If Today is Wednesday, must be the baths

We are just back from a good soak in the baths and a big Chinese lunch. Today we made it to the Kiraly, built by the Turks in 1570. I came here in 1990, and, though memory plays tricks, today's trip was just as memorable. I remembered it as bigger. It has been renovated, but the pool arrangement is the same. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday it is open to women only and swimsuit optional. Being European now, we chose to leave the suits in the bag.

This image was taken with all the lights on. There were few, if any lights on today. The walls that the lights make look gold, are really more like concrete. The floors and some areas are probably marble or granite, but the overall look is ancient. I remember there being more of the original coke bottle green glass in the holes in the ceiling. There were a few of these in the little dome over one of the cold pools.

There are several pools. The big one under the big dome which has little holes that let light in, is the main feature and has water temps about 36C. Before you get to the big pool, there is a little pool, 'bout as big as the bapistry at First Baptist Church in Ocala (before it burned down). This pool features 28C water. It was a great way to start, as it is hot as blue blazes outside and humid to beat. It has been trying to rain, but no luck.

To the right of the big pool is a really hot tub, 38-40C (again, the size of the baptistry). Behind the big pool is another little pool with 26C water-just like jumping in the Rainbow river. There is also a sauna room, but the steam from the pools were quite enough for us. The sauna room goes to 58-60C. We dunked back and forth amongst the pools to our hearts' (and other muscles') content.

When we had had enough, we got lovely showers, redonned our street clothes, and headed out for lunch. Another 3 pm lunch. There was a Chinese restaurant just down the block, so we had a great Chinese meal. They too have wonderful fresh bamboo shoots, and chiles enough to remind me of Sezchuan. It was pretty easy to get a cab back to our neighborhood internet cafe, so here we are, hygiene, hunger and cyber needs all met. It is a good day.