The trip to the Hammam (baths in Arabic) was one of the unexpected and unplanned highlights of the trip. The visit is roughly and hour and a half filled with history, hot pools, cold pools, moroccan mint tea, steaming, lounging, and a large heated rock that we affectionately referred to it as the lizard rock. Massage is extra.
Upon entry to the Hamman Baths in Granada, we were told that in Roman times it was a common insult to say one, “smelled like a Christian.” It seems that Christians did not enjoy the same leisurely bathing rituals that Arabs and Romans did.
The pools themselves are intricately designed with tiles and variable depths; waterfalls add to the atmosphere. It’s easy to envision yourself in one of these baths hundreds of years ago… immersed in a weekly ritual that involved women and their families heading down to the baths.
The quote of the day goes to little miss Niña, which was exclaimed as I was prying her relaxed/limp body off the lizard rock at the end of our experience: “Now I understand why people like relaxing in spas. I could do this forever.”
(Photos of the pools are forbidden.)
