Hammam

Just had a very interesting cultural experience...going to the hammam!

Here is how it went down:

We went over to Kali's house and her host dad showed us where to buy the special black soap ("sabon bildi") and the scrubby gloves ("kees")that you scrub yourself with. It was only 6 DH for both.

Then we walked through the medina to the hammam. 

We got there and had absolutely no idea what to do, and nobody spoke English, so we just kind of pointed to things, I used my little Arabic that I knew, and we went where they told us. We gave them our clothes and towels, then went into a giant shower/sauna room and these ladies filled buckets with water. They dipped our soap in water, dipped the gloves in the soapy water, and started scrubbing all over. I had been told that it would hurt but it didn't hurt at all, it felt really nice. It was just a giant exfoliating sesh. After, they dump buckets of water on you, wash your hair, then scrub you with a different soap that smells really good, and then rinse you again. And you're done! I feel very clean and happy. Apparently the real Moroccan women put olive oil on their skin after, but I didn't have olive oil, so I just put on my lotion from home. Still. It was awesome. I expected it to be weird and uncomfortable but I went in with an open mind and even though we barely spoke the language, we made it through successfully. I feel like I've had an authentic Moroccan experience now. As they say before and after going to the hammam, B'saha!