Solo Saturday-1st Hammam, Massage, and then an Angel came.

Yeah! Started my day with a stroll to Paul's for breakfast (the French restaurant). Determined to order all in French by mid October. (really afraid of sounding like an idiot)
During the week I booked my appointment for my hammam and massage at the place where my student's mother owns. Some of the girls here had already had one in a different place and told me sorta what to expect. After the week I had, I was ready.....scrub me! Cleanse me! Refresh me!
This place is not a 'public one'.....its more private and also combined with a gym so I already felt more comfortable.

 I didn't take pics inside because before I knew it I was told to put on a paper thong and whisked into a marble steam chamber. Woweeeee.....hoootttt.....ahhhhh....felt like the hot yoga room I so yearn for.
I entered into a small room with a beautiful colored lantern in the corner that gave off the familiar warm golden glow of Marrakech. Small steps lead up to a marble table with a wet towel on it and a big golden bucket filled with steaming water. A small framed woman with a white do-rag on her head told me to get on the table in Arabic. .....and then it begins.....
I was washed from Head to Toe.....not an inch of my body missed. Dear Lord, I would pay 500 Dirham to hear her thoughts as she washed my big bottom. Good God......lol
I tried not to think about it....."just relax Catalina".....
After the wash came the scrubbing....at first it was ok....felt like a loofah...then round 2 came. She was a bit more aggressive....I squinted to see what she was using. It was like a giant brillo pad!
Better off to keep my eyes closed.
Then the OCD started.....how many bodies were scrubbed with that brush??

"Just RELAX Catalina".....ugggg....ok, no more thoughts of dead skin from around the world all combined in the wire of the brush.

Just when I thought it was over she flipped me around and started washing my hair followed by conditioning!!!
This woman knows how to get a girl squeaky clean!
After almost an hour I was given a fluffy robe and slippers and brought to the massage room upstairs.
When I walked in, it looked like a typical massage place in NY. Except....I was given another pair of paper thongs and soon found out they massage everywhere as well.
Hey, when in Morocco, do as the Moroccans do, right?

I finally started to relax and realized Ave Maria was playing, followed by a slue of Kenny G music; Titanic theme song, and then a Xmas song thrown in the mix. Well that about sums up Morocco so far....expect the unexpected. A minute ago I was downstairs participating in an old Islamic tradition and now I'm upstairs listening to Kenny G in a typical massage room. I kinda like it though...keeps things fresh and different.

After about 2 hours my time had come to an end. AAHHHhhhhhh.....is all I can say. Simply Amazing!
I think I was glowing...even though I looked more sleepy than refreshed, lol.
This will become a routine of mine, no doubt. I negotiated with cab drivers both ways in the Very lil French and Arabic I have learned and got myself a good price, and home without a hassle.

Tea afterward....love the magazines

So I figured it out and for a hammam, massage, cabs both ways and a nice tip for both women it will cost me $70, or 580 Dirham. Totally worth it!!!!

My student was there helping her mom today and greeted me on the steps with a big smile....kisses on both cheeks.
(I remembered this time) Sometimes woman do a 3rd kiss. Lots to remember with greetings.

Looking out from the front of the Twister Center. They have a pool and gym with stationary bikes upstairs.....hmmmmm....it may not be spin....but I can start spinning my legs again. :)

Yesterday
Yesterday was another horror show at PT....too much to even get into...and would rather just forget about it at this point. Bottom line was I left without being seen and walked away in Tears!

Got home and emailed my surgeon in NY...."Can I video my range of motion to you and tell me if I'm ok?" I'm getting scared at this point. It's 6 weeks post surgery and don't know how weak my ankle really is. I NEED someone to work on me! I need mobilization from another human who knows what they are doing....I need help STAT. I love Morocco, but not the healthcare I've seen so far.

It was time for the Expat party at Cafe Du Livre (the place with the yummy food). I didn't even feel like going. My colleagues let me vent my frustration and tears and said "don't worry....we ARE going to find you an American PT" or at least connections to one. I put my big girl panties on and headed out. My mind was in a fog, but thought I should push forward. Maybe an Earl Grey Martini would help?...it did.

This is the book side of the cafe...lots of laughs, wine, and story exchanges

In less than 60 minutes the place was packed with expats from all over the world AND a connection!!!!!
Amazing Liz and Annie came up to me "I found you a sports PT from Seattle, how does that sound?"

I could hardly believe it. Still too emotional to talk about it just yet but was Thrilled! And sorta shocked. Could the universe have answered me so quickly? Usually I have to wait. Could it know how desperate and sad I really was? Maybe so. Lil while later, I sucked down the rest of the drink and walked over. "Let's have a look,"  "right here?" "why not?" So I took off my flip flop, compression sock, rolled up my jeans and placed my foot up on his knee. "Yup, you got some stuff going on".....I knew it, but all I wanted to hear is if he could treat me even once.
"I'll be in Marrakech a few days...I will come over tomorrow"Really??? OMG, Yes!!!

Today
On my way home from the massage my foggy head began to clear...I thought...is this guy legit? He is in his 5th out of 8 months that he took off to travel the world. Who is he really?
Am I really having a strange man in my apartment to massage me? Talk about being vulnerable.
Would he start to massage me and then push me down, flip a knife and demand money?
We all got paid this week in cash. No bank accounts set up yet. Without too much furniture in here if wanted to find money he would find my stack of cash in a minute. Maybe even my passport!

Ok, maybe I've seen too many Lifetime movies. But hey, you never know! No need to give examples of the crazys we all know who exist. Another teacher, Annie A. lives right under me. I told her if you hear a struggle its me, fighting for my life and to come up with a broom. lol

So 4:30pm comes. I told him we have 24hr security guards and that he will probably not be able to enter unless I go downstairs to get him. Sure enough, he is there at 4:30. Ok, thats a good start. He remembered the directions I gave him. Come on up.....here goes nothing.

Awkward start to say the least. Ummm....do you want oil? Lotion? Vitamin E?
"Get some pillows so you could lay down, and more to prop your leg."  Here it goes...I'm laying down and then he's gonna......
Well, it was FAR from that. He was SO professional and Amazing! A total stranger helping a total stranger in need. He worked on me for well over an hour. Talking to me about my muscles, how they repair, muscle weaknesses, and how things will get better in time....and not next week kinda time. This I know...I just hate hearing. While it was not a comfortable massage (as I had in the afternoon)....he needed to work out some built up fluid and get the blood flowing properly it was worth it! He told me to take some deep breaths and deep tissue work was done. I didn't care. I knew I was being healed.

He talked about all the countries he has been to and where he is headed. After a little while he said that it turns out he will be in Marrakech a couple of Weeks not a couple of days. What???!!! Omg! Can I hire you?
By the time the session was over I felt spiritual lifted and my ankle looked better than ever! He said he wouldn't charge me and that was def not an option. I paid him more than he ever expected and we booked a session for Tues.

In the lowest of my moments here so far.....thousands of miles away from home and from the familiar....an Angel healer came to me. Trained in Exactly what I needed.

My sister Julie was a PT....I'm not saying anything But....my sister who's now my angel watching over me either came to me has a young handsome man with soft blue eyes and a warm heart or she did some work up there and aligned us to be in the same place at the same time.

Whatever the case...I am Grateful! I am Grateful!!!!!  <3