yourself (personal experience talking here). Then you sit on the floor and begin to scrub yourself starting at the top and working your way to your toes. The little cup is for scooping the water and rinsing yourself. If you want your back scrubbed, there is a woman that will work you over for just a few dirhams...no thank you! Everyone is pretty discreet and thankfully not too many women were there when Shannon and I went. The women's hours are usually in the morning and the men's are in the evening. The steam is relaxing and it really is refreshing once you get into it!
I can't imagine that there is any other activity that Bruce and I need to experience to get a true picture of Benjamin's life here in Morocco. We've delved in as much as we want to(: We leave for Fes in the morning and I'm hoping that all my clothes up on the roof will be dry by packing time. It has rained all afternoon so they've been rinsed rather thoroughly...A hotel room with an actual toilet will be the source of much joy for me tomorrow, safi (enought) is safi!!!(:
Comments
You survived!
Well, congrats on surviving the wilds of Morocco, that hotel room will definitely be a well-deserved reward. Can't wait to see you guys! love ya
Home has never sounded so good!
I know Benjamin has been thrilled to see and visit with you! Your experiences have been fantastic (and Bruce is probably thinking of vacations that only involve hotels!). I can hardly wait to talk to you about all of this. Thank you so much for including me on this wonderful journey!
MC