Just as a beer tastes best after physical exertion so a hammam is blissful when muscles are weary and the body has a degree of grubbiness. So head for Jordan and spend a couple of days trekking in the desert at Wadi Rum, sleeping under the stars and enjoying Bedouin hospitality but no washing facilities. Then on to Petra where a hammam just before the site provides sublime refreshment. It may not be a world beater but it will certainly feel like it and the staff are skillful and welcoming. You leave cleansed and reinvigorated, ready to explore Petra; a much larger site than expected where it is easy to escape the crowds. As the sun sets walk on to a second Bedouin camp where a traditional meal awaits plus an untraditional beer. Perfick!
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