A Hamman Story

The next was I was up early to get serious and start working. I had tons of things to do to get started on the meeting and to ensure that everything would go smoothly when the attendees began to arrive.

I did have a few free moments that I used to to the thing everyone must do when they come to Morocco, I had a hamman. This was not just any hamman, this was a hamman at a five star hotel. Therefore this might be slightly different, and definitely far more expensive than you have previously read about.

When I arrived I was ushered into a small changing room where I changed from my jeans and t-shirt into a bathing suit that even behind closed doors I felt uncomfortable wearing. Before beginning the hamman I had decided that there is no way I was going to let her make me remove even the top half of my one piece suit.

After changing I was lead into a hot room and she immediately told me to take my top down. At first I pretended that I did not understand, be eventually she just untied the back herself, and there I was naked except for the bottom of my bathing suit. She then asked me to lie down on a mat. That mat was warm from the heat and steam of the room, that was relaxing after my busy day of work.

My attendant left for what seemed like an eternity. When she came back she was wearing something that amounted to 50 percent a work out outfit and 50 percent a bathing suit, but 100 percent unattractive.

She then began filling up buckets of warm water and dumping them over me. In no time I was soaked through. The next step was to rub me down with some sort of soap. This was followed by rubdown with a coarse mitten. I had thought this part would tickle, but it was too rough for that. The following step was to once again be rubbed all over with some different type of soap. Throughout the entire process she would randomly throw so more buckets of warm water over me. Finally it was time for the full body massage. I had thought that this bit would last longer, but apparently not.

She then had me sit up while she washed my hair. The very last step was to throw buckets of cold water over me. This was almost a nice change after how oppressively hot and steamy the room has become, almost. The very last step was to put my robe back on and relax in the neutral temperature of a room decked out in facial supplies. I'm glad that I had a chance to experience the hamman, but I think my Western idea of remaining clothed in front of strangers will prevent me from doing something like that again.

The next few days will be full of work so I won't be writing about them. I will pick up with Friday and my company-paid tour of Marrakesh!