Hammam

I awoke the next morning feeling pretty good except for my back which ached a bit before the desert. I didn't feel like there was much left for me in Marrakech so after a nice breakfast next to the pool I decided to book a hammam and a massage for the afternoon. 

I headed into the new part of the city with its wide boulevards and high rises it seems much different from the medina.  There is a large garden that was most recent maintained by yves St Lauren. I couldn't believe how busy it was. It was pretty small and perhaps not surprisingly a lot of cactus and palms with some lovely Bougainville. And at least it seemed cool.

I was admiring the sights when someone called my name! It was Patrick and Sabrina from Chefcheouan and Fes. Patrick looked completely different - apparently he had been ill for a few days in Chefcheouan. But he looked great now. They had just come from the desert as well and had run into Britney and Wylie!  We had a short chat and as it seems everyone is - they are headed to Essouria. We didn't make any plans but I wouldn't be surprised to see them again. 

After the garden I went to another "branch" of the souk lamb pit. This is an actual restaurant and the other specialty is a tagia which is a crock that is filled with lamb and spice and baked as a stew in the underground ovens. It was good but it seemed like it needed something else. But along with salad and some good people watching it was a nice lunch. 

The day was slipping away so I decided to head back to the riad and prepare for my hammam. I was meeting Callum and Anna for dinner and I needed to repack the luggage for Essouria in the morning. 

After a tea on the terrace I donned my swim trunks and met Abdo my guide. A hammam is basically a wet sauna with a good scrub/exfoliation. They use a black soap made from olive oil and a glove type scrubber. It's all very nice and there is resting time for the soap to work. Oh did I mention Abdo wasn't a big fan of my board shorts so this is au naturale!  The best part was my feet. Abdo wasn't happy with their condition and he set about to make sure that changed. I used a pumice rock and a lot of soap. He said it was also to build up a good sweat. I couldn't argue there. After a good rinse and a rest we moved to the massage room. Pretty standard stuff with some nice herbal oils and a bit more work on my feet and a crack of my back!

At some point ge offered to get me some soap and supplies - which I may later come to regret. I don't need anymore weight in the suitcase and it seemed kind of expensive. But as a package it is not a bad deal and I feel great and have a fantastic nap. 

I meet Callum and Anna in the main square and we compare notes on the day and enjoy some tea. Anna is vegan and I really would like some wine so we settle on a place near to my riad which was highly recommended by Mary and Sean as well as Monika. Along the way I make a great deal on a colorful tile and we all buy little vials to display our Sahara sand. 

Dinner is very nice and I very much enjoy their company. It's after midnight when I get in but my bus isn't until 1030.