Turkish Shave

Our hotel recommended getting a shave from one of the many barbers in Selchuk.  I'd never had a proper barber shave, and the going rate was 5 TL (less than $3 CDN), so I figured I'd give it a shot.

Besides, my long beard had been making me a little owly.

I was pretty keen to try some manly pampering, and to get rid of my now-itchy beard.

Admittedly I haven't been to Southeast Asia, but this was the best value-for-money I've yet experienced for a personal service.  My 5 TL got me:

• A big, churned up faceful of thick, hand-whipped cream shaving cream, applied and thickened for several minutes on the face with a huge brush.
• Laser-accurate shave with a straight blade from a barber who knew his business.  Every whisker was removed, sometimes individually, with no irritation or burning.
• Auxiliary hair removal around other facial features.
• Manual sideburn trim and associated over-ear and side-of-neck hair trim.
• Rinse & firm toweling.
• Apricot face lotion massaged in.
• Shaving talc applied.
• Stray cut whiskers removed with alcohol-dabbed cotton swabs.

The shave took at least 20 minutes, and indeed I felt fresh and invigorated.  Not kidding!  If you let your beard grow and are facing the prospect of clogging your weak little safety razor 100 times in a row to chop it all off, do yourself a favour and let a pro handle it. 

I heartily endorse this barber's shaving technique

COMPLETELY UNRELATED

...but not worth its own post:

Many people in Selchuk (and elsewhere) have purchased cheap Chinese knock-offs of 1970s-era Honda 125cc motorcycles, as pictured above.  They're available under several brand names, but they're obviously trying to be the tried-and-true Honda, which is a pretty cool vintage bike.  From what I know, there's a reason they are CHEAP Chinese knock-offs: don't expect Honda quality.