Never have I ever been so engulfed in such a vast array of sensations. From the roasted nuts and delicious dried peaches and figs, to the snake charmers, the story tellers, the henna tattoos, the lonely monkeys, to the leather shops, the slipper palaces, and the colorful scarves, to the fresh squeezed orange juice, the horse drawn fruit shops, the noisy motor bikes, and the sound of tourists and shop owners bartering, Morocco is like unlike anywhere I have ever visited before. From the moment I set foot on North African soil, at the Marrakesh International Airport, I knew I was in a special place. Marrakesh is, without a doubt, the ultimate treat for the senses.
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| A Moroccan "pickup truck" |
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| Horse-drawn fruit shop |
My flight arrived in the Marrakesh airport just before midnight. I waited around for about twenty minutes before my friends' flight from Barcelona got in. After exchanging our Euros for Dirham, we headed out to the parking lot to find a cab. I had read on the internet that a cab from the airport to the Medina should cost no more than 100 Dirham, the equivalent of about 10 euro. (At the end of October 2010 1 Euro = 11.00 Dirham). If only we had been so lucky... We couldn't find a single cab driver willing to take us for less than 400 Dirham! Seeing as we had no choice, we begrudgingly packed into "un petit taxi".
Less than fifteen minutes later, we arrived in an alleyway of the Medina. Our cab driver announced that we had arrived, while almost simultaneously snatching 4oo Dirham out of my hands. We had NO idea where we were or where we were supposed to go. Much to our delight, there were no less than five locals very eager and willing to help us find our Riad at the exact spot we had been dropped off. My two friends and I, unsure of where to go or what to do, decided that we had no choice but to take up one of the young boys' offers to help us find our Riad. Warning: the people who seem really friendly and offer directions expect money from you! Our new "friend" quickly led us to our Riad and there was 100% no way we would have ever found it on our own.
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| Our front door on the left |
We stayed at the Riad Chioua Chioua. It was a beautiful oasis amidst the chaos of the Medina and the heart of the desert. Riads are a traditional Moroccan thing, comparable to our version of a bed and breakfast but with a bit of a twist. The Riad is a comfortable, cozy, relaxing place that serves you breakfast in the morning before you venture out into the Medina, where you come back to crash for a nap or freshen up, and the location of low-key, late night hangouts. The Riad is headed by a very friendly, well-educated, and very curious Moroccan man who is fluent in several languages, most likely Arabic, French, English, and Spanish. Our's was named Aziz and he was awesome.
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| Inside the riad |
Each morning began with a complimentary breakfast of freshly made pancake/crepe type things and a selection of freshly made jams, they brought me the most delicious, fresh yogurt each morning since I couldn't eat the pancakes, and a glass of energizing green-mint tea. At first it seemed quite strange to be drinking scalding hot tea in the middle of the desert, however it seems that it is best to consume hot beverages and food in hot climates and consume cold food and drinks in colder climates. Apparently it is much easier for your body to digest food that is the same temperature as its surroundings. Not long after our first serving of tea at breakfast Monday morning, my friends and I discovered how central drinking tea was to Moroccan culture.
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| The view from the riad |
My description of the Medina, in pictures:
Hope you enjoyed. I am already planning my next trip back to the magical country!
xx, E
