Sweating it out in the Hammam

On Saturday, Jeremy and I went over to Hammam Warda for our first Turkish bath here. Otherwise known as Hammams, they're still relatively popular in North Africa - quite a few of my friends in Morocco went on a regular basis or on special occasions.

Hammams are especially popular on the Friday, the holy day. Cleaning oneself is an important ritual conducted before prayer, and I'd frequently see old men in Morocco leaving hammams in crisp white robes before heading off to their prayers. Here, it's mostly guys with gym bags who head there after work or early in the morning with friends. Many of the hammams are co-ed, and allow men in the morning and evening, and women all afternoon.

The modus operandi for a hammam is as follows: first off, you go into a steam room. There's a pool of very warm water to soak in, and you take your time and sweat it out. In our case, there was an old guy singing some traditional songs who just happened to be in there at the same time, so we got a very atmospheric experience. After that, you go into the cleaning room. Jeremy and I opted for the massage/cleaning. Basically, it's an oldish and sweaty Tunisian guy who gives you a quick massage and then scrubs your skin with an abrasive pad. Afterwards, they put on soap and shampoo and wash you down (all of this is done in a bathing suit - you clean your, ahem, privities in a private stall). Then, you dry yourself and go out and change and relax in the main room. You can drink tea or buy soft drinks and just kind of lounge around, roman-style as long as you want. It's also a great way to meet some locals.

I know there's a conception of "bathhouses" in America, and admittedly, there are establishments that are for other purposes - they mostly are in the medina and cater to older, European clients - but the experience at a true neighborhood Hammam is very PG. I'd suggest asking the locals where they go - that's what we did at our new neighborhood cafe we've been stopping by - it's a great experience and for us, it might even become a weekly one.