Steam: my last day/evening in Istanbul
May. 17th, 2004 01:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jawnbcAfter getting home at 04h00 from the Contest, I feared oversleeping Sunday. Since I wasn’t gonna get much sleep Sunday night (my flight to Frankfurt was at 05h30, necessitating getting up at 03h00), to sleep until noon or later would’ve totally fooked my body. And mind and spirit. So I was relieve that when I dragged my ass to the ‘loo it was only 11h00. I staggered, I abluted, I went out.
A gloriously sunny (but cool, 17C) day. Sunday is a big out-n-about day in Istanbul, and the streets were hopping. I’ve not yet mentioned how stylish a number of Turkishwomen are--including those who dress hijab. Certainly few headscarfed women wore tight jeans (a few did though), but there were many women whose choice of scarf, colour and accessories of dress, and shoes showed not only effort but effect. And while I’m not glossing over gender issues in Muslim countries, modernity has an impact here: most women were smiling, walking alongside their men, and vivacious. Years ago in Jordan, women seemed much more reticent to me.
I jumped in a cab and went to the Blue Mosque. It’s one of the world’s biggest, and the interior is breathtaking. I got in just before the 4th saleh [call to prayer] of the day, and hurried out. Not out of fear but respect: watching heathen/heretical tourists stomp around loudly in Catlick churches in Europe got up my nose; it would be hypocritical to do likewise. Afterwards, I internetted (yesterday’s post ESC wrap-up entry), and found a “nice” resto for lunch. Generally I’d been eating cheaply--easy to do in Istanbul--but since dinner tonight would probably be on the fly I went to a more upscale venue. Lovely facility, decent steak, great service--warm staff. By the time I left my spirit were purged of any hangover or fatigue.
I’d not yet been on the water, so I took the tram to the ferries and did a mini-Bosporus cruise (across and back). I might have taken a photo, but I don’t think so. Relaxing, my mind pretty much tabula rasa throughout. I visited another mosque (the big’un across from the ferries); also lovely. But I suspected getting onto the tourist track (metaphorically) would render my bliss unblissful. So a taxi back to my hotel, and time for another (my 3rd) attempt to find the gay Turkish baths.
I found 2 hamams--legitimate Turkish baths--and one Western gay sauna listed on various websites. One I couldn’t find the street; the others weren’t at the addresses given. But whilst following my map somewheres else, I discovered another street with the same name. Previously I had gone to the same big wooden door and knocked futilely--this “new” street with the same name (rougly translated, I was on “the road between Taxsim and C____” but the street I wanted was “the main road in C_______ neighbourhood”). Oh muh gawd I was all tingly gingly already! So I set off.
And once again I was close but kept missing the street. Istanbul has many small streets, a few thoroughfares, a couple of dual carriageways. And a gazillions “streets” that barely fit a slow-moving car. Streets also change names and change back, hold 2 names concurrently, and maps in the off-the-beaten-track neighbourhoods are merely an approximation of street shape. In looking for the hamam I actually stumbled across the location of the sauna; however I wanted something local and persevered. Fully 75 minutes after setting out, I found it. Allah Akhbar!
Upon entrance I was escorted to my “resting room” and given a thin bodywrap to wear in the baths. I undressed and was lead to the lounge area, filled (quel surprise) with about 20 smoking and drinking men. Mostly Turkish, but several foreigners. Seemed more social, though the body piercings and cookie-cutter tattoos clearly marked this as queer space. I wandered into the main hot room, and it was exactly what I sought: a domed room, with small skylights giving natural light (and some electric lights), a warm pedestal in the middle, and a small surrounding ledge with several sinks. More men in here, lounding, washing--and a couple were entwined on the centre platform kissing. Periodically, some went into another room, which was the cool room my advanced reading had told me about.
Cool my ass--this was the backroom, though it wasn’t dark. Smaller room, no platform and a fair bit cooler--and full of guys sitting around wanking. Turkishmen, if this sample is representative, having nothing to be insecure about. Tall, short, lean, bear, chug, smooth, hairy, all pretty much well hung.
I found a spot and chilled, but soon realized a very handsome beareded bear was, uh, pleasuring himself next to me. I followed suit, and we started kissing and stroking one another. I asked him what was OK to do here. “Everything.” We didn’t do everything, but we did a lot--the absence of lube or condoms was conspicuous to me. We had a lot of fun mostly stroking and kissing, but I excused myself to chill a bit in the hot room. Sadly they didn’t provide an option for the traditional Turkishbody scrub/massage (I’d have happily paid), but I did wash myself, pouring water buckets of various temperatures over myself. And had a good meditate.
