While we get used to washing our hands and using hand sanitizer all the time, we learn that Turks have been doing that for hundreds of years with kolonya.
Meaning “cologne”, kolonya has been a treasured symbol of Turkish hospitality and health since the Ottoman Empire, and it’s often described as Turkey’s national scent. Traditionally, this sweet-scented aroma made with fig blossoms, jasmine, rose or citrus ingredients is sprinkled on guests’ hands as they enter homes, hotels and hospitals; when they finish meals at restaurants; or as they gather for religious services. But unlike other natural scents, this ethanol-based concoction’s high alcohol content can kill more than 80% of germs and act as an effective hand disinfectant.
But kolonya is more than a disinfectant.It’s part of Turkish culture, as a greeting, an aromatic, and the smell of nostalgia for those who grew up with it. Read about kolonya, including how it’s made, at BBC Travel. -via Damn Interesting
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Source: neatorama