Thursday 16 December 2010

Banya hats & letting it all hang out...

A few posts back I wrote about a visit to the banya. I loved it, not sure why, but I did, and I'll be going back.

And when I do, I'll be wearing my fetching felt lilac flower-pot hat. Nothing else - except perhaps a decorously-draped towel - just the hat. It's not (only) a fashion statement - although the regular banya visitors all seemed to have much more interesting ones than mine, with pretty appliqued flowers etc - there is good reason for it; apparently it protects your hair from overheating which is a) bad for it and b) bad for the scalp beneath it.

So I don't know why I was surprised when Husband confirmed that men also wear these hats in the banya, but I was. The thought of a group of men sitting around naked in extreme heat, no doubt not bothering with anything as girlie and modest as towels, letting it all hang out, and wearing big felt hats (although probably without the flowers), for some reason seems even more ridiculous to me than a group of women doing the same thing.

And here, for those of you asking to see my hat, is a picture of what I'm talking about. Don't worry Iota: head-shot only...

Lovely, isn't it?















*Please note; I was wearing a towel when this photo was taken...

7 comments:

  1. Please see latest comment on last post about the banya before reading this: No oh my god the visions in my head are worse. Dare I ask if the lady doing your scrub also wears one of these...no does not bear thinking about!!!!!!

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  2. Love it, love it, love it. Love the hat, love the expression on your face, love the fact that you've posted your face full-on on your blog.

    You could be the face of the Soccer World Cup in Russia in 2018! I can see it now - you on a zillion billboards in that hat, you on drinks mats in bars in that hat, you on baseball caps and t-shirts in that hat...

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  3. Wonderful hat - love the idea of men wearing them.

    And, wow, you have a talking ad on your blog! PM, you have definitely moved into a new league.

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  4. TW, no, no hat for the lady doing the scrub. Just the gloves...

    Iota, I'm sort of hoping that my identity is disguised somewhat by the stupid grin and low brim...

    NVG, 'a new league'? Blink and you might miss it (am planning on taking it down shortly!)

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  5. Bill & Ben eat your heart out. With your new found craft skills courtesy of your recent school craft fair, maybe you could embroider some flowers on it on those long Russian winter evenings......& do hubby's hat too while you're about it!

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  6. I love it and I'm dead jealous... maybe I can wear a touque in the bath?

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