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Everyone needs to
throw away their stress
and spend some time
relaxing, especially seeing
as we live in a busy, noisy
town like London. Writing
about this Russian banya
was the most relaxing thing
I did for this issue, especially
considering I wasn’t exactly
cheerful as I entered.
My banya experience began
with a sauna with a difference.
Most saunas have a high
level of humidity and after
about ten minutes it becomes
impossible to breathe; in this
sauna, you sweat slowly and in
a healthy way.
Ten minutes later I stepped
outside and underneath a
wooden bucket of cold water,
and pulled the rope that
tipped its contents over my
head. I thought I would freeze,
but actually I felt wonderful.
Russians say regular banya
visits stop you catching
colds. It is believed that a
cold-hot therapy strengthens
the immune system and the
adrenaline helps boost the
levels of serotonin in the body.
Eventually, Svetlana came
over with a smile to tell me
my tea was ready in the
café. Everyone who books in
advance can enjoy a pot of
herbal tea.
Then it was time for parenie,
a traditional herbal treatment
using oak leaves. The oak
bunches were first softened
in warm water before they
were gently and rhythmically
by YASEMIN BAKAN
applied. My head was covered
in oak leaves and the bath
attendant, or banschik, began
to lightly strike me with them.
This Russian massage is not
for the faint-hearted.
Ten minutes later, I went
back to the high wooden
buckets and tipped more
water over my head, then I
stepped into the big, wooden
tub. Again, it was freezing.
Wrapping myself in a towel, I
returned to my tea in the café,
followed by kvass, a fermented
beetroot juice. It was a proper
detox day.
Before long, a young lady
told me it was time for my
scrub. I was scrubbed from
top to toe with honey and
salt (it smelt magnificent),
steamed for 10 minutes, and
then showered. At my table in
the café it was time for lunch:
borscht, a beetroot soup, and
herrings served with onions.
Delicious.
Sessions at Banya No 1
start at £30 off-peak for
three hours, including use
of steam room and showers.
Treatments are extra. A
three-hour session, including
honey and salt scrub, parenie,
mud decollete with foot bath
and pot of herbal tea, is £95.
Separate male and female
sessions are available.
17 Micawber Street, London, N1
020 7253 6723
gobanya.co.uk