Marrakech... Jewel of the South

I doubt that anywhere is quite as fascinating and bewildering as Morocco... It is a place full of interesting people, colorful sights, strange smells, exotic experiences, lively music, and the chattering of Arabic & French. We were in Marrakech (مراكش), the 1,000 year old red mud-baked city that lies at the base of the snow-capped High Atlas Mountains that dominate the skyline. It is one of the most unique places I have ever been.

Marrakesh is not a place you can easily glide through with a minimum of fuss. Part Berber, part Arab, part African, it confronts and confounds even the most seasoned of travelers. We didn't really know what we were in for, but we took a deep breath and dove right in!

After a flight delay we arrived in Marrakesh around midnight. We had hired a driver in advance (required if you book a hotel through Expedia). The driver never smiled and barely uttered a word. He drove to a desolate location on the outside of the Medina (the old town, virtually unchanged since the Middle Ages) wall and got out. "Where the heck were we... was this the end of us?!?" we were both thinking... but we grabbed our backpacks and followed him through the narrow and winding streets to a plain and unassuming door. He rung the buzzer and a sleepy lady let us in. This was our hotel?!? Either that or we were being kidnapped... thankfully it was the former. After filling out some forms, surrendering our passports, and swigging down some mint tea, we were off to bed.

We were staying in a classic Riad (رياض‎), which is a traditional Moroccan house with an interior garden that has been converted into a hotel. The only other guests were an English couple that we met at breakfast. They told us all about their horror stories of trying to navigate the confusing city streets and how they were very upset that we were quite far from the main area of the Medina. This did not help our confidence any and to be honest, I was quite scared to leave the hotel! We were armed with a couple maps, directions back to the hotel written in Arabic, and a "good luck!" from the gal who checked us in. When stepping out the door, we asked, "Which way should we go?" The gal just shook her head and said it really didn't matter... Oh my.

To us, all the streets looked the same. Soon we were completely lost. The one thing we wish we had was a compass. We knew that the area we wanted to end up at was to the South of us, so we used the sun to help navigate. We quickly realized that if you look lost, you will get lots of attention and people wanting to guide you around… for a price – either from direct payment and/or from buying things at a friend’s shop (where your guide will get a commission).

But nothing is straightforward. It took us over four hours to find the main square, Djemaa el Fna (جامع الفناء jâmi’al-fanâ’), the biggest square on the African continent. By the time we had gotten there, we had had three guides and purchased some ceramics and a carpet. At the carpet shop, G wanted to get some cash from a machine down the street first. Next thing I know he is hopping on the back of some guys scooter while I was kept in the shop for collateral. They were bound and determined to sell us that carpet. Reunited, we spent the rest of the day checking out the shops and different neighborhoods in the Medina. We had dinner in a converted 18th century palace and were served enough food for about 6 people! The plates kept coming and coming!

Although we were loving Marrakesh, we decided to escape the dusty, noisy, jostling city for a day-trip to the lush green valleys to the East. We joined a group of about 15 to visit the Cascades d'Ouzoud (Morocco’s largest waterfalls). We hiked down the edge of the river valley through olive orchards and small farms. Once at the bottom, we were able to walk along the river, stop for tea at a great little outdoor bar, and some folks even swam in the clear pools. There were even wild monkeys that lived in the tree tops. But the main event was definitely the three-tiered falls. They were breathtaking. I couldn’t stop taking pictures of them!

We were back in Marrakesh by dusk. On the tour we met a really nice solo British traveler who we ended up sharing a carriage ride with and dinner in the main square, Djemaa el Fna. The outdoor eating area was amazing, we were right in the middle of one of the world’s greatest squares, full of snake charmers, water sellers, henna artists, storytellers, and small bands that filled the square with music. It really was magical. Unfortunately, I had a bad case traveler’s sickness that was not getting better, so we had to cut our evening short and get back to the hotel. Even more unfortunate, the taxi driver became seriously lost and we ended up running through the streets following a 12 year old kid who we weren’t sure knew where he was going either. I’m happy to report we did make it and by morning I was feeling a bit better.

On our last day we felt a little more familiar with the city and were ready to see some of the sights (which we had no hope of finding on our first day). The highlights of the day were the El Badi Palace ( قصر البديع‎), or more exactly, the remnants of the magnificent palace built in 1578 (and home to a colony of storks), the Saadian Tombs, Bin Yousuf Mosque, and the Souqs, the great labyrinth of markets whose streets are packed with donkey carts, mopeds and pedestrians and sells everything from ingredients for magical potions to textiles to souvenirs. We had just enough time for one more fresh squeezed orange juice before heading out to the airport.

We had an amazing time. It was so different from anywhere we had ever been. I came home with henna on my hands, a few words of Berber in my head, and I now know that even in quite warm weather, I can survive in long pants and long sleeved shirts. Those of you who share my love of capri pants and tank tops can feel my pain! But it was a great trip and I hope to return someday, I would love to check out the coast and ride a camel through the Atlas Mountains…. Next time! ;)


Local transportation


Sipping mint tea at our riad (hotel)


With the Berber carpet salesman


Carpets


The snake guy who, before I knew what was happening, wrapped this snake around my neck and reassured me, "No problem, it's a water snake!"


All the world loves a Coke!


Cascades d'Ouzoud waterfalls


Eating at the open-air market in the Djemaa el Fna square


G at the Saadian Tombs


One last stop at the orange juice stand before heading to the airport...