During the course of our stay we had totally emptied all our packs and given them a good scrub as well as washing all the contents, now it was time to get it all back in.  How had we managed to spread ourselves and our stuff and fill the apartment?!  We were meant to be travelling light! Maybe it had something to do with all the ‘stuff’ that kids seem to collect along the way – we now had pine cones (for making Christmas decorations) and enough smooth pebbles to sink a ship.  We had also acquired some waterproof wellie boots for walking in the snow, and so this meant another bag.

We spent the morning of our last day in Fethiye packing our respective bags and after a quick lunch we headed out to enjoy our last afternoon and evening, ahead of a 10am departure the next morning.

There was one thing we hadn’t experienced yet and we had been umming and ahhing about – to Hamam or not to Hamam?

The  Hamam, or Turkish bath, is to Turkey what a sauna is to Sweden and we thought we’d get a more authentic experience in a provisional centre rather than Istanbul where they are marketed for the tourists with reports of a crowded, conveyer belt experience. The experience at my first hamam 20 years ago was still very vivid, and in retrospect very geared towards tourists as it was filled with backpackers with no locals to be seen. I still remember the pain inflicted during the massage part much to the delight of the Turkish man at the time, not to mention the loss of the wonderful tan built up after a few weeks spent in the Greek islands!

So, after discovering the wonderful 15^th century Hamam in the old town had closed for the winter (further proof that even it is only for tourists and not locals), and not wanting to visit the one in the flash new hotel, we discovered another one located in a light industrial area not far from the Otogar (bus station) open year round –  this has got to be the real deal!

We would celebrate our last day in Fethiye by a visit to the Hamam, a wander back home through the old city, and along the waterfront promenade enjoying some delicious food.

As it is David’s first experience of a Hamam he takes up the story…

While the outside appearance of the building lacked some of the character of the older hamam, it was certainly authentic and on this cold, rainy day in December we had the place to ourselves, bar the few Turkish men working here. After agreeing to a price for the Turkish bath (40 lira p/adl or $21p/adl and kids 10 lira each), we were given a key to individual changing cubicles and an oversized teatowel to wrap around ourselves. The girls wore their togs, but of course clothing is optional. We then moved into the large dark bathing room feeling the instant warmth, and the girls headed towards the raised, heated marble platform in the centre of the room. Around the walls are open cubicles with either a shower or a seat, tap and basin combination with bowls for ladling the water. In one corner of the room is a sauna.

After showering and spending some time in the sauna we move out and lay on the heated marble slab looking up into the domed ceiling above which is pierced with holes allowing the natural light to filter in.   Two Turkish men entered and began the job of cleaning us. The first guy used his exfoliating mitt to great effect and I was soon left with rolls of dead skin clinging to my arms and legs.

Another quick shower to wash the dead skin off, it was over to the second bloke who wielded an oversized pillow case that he filled with soap suds. This is used to dump an enormous cloud of bubbles over my back, proving bubble baths are not just for kids!

Although we hadn’t requested a full massage (an additional extra charge), a ‘light’ rub was given during the soaping process. This guy proceeded to push his thumbs hard into my shoulders and back, and when that didn’t get a response, my legs and calves were given the same treatment. He seemed intent on getting a manly scream out of me, and when he dug his thumbs in so hard that I had to give a “Oww!”, to which he responded with a “Ah-ha”, and left me alone. Getting up off a marble slab covered in slippery bubbles is neither easy nor graceful!

The bath finishes with a quick soaping and massage of our heads and then we are left to exit in our own time. The whole process taking easily the best part of an hour. The girls meanwhile, just enjoyed sliding over the marble slab and watching as we were having our ‘treatment’. We were all wrapped up in towels upon leaving the room, and headed back to the changing cubicals to get dressed and set off on foot back toward town feeling squeaky clean and baby soft.

Approaching the waterfront on our walk home we come to the public park area and a coloured “Saturday Night Fever’ inspired light show. The only thing missing was the music.

We enjoy a progressive dinner – first stopping at Popeye’s, a boat permanently moored at the corner of the marina for a plate of great fish and chips, then to Bogazici restaurant for some traditional Turkish cuisine.

But, as they say, all good things must come to an end. Our time in Fethiye was up and almost as a sign it was time to go, our last day finished with rain just as our arrival day had.  We had been blessed with two weeks of perfect weather, especially given that this is their rainy season.  So with great reluctance, we say goodbye and psych ourselves for the next stage of our journey and in Turkey – Istanbul.