Already in Hammamet we visited the first Tunisian hammam. Hammamet means "many hammams". Sounds very promising. Unfortunately, we were a little disappointed. (Sh***, we fell for our own expectations again!).
But back to the beginning.
We read that the hammams here are not really for tourists who are used to cleanliness. We don't really want to believe it, because we like to be surprised, especially when travelling.
And they soon realise that not every surprise is a success.
So we chalk up our first hammam experience to "aha, so that's how it is!". We are scrubbed down properly, vaporised, paste again, rinsed off again. So far so good.
Then a massage. A bit unkind, in a pitch-black and really cold room. After 20 minutes I was shivering from the cold. After another 20 minutes I am frozen. Gerd doesn't get cold feet in the whirlpool, but his ears almost hurt because of the incredible noise.
Our mood is down - we think.
But it gets even better: in the relaxation room (and actually everywhere) football is broadcast at maximum volume. Alongside this, they argue, and because the TV is so loud, of course they argue louder in order to understand each other at all. Of course, a real quarrel involves smoking cigarettes one after the other.
At some point the call comes: "Finish!" And we have to get out.
Phew.
So, second try in Sousse. Thanks to Google Maps ratings, we find "something nice".
And, because the entire spa area can be used for the massage, we spend some wonderful and almost lonely (because it is low season and we are almost private guests!) hours here.
Heated saltwater pool, sauna, steam bath, hammam, jungle rain with peeping noise and a wonderful massage. Tea ceremony and cosy bathrobes.
We quickly cover up our first hammam experience with the second (a wonderful form of therapy: covering up the negative with the positive!) and float through the sacred halls of the honourable 5-star hotel (under Swiss management...) exhilarated, delighted and beautified. Finally, a small espresso in the lobby - hach, wat schön!
Oh, what pampered luxury sensibilities we are. And bon vivants, too! That's also part of it: A break now and then in the clean comfort zone that we love.
Merci for "travelling with us
We are thinking about taking another break from travelling in the summer and visiting our families in Germany and Switzerland. One of the ideas is to organise a Lecture about our long journey to the Persian Gulf to prepare. If you would like to, what would interest you the most? We will also tell stories here that don't find a place here on the blog. We're thinking of the Bern and Berlin area - simply because we have family there. But other places are also conceivable. Feel free to write to us.
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You're lucky! There's nothing like a European understanding of comfort. 👍😁