I always enjoy a nice ice bath! Today I went to a new Russian Bathhouse in the city, The бани and it was fantastic. It is located in Central Park, just across the highway from Eco Park in the center of Tashkent. During the USSR times there were many Russian Bathhouses in Tashkent, but they fell out of favor after independence and only now are making a comeback. A big thank you to my friend Phillip and Victor for coming with me today!
We started the day off by entering the group sauna. At the top of the hour, they put on a little show with a different flavor of steam. We all gathered in the huge sauna and the attendant waved a large paddle to push hot air and steam over us. Russian traditional music or Russian rock music played during this time. We went from the hot sauna to a cold pool. After the show, we went back in for a second round without the music and theatrics. I loved the cooling options, which were two pools of cold and very cold water, a snow room (-10C with manmade snow), and an ice bath.
We ordered a traditional 20-minute birch leaf steam sauna/massage and a scrub-down with a birch oil soap and salt. It was totally rejuvenating. There is a Russian saying that a day in the sauna is a day you do not age! I agree! They asked us to wear a bathing suit due to Islamic culture in Tashkent, but the traditional Russian sauna is nude and there were a few naked Russians. There is a women’s section on the top floor that is open on Tuesday and Thursday. I would like to bring the whole family next time and we will rent a private room this winter when Oliver and Owen visit.
I highly recommend visiting the spa, it is not cheap, but worth the experience. I bought a felt hat and crocs so I am ready to go next time I attend.
On a side note, I was reading about the Slavic spirit of the sauna, Bannik (illustration below). He is an old man that hides behind the steam and is part of Slavic mythology. He is mischievous, and can tell your fortune by either caressing your back (good) or pinching you (bad).
Bill's Blog 