In the lounge room, I chatted with my new friend and his partner. Later I met a loquacious Maltese physician/singer who entered the local selection for Malta this year but didn’t make “it’s not my year” he said. Cute, but a bit up himself--but physicians are like that, eh![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
beardoc? Then I realized there was a dry sauna too. OK that was more a dog pile: totally no light, super hot, and normally I loathe such spaces. But having not seen a single unattractive guy in the hamam, I checked it out. Once. OK, 4 times. But I don’t like sex when it’s 45C and sitting on the wooden bench hurts. Back to the hot room for me. Then I went to my “rest room” and chilled a bit. This Turkish bath thing works for me, I was very relaxed
And then back Turkish to the cool room. I was absent-mindedly stroking myself when this cute young (30ish) Turkish bathman next me does the smile/foot stare thing with me. I gently brushed his thigh and he leaned against me...and slid down to suck my cock. He was more ambitious than skilled, but he seemed to both enjoy and feel uneasy with it. In fact, he stopped several times, looked intently at me, then started again. Eventually he came, and I sat back to relax. But someone else had taken his place, a very sexy guy (model handsome actually), lovely smile, nicer cock. We were doing the stroking thing and I thought, “why not” and went down on him. Clearly he was worked up and I pulled my head off just as he was about to blow. Jaysus he shot a lot--and far--hitting his chin and covering his chest. He grinned, hugged me, stood up, washed the cum off with a couple of buckets of water and headed out.
Another guy immediately jumped in his place, but I wasn’t keen to be da cocksucker du jour, so I smiled and did nothing. He tried to coerce, cajole, but I wasn’t buying. I wanted to wash so I went back to the hot room and gave myself a lovely foot massage and scrub. A quick peak into the dry sauna (visit #4) and Mr. Persistent was there. He gently grabbed me, plastered a toe-curling kiss on me, and tried to lead my head to his crotch. I still wasn’t buying, but I had other ideas. I lead him to a private corner (one of the shower stalls, which are virtually unused in a Turkish bath), and started playing. He was making overtures towards my ass, but I had brought a condom and lube down from my rest room (my own, not from the hamam), which brought a smile on his face. Rather quickly we got him up, got me lubed and got him raincoated. After 3 or so hours at the hamam (he was there when I arrived), we weren’t going for length--we wanted the big bang. And we both got it in about 4 minutes. At least we beat the egg . . .I’d not even so much as wanked sincequerrelle and I’d had our fairwell night of amour/banging on 10 May--a week earlier. I fairly covered the floor when I blew. ‘Twas grand.
Shortly thereafter I bathed Turkish one more time, dressed and wandered to my hotel. En route I stopped for a bit of shopping and to have dinner. I packed, settled my bill and went to bed just after 22h30. 03h00 came way too soon, but I made my flight and promptly slept all the way from Istanbul to Frankfurt (2.5 hours). I’ve just had a grand shower here in the Business Lounge (love my gold status Star Alliance), had a great chat with my Man, and am about to board my flight for Hongcouver!
A gloriously sunny (but cool, 17C) day. Sunday is a big out-n-about day in Istanbul, and the streets were hopping. I’ve not yet mentioned how stylish a number of Turkishwomen are--including those who dress hijab. Certainly few headscarfed women wore tight jeans (a few did though), but there were many women whose choice of scarf, colour and accessories of dress, and shoes showed not only effort but effect. And while I’m not glossing over gender issues in Muslim countries, modernity has an impact here: most women were smiling, walking alongside their men, and vivacious. Years ago in Jordan, women seemed much more reticent to me.
I jumped in a cab and went to the Blue Mosque. It’s one of the world’s biggest, and the interior is breathtaking. I got in just before the 4th saleh [call to prayer] of the day, and hurried out. Not out of fear but respect: watching heathen/heretical tourists stomp around loudly in Catlick churches in Europe got up my nose; it would be hypocritical to do likewise. Afterwards, I internetted (yesterday’s post ESC wrap-up entry), and found a “nice” resto for lunch. Generally I’d been eating cheaply--easy to do in Istanbul--but since dinner tonight would probably be on the fly I went to a more upscale venue. Lovely facility, decent steak, great service--warm staff. By the time I left my spirit were purged of any hangover or fatigue.
I’d not yet been on the water, so I took the tram to the ferries and did a mini-Bosporus cruise (across and back). I might have taken a photo, but I don’t think so. Relaxing, my mind pretty much tabula rasa throughout. I visited another mosque (the big’un across from the ferries); also lovely. But I suspected getting onto the tourist track (metaphorically) would render my bliss unblissful. So a taxi back to my hotel, and time for another (my 3rd) attempt to find the gay Turkish baths.
I found 2 hamams--legitimate Turkish baths--and one Western gay sauna listed on various websites. One I couldn’t find the street; the others weren’t at the addresses given. But whilst following my map somewheres else, I discovered another street with the same name. Previously I had gone to the same big wooden door and knocked futilely--this “new” street with the same name (rougly translated, I was on “the road between Taxsim and C____” but the street I wanted was “the main road in C_______ neighbourhood”). Oh muh gawd I was all tingly gingly already! So I set off.
And once again I was close but kept missing the street. Istanbul has many small streets, a few thoroughfares, a couple of dual carriageways. And a gazillions “streets” that barely fit a slow-moving car. Streets also change names and change back, hold 2 names concurrently, and maps in the off-the-beaten-track neighbourhoods are merely an approximation of street shape. In looking for the hamam I actually stumbled across the location of the sauna; however I wanted something local and persevered. Fully 75 minutes after setting out, I found it. Allah Akhbar!
