A male attendant then gives you a massage token, pestamal (cloth-like sarong), and kese (a coarse cloth mitten). He then takes you upstairs to a small cubicle where you undress, store your clothes, lock up your valuables and wrap the pestamal around you. This pestamal is never taken off since full nudity is a no no in this muslim country. When you are ready you go downstairs to the hot room where the masseuse takes your token and lets you in. This room is huge with a massive circular marble slab in the center and the outside ringed with individual basins where you sit and sweat and wash yourself with soap and then douse yourself with very hot water. Always being careful not to splash other occupants since if a muslim is splashed by an infidel he must begin his washing routine all over again.
Once you are finished washing, you lie on the marble slab to complete your sweating. After about 20 minutes your masseuse comes over and begins the massage. First he uses the kese to scrub your body from head to toe and then he lathers you with soap. He then begins a soapy massage that can only be described as an uncomfortably painful experience. I think they like to hear foreigners scream and beg forgiveness for their sins. This form of torture goes on for about 15 minutes, then you are rinsed off and allowed to rest on the slab and recuperate. When your senses have returned, you exit this hot room and the masseuse is waiting to remove your wet pestamal and replace it with a dry one.
He then wraps a towel around your head and another around your shoulders and leads you back to your cubicle. You get dressed (the attendant magically appears to give you some cologne for your face and get his obligatory tip). So much for tips are included, the tip jar is prominently displayed with samples of your required contribution. The attendant then leads you downstairs where your masseuse is waiting to shake your hand one last time (with another obligatory tip). Overall, a good experience but next time I will skip the massage portion, just too painful for me.
An ancient hamam
