Aleppo, Syria: Syrian second-old city bath, Aleppo fills again, not because FAD is revived, but because of a power outage that has made a hot shower.
“We mainly depend on electricity to heat water at home, but the electricity is cut off by most of the time,” said Mohammed Hariri from a crowded bath where he waited half an hour to turn.
“Here, we took all the time we needed to take a shower,” said a 31-year-old person told AFP.
With their marble room room, hexagonal fountain and typical dome, Aleppo baths for centuries served as a social center where men unite to wash, listen to music and even eat.
But lack of water, fuel and electricity across Syria which torn war has also turned it into protection for those who are looking for a long and warm bath during the winter.
In Hammam Al-Qawwas, one of the more than 50 traditional Bathhouses in the old city of Aleppo, diesel fuel and firewood is used to provide furnaces with hot water and steam.
Under the curved dome, the man in a towel was sitting in one of the many side rooms, some singing traditional Arabic songs as they took hot water from the stone basin.
In a side by side, the masseuse uses soap and loofah to rub a clean client on the marble floor, because the restrictions on the coronavirus pandemic are one world.
Hariri said he used to visit the Aleppo exhibition with his father and uncle as a child.
Now, he comes with his son – not to continue the tradition, but because water at home is not enough for his family five.
“At home you have to take a shower in five minutes, but in the bath you can stay for five hours,” he said.
Many severely damaged structures for several rounds of battle between regime and rebel troops.
Only about 10 are reopened since Aleppo returned to the full government control in 2016, according to AFP correspondent.
Sitting in the reception room in Al-Qawwas Hammam, Ammar Radwan called from the client who wanted to order an appointment.
The 33-year-old player who inherited the 14th century of his grandfather said he never thought the business would rise again.
“We reopened Hammam in 2017, after the battle in Aleppo ended, but we never hoped to see voters like that,” he told AFP when updating the client list.
Among the retainer customers are Jalal al-Helou, a father three years old 53 years old.
“I went to the bath at least once a month to clean,” he told AFP from the laundry room, the towel covered his wet body.
Like most residents of Aleppo, Helou usually has to do with cold water or lukewarm at home.
Power cuts all the time have reached 20 hours a day this year because of severe diesel fuel shortages.
Helou said he sometimes had to use firewood, it was not an electric water heater so his family could take a shower.
“Our priority is providing (hot water) for children,” he said.
The situation is the same for fellow Patron Baths Nader Mashlah.
“The last time I took a shower right was two weeks ago,” said 58 years old after a replacement in Hammam.
At home, “Priority goes to children, and if there is hot water left, my shower is fast and unsatisfactory,” he added.
A government employee and father of six years, Mashlah said he was able to buy some comfort in his own home.
But in the bath, he relaxed and smoked shisha across the large fountain when another client walked.
“In the past, go to baths especially for entertainment,” he said among puffs.
“Today, it has become a must at least once or twice a month.”