Turkey Pox

Jason and I were in Turkey this past weekend. We arrived on Thursday because Jason had some meetings to attend. Last time we were in Turkey, I had my heart set on having a real Turkish Bath and we weren't able to do squeeze it in. So, that was one of the top things on our list besides shopping at the Grand Bazaar.

Saturday morning we woke up and headed to the Cağaloğlu Hamami. It is the oldest and most famous Hamami, or place for a Turkish bath in Istanbul. To view the website, click HERE.

The whole bath experience, for me, was amazing. First, you are soaked down with water for 15 minutes or so. Then, you are brought on top of a large, marble slab and lay down and get scrubbed and massaged with salt for about 15 minutes. You are then rinsed and brought back to the warm marble and are scrubbed and massaged with soap for another 15 minutes or so. Then, you head back over to the water spout and are shampooed and massaged on your face and neck. You then get rinsed and head back to your room to changed. Now it doesn't sound like anything too special but I loved it!

Here are so pictures of what it looks like inside:

Afterwards, I told Jason (and I quote), "Oh my gosh, I think I was for sure a Sultan or Queen in my last life. I was born to be bathed and massaged everyday." Not that I believe in re-incarnation but whatever.

Little did I know, at that very moment, a storm was brewing...

Meanwhile, Jason and I went from the Turkish Bath to the Grand Bazaar and shopped our hearts out. I just love it!

While there, I kept telling Jason that my darn tag was itching my neck. I thought it was from a new shirt I was wearing. 

When we got back to the hotel a couple hours later, we were getting ready to shower before dinner with friends. By this time my back was really itching and I asked Jason to scratch it. When he started to do so, he told me to go into the light. And they he told me that I had a rash. I figured it would be a few splotches here and there but when I looked in the mirror, I started to freak. My whole body, I mean WHOLE body, besides my neck and face thank God, were covered with what I call-- Turkey Pox. I am assuming that I had an allergic reaction to the soap (as I have had it before from soap) from the Turkish Bath. 

I swear stuff like this happens to me all the time. If you don't believe me, just check out my blog about my mask squeeze incident. 

Needless to say, Jason informed me that I most likely wasn't a Sultan or Queen afterall. Oh well!

Besides that little hiccup, we had a lovely time in Turkey and I can't wait to go back. Although, I'll probably be skipping the Turkish Baths from now on.