Upon entrance I was escorted to my “resting room” and given a thin bodywrap to wear in the baths. I undressed and was lead to the lounge area, filled (quel surprise) with about 20 smoking and drinking men. Mostly Turkish, but several foreigners. Seemed more social, though the body piercings and cookie-cutter tattoos clearly marked this as queer space. I wandered into the main hot room, and it was exactly what I sought: a domed room, with small skylights giving natural light (and some electric lights), a warm pedestal in the middle, and a small surrounding ledge with several sinks. More men in here, lounding, washing--and a couple were entwined on the centre platform kissing. Periodically, some went into another room, which was the cool room my advanced reading had told me about.
Cool my ass--this was the backroom, though it wasn’t dark. Smaller room, no platform and a fair bit cooler--and full of guys sitting around wanking. Turkishmen, if this sample is representative, having nothing to be insecure about. Tall, short, lean, bear, chug, smooth, hairy, all pretty much well hung.
I found a spot and chilled, but soon realized a very handsome beareded bear was, uh, pleasuring himself next to me. I followed suit, and we started kissing and stroking one another. I asked him what was OK to do here. “Everything.” We didn’t do everything, but we did a lot--the absence of lube or condoms was conspicuous to me. We had a lot of fun mostly stroking and kissing, but I excused myself to chill a bit in the hot room. Sadly they didn’t provide an option for the traditional Turkishbody scrub/massage (I’d have happily paid), but I did wash myself, pouring water buckets of various temperatures over myself. And had a good meditate.
In the lounge room, I chatted with my new friend and his partner. Later I met a loquacious Maltese physician/singer who entered the local selection for Malta this year but didn’t make “it’s not my year” he said. Cute, but a bit up himself--but physicians are like that, eh
beardoc? Then I realized there was a dry sauna too. OK that was more a dog pile: totally no light, super hot, and normally I loathe such spaces. But having not seen a single unattractive guy in the hamam, I checked it out. Once. OK, 4 times. But I don’t like sex when it’s 45C and sitting on the wooden bench hurts. Back to the hot room for me. Then I went to my “rest room” and chilled a bit. This Turkish bath thing works for me, I was very relaxedAnd then back Turkish to the cool room. I was absent-mindedly stroking myself when this cute young (30ish) Turkish bathman next me does the smile/foot stare thing with me. I gently brushed his thigh and he leaned against me...and slid down to suck my cock. He was more ambitious than skilled, but he seemed to both enjoy and feel uneasy with it. In fact, he stopped several times, looked intently at me, then started again. Eventually he came, and I sat back to relax. But someone else had taken his place, a very sexy guy (model handsome actually), lovely smile, nicer cock. We were doing the stroking thing and I thought, “why not” and went down on him. Clearly he was worked up and I pulled my head off just as he was about to blow. Jaysus he shot a lot--and far--hitting his chin and covering his chest. He grinned, hugged me, stood up, washed the cum off with a couple of buckets of water and headed out.
Another guy immediately jumped in his place, but I wasn’t keen to be da cocksucker du jour, so I smiled and did nothing. He tried to coerce, cajole, but I wasn’t buying. I wanted to wash so I went back to the hot room and gave myself a lovely foot massage and scrub. A quick peak into the dry sauna (visit #4) and Mr. Persistent was there. He gently grabbed me, plastered a toe-curling kiss on me, and tried to lead my head to his crotch. I still wasn’t buying, but I had other ideas. I lead him to a private corner (one of the shower stalls, which are virtually unused in a Turkish bath), and started playing. He was making overtures towards my ass, but I had brought a condom and lube down from my rest room (my own, not from the hamam), which brought a smile on his face. Rather quickly we got him up, got me lubed and got him raincoated. After 3 or so hours at the hamam (he was there when I arrived), we weren’t going for length--we wanted the big bang. And we both got it in about 4 minutes. At least we beat the egg . . .I’d not even so much as wanked since
querrelle and I’d had our fairwell night of amour/banging on 10 May--a week earlier. I fairly covered the floor when I blew. ‘Twas grand. Shortly thereafter I bathed Turkish one more time, dressed and wandered to my hotel. En route I stopped for a bit of shopping and to have dinner. I packed, settled my bill and went to bed just after 22h30. 03h00 came way too soon, but I made my flight and promptly slept all the way from Istanbul to Frankfurt (2.5 hours). I’ve just had a grand shower here in the Business Lounge (love my gold status Star Alliance), had a great chat with my Man, and am about to board my flight for Hongcouver!
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no subject
Date: 2004-05-17 04:17 am (UTC)And I've heard nothing but hot things about Turkish men and bears. *GRIN*
Only One Word Needed
Date: 2004-05-17 04:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-05-17 07:13 am (UTC)Uh Huh!
Date: 2004-05-17 07:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-05-17 07:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-05-17 01:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-05-17 04:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-05-18 05:00 am (UTC)Totally. You know it's a required criteria for selection to medical school? *grin*