Athens (and Hammam) Life

Yesterday, after our usual late start, Topher and the boys went back to the Agora and surrounding area (photos on following pages), while I tried to blend in with the Athenians doing everyday stuff.

As recommended by a couple of people at the market, I went to Omonia Square to have my shoes stretched (they are about a half size too small). I found the place easily enough, but I hadn’t realized I would need to leave my shoes, so then spent about an hour walking around the square looking for cheap shoes like flip flops. I found several “outlet” clothing stores, where everything was 1 euro, and had a quick look but found nothing compelling. I finally found a pair of ugly fake crocs at the store next to where I had started, and left my shoes with the friendly shoe repair guys, who promise they’d be ready in the morning.

I then took the metro to Syntagma to get some lunch. I had read about a souvlaki place that has been in operation since 1950 and is now owned by Kostas, the grandson of the original owner, Kostas (photo at left). It is considered the most popular in Athens, although not necessarily the best, since no one can agree on that. It was delicious and filling and I’d highly recommend going there.

I took the metro one stop further to meet up with Topher and the boys at the Acropolis museum. While I

waited I went to the gift shop and bought some gifts (Lego Greek gods!) and a silver serpent ring for myself. We had planned to spend an hour or so there but when we found out that our combined ticket for the Acropolis and Agora didn’t include the museum, we decided to skip it since we didn’t have a lot of time before closing. We instead sat in the lobby making plans for the rest of the day and catching each other up. Hugh was very interested in the lobby’s scale models of Athens and the Acropolis from different periods, which I found very cool as well.

We then split up again, the boys going to the national botanical garden with Topher while I headed to my appointment at the al Hammam Baths in the Plaka (photo on following page from their brochure). The hammam was amazing! They advertise it as being in the tradition of the Greeks and Romans, but really it’s a Turkish bath. First, you sit in the steam room on hot marble benches leaning against the hot marble wall. There are water taps and brass bowl to douse yourself with water to cool down as necessary. You wear a

bathing suit as it is co-ed, except on Tuesdays when it is women only. I watched the people in the treatment room that is attached, so I had an idea of what was coming next.

There is a big circular marble slab in the middle of the hammam, so I laid down on that while I waited. I was feeling very relaxed already when the masseuse tapped me gently to tell me it was my turn. The treatment room had two large heated marble slabs, where two people could be treated at the same time. The masseuse indicated that I should lie down on my back first, and then gently poured warm water all over me. That in itself felt great! She scrubbed me with a loofah, rinsed some more, then had me turn over and did the same. Next came the best part. She used a large brush to slap soapy water all over, then from somewhere came a huge sheet of bubbles that she placed over me. She then proceeded to massage me vigorously, including the best head and neck massage I’ve ever had. The treatment ended with a hair wash and more head massaging, and then she had me sit up, told me to hold my breath, and dumped a huge basin of water over me to rinse the copious amounts of soap off.

I then went back to the hammam and hung out on the hot marble slab, imagining myself opening a hammam in Ottawa. I rinsed myself off several times as I still had lots of suds on me. After I’d been in the hammam altogether for about an hour and half, I came out and was given a couple of dry towels and motioned over to the lounge area. I was served turkish delight, water and hibiscus tea, and sat enjoying the feeling of total relaxation. I could totally get used to regular hammam visits!