Birthday to remember - hammam, singing and cake

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22 AUGUST - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME, 34 TODAY. Who would have thought that I would spend my birthday in Syria, not me, that's for sure! I'm a bit hungover after all the drinking in the Baron Hotel the night before but I soon forget about that when Ali gives me a birthday (post) card and gorgeous pearly bracelet which she designed and made herself. I only mentioned once to her at the start of the trip that it was my birthday during the tour, so it was great to mark the occasion, little did I know that was only the start...

Staggered down to breakfast, half asleep to find a card waiting for me, signed by all the group. It was an old black & white photo of the Hotel Baron in it's heyday, how apt. Everyone then sang Happy Birthday to me - how EMBARRASSING!!!!!

Anyway, on with the exploring. We drive to the Monastery of St Simeon where a strange, mystic and holy man spent 42 years of his life chained to the top of a column...how weird! A large amount of the monastery remains, despite being destroyed by an earthquake. It is a stunning setting looking over both Turkey and Syria. We return to Aleppo then have a long siesta before heading out for...a birthday hammam.

Well, what an experience that was!!!!!! Hammam's are a central, social point in the Middle East for men, women and children, although they are segregated...most of the time. 6 of us girlies were brave enough to give this a go - Sue, Nancy, Renee, Georgia, Ali and me...and boy did we get to know each other that night...intimately! I promised to change the names to protect the innocent but what the heck, what goes on tour, stays on tour so I'll only give selected details. We were 'instructed' to be naked...so much for bringing our swimsuits and bikinis! With only a small, soggy towel to protect our modesty the routine included a wash down amongst ourselves (which turned into a water fight!!), plunge pool and steam room. Our 'hammam mama' (you would NOT mess with this woman, believe me) then gave each of us the following - hair and face washed / scrubbed to death, EXTREME exfoliation, chucked about the floor for a 'massage' and leg crunching, another hair wash and final overall clean before wrapping our soggy towel round us and retiring to the lounge area for a fizzy orange or coke...I'm sure that's not the normal refreshment recommended after a massage to assist with the detox process 😊 It should be noted that, each of the above procedures was marked by the girlies singing Happy Birthday to me, EVERY time we had something new done to us by the hammam mama, which was of course communicated to us through signalling and her chucking us around the slippery hammam floor...to quote Nancy, we were like fish on a slab. Cheers guys - a birthday to remember!!!!

Following a knuckle clenching taxi ride back to the hotel, we quickly changed for dinner and headed to Sissi's - a restaurant and piano bar, famous for where the Syrian President dines. Amazing meal of mezze and their signature dish of posh lamb kebab with black cherry sauce with a bottle of superb Syrian red wine shared between Ali, Di and myself. V rich, but delish and also a favourite with El Presidente. Turned out that Peter the Leader had also spotted it was my birthday and therefore, one minute I was enjoying the music of the resident violinist and then he was playing Happy Birthday to me in English and Arabic - how EMBARRASSING...again.

Just when I thought the day's celebration's had concluded, a HUGE cake was brought out with a candle and ANOTHER group rendition of Happy Birthday. I brandished a huge knife, cut the cake and posed for numerous photos (reminiscent of my SWIP leaving presentation) - completely MORTIFIED!!!!!!!!!!!

Ali and I headed back to the hotel for a relatively early night. Phew, it was exhausting turning 34 and I will never forget that day. Farewell Aleppo.

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Comments

[JANE]

LOL
What you doing having another birthday? Is one in July no enough? Been laughing out loud since I read about your massage.. no quite Roxburghe then? hehe xx

[Ali]

I've been dying to see...
...how you would describe the birthday hammam. Exfoliated to within an inch of your life, while repeatedly serenaded with 'happy birthday to you'; you were such a good sport about it, but surely one of the most surreal experiences of the first leg of your adventures? Business idea: you know how popular those Red Letter Days are? How about hammam experiences 'alternative' for the day you'll never forget? Do you think the Dragon's would go for it??? x

[Shons]

Greetings from Morocco
Hi, great idea re Red Letter days!!! Morocco trip is just as manic so the blog is behind...again! Still cannae get used to these arabic keyboards, taking long enough to catch up with emails never mind updating the blog. On an enforced detox at the mo due to Ramadan...impossible to get alcohol, aaaaarrrggghhh, desperate for a nice glass of vino. Speak soon.