New York East Village | First Experience at the Russian Bathhouse 🛀

🟦On the weekend, I visited the Russian & Turkish Baths in the East Village. 🟦This place has been in business since 1892. As you push open the door, a wave of heat, sweat, and steam hits you in the face. The air is filled with the scent of wood and water vapor. The hall is packed with people—men of Russian, Central Asian, Eastern European, and Jewish descent occupy every corner they can lean against, silently sipping tea or chatting about topics that are indecipherable to outsiders. We stood at the entrance, making eye contact with each other, both wondering—how did these two Asians find this place? 🟦First, you get a locker room key at the front desk. There are separate locker rooms for men and women on the first floor. Given the usual skewed gender ratio here, there’s an additional men’s locker room on the second floor. The towels and slippers here are well-worn, with faded colors and a bit of fuzz. Grab one and head down to the basement bath area, as if holding a key to a different world. The stairs lead to a glass door, beyond which lies a foggy, steamy world. As you push open the door, a wave of heat rushes out, and you’re face-to-face with a row of bare-chested men. Wearing a swimsuit, I felt a bit awkward at first. Most people are in their forties or fifties, with a few younger guys and girls scattered around. 🟦Downstairs, there are several rooms: the Russian Bath, Turkish Sauna, a few steam rooms, and an ice-cold plunge pool. I did some research online before coming, which said to start with a shower, then head to the hot rooms to sweat, and optionally get a birch twig (venik) massage (typical of the “warrior nation”). Finally, there’s the ice-cold plunge. Since the birch twig massage is an extra-cost item and has to be done in the communal Russian Bath room, I skipped that step. 🟦We walked past the rows of guests and entered the famous Russian Bath room, which is the smallest and hottest of all. The interior is like a tiered classroom with three levels of seating, getting hotter as you go up. A few older men were already sweating profusely. In the middle of the room, some of them scooped up ice-cold water from buckets and poured it over their heads. The water ran down their tattooed bodies, creating a scene that felt like a “tough guy bathing picture.” Some guys even used the ice water to cool their heads by wrapping cold, wet towels around them. In the other rooms, the Turkish Sauna was so crowded that the men had to stand in the open space in front of the crowd. 🟦My boyfriend and I felt the sweat seeping out from deep within our skin in the steam, with every breath filled with scorching heat. Eventually, we couldn’t withstand the roasting and rushed out to the ice-cold plunge pool. Initially skeptical—since traditional Chinese medicine says alternating hot and cold can make you sick—we decided to give the warrior nation’s custom a try. The moment I entered the water, my legs felt like they were freezing solid, aching with cold. I held my breath, submerged myself, then quickly climbed out to recover. Later, we visited the other rooms, repeating the hot-cold cycle. 🟦Although the whole experience felt a bit like an ordeal, I felt incredibly refreshed afterward. Another item crossed off my to-do list. Maybe I’ll come again next time. #NYCLife #NYCExploration #NYCDaily