When it comes to massage, Lumen is not easy to please. Having run a successful school of aromatherapy for some nine years and an aromatherapy practice for 15 years, she is hypercritical.
A couple of weeks ago she bumped into Mustafa, owner of the Yuba Cyn Spa in Fez, and he had two Thai women with him. The story goes that Mustafa and his wife Yousra were in Thailand recently, doing some Thai massage training, and thought it would be a wonderful idea to bring two masseuses back to Fez to work at their spa. They approached the Moroccan Embassy and were given permission for the women to come to Morocco. And here they are! Wonderful petite women who greet you with a bow and their hands in ‘namaste’. And what hands!
Lumen found herself garbed in a cotton outfit of loose trousers and top, lying on her back on a large mattress. The room is just the right temperature, the scent of peppermint on a burner rather too strong, and the plinkety-plonky music turned off. (Tip: when you treat yourself to a massage, remember you’re the client and can ask for anything – including turning the music off if it annoys you!) That’s when the hands started their work …
In a Thai massage, it’s not just hands though. Thumbs work on pressure points, hands roll the muscle groups, and elbows, knees and feet are used to apply firm rhythmic pressure. The rhythm and gentle cradling of arms and legs while they’re moved gently into position make this a most comforting form of massage. It’s really a type of assisted yoga, originating in India and based on Ayurveda, and is some 2500 years old. It follows the Sen lines on the body, rather like the Chinese meridians, and results in excellent lymphatic drainage and absolute relaxation.
After almost two hours on the mattress, Lumen felt some neck tension. But this soon disappeared after a head and neck massage. The great thing is that you don’t come away sticky with oil (not used at all), nor feeling that you should go home to bed. Lumen felt totally relaxed but able to go to an Arabic lesson!
Yuba Cyn (named after King Yuba II who ruled over Volubilis) is a wonderful spa where hairdressing, various massages including hot stone, reflexology and aromatherapy are offered, as well as bridal make-up and facials. It’s easy to find behind the Hotel Tghat and is reasonably priced. A one-hour Thai massage is Dh250, two hours is Dh400.
Lumen came away suitably impressed, and plans another visit …
Yuba Cyn Spa 035 943 506
Tags: Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
