This blog was one of my favorite ones to work on because it was so much fun to relive our trip to Morocco. It was one of our shortest trips, but definitely one of our best. We packed the days and nights full to try to experience as much of the area as possible.
Their film crew really missed a filming opportunity at the airport. The luggage handlers were a comedy show of their own. From the airport window, we watched suitcases fall off the luggage trucks as they were speeding around the tarmac. Not just one or two bags, but LOTS of them fell off. Sometimes, they stopped the truck to pick them up, and sometimes, they didn’t notice and just kept driving.
RIAD DAR ANIKA
We took a short, 1-hour flight from southern Spain to the northern tip of Africa. We had the best greeting ever at our accommodations. We booked Riad Dar Anika in Marrakech and could not have been happier. As soon as the taxi dropped us off, the manager came out to greet us and brought us into a sitting room. Not a couch by the front desk, but a beautifully decorated room where he instructed us to sit down and unwind BEFORE even checking in. He came back with a tray of cookies, fresh fruit, dates, milk, and mint tea. The milk and dates sat untouched by our group, but we felt like royalty.
The manager spent about 20 minutes with us going over everything we needed to know about our neighborhood. He highlighted a map marking popular destinations, gave us his cell phone number, explained the currency, and assured us that as tourists we would be perfectly safe as the police are very strict with the locals in an effort to keep tourism high. There was only one instance where we felt unsafe, but I’ll get to that later. Hint, it involves snakes!
After we had been properly pampered, we were taken to our rooms where we were again in awe. There were rose petals on the beds, the floor, and even in the bathroom. The bathrooms also had a tray of locally made oils to try. Every nook and cranny of the Riad was stunning from the entrance to the rooftop terrace.
The staff at the Riad were as friendly and genuine as anyone I have ever met. We felt special every minute of the day. Mornings started with “pancakes” made at our table and ended by being serenaded on the rooftop with a cocktail. (No pink umbrellas, though!)
Everytime we returned to the Riad, we would be welcomed back with cold drinks (Diet Coke for me, obviously, tea for Cabana John, and juice for the kids) and often a tray of cookies. I don’t know how they did it. It’s like they were just waiting around all day for us to return. FACT: A Riad is a traditional Moroccan house with an indoor garden or enclosed courtyard. The Arab word ‘riyad’ means garden. Riads have lush greenery and a central fountain and are known for being exquisite displays of intricate Moroccan architecture.
HAMMAM
My daughter, Emily, and I signed up for a Hammam, not realizing exactly what we were getting into. We saw the word “massage” and just said, “YES!” Emily was thirteen at the time, and we were both a little surprised and uncomfortable when the spa attendant told us to take all of our clothes off and sit in the Hamman room together to wait for her return. We both chose to leave our bathing suits on!
For those of you who haven’t experienced a Hammam before, let me paint you a picture. The experience starts by being suffocated with dry heat in a tiny room. Emily and I propped the door open so someone might notice if we passed out. (We were very wimpy!) Just when we thought we couldn’t take another minute, the attendant came back and said that she was going to do the massage part next. We perked right up. That’s what we signed up for after all, right!? Well, in this situation massage actually means a full body SCRUB. You’re probably envisioning a scrub as a nice exfoliating cleanser in the shower. You would be wrong. The glove they use, called a Kessa, feels like a stainless steel sponge that you would use to clean your oven. We weren’t sure if we should laugh or cry. She used the glove with black soap to remove at least one layer of skin. We were then covered with a volcanic clay mask which was actually really nice. Just when we thought we were past the worst of it, we discovered that what goes on must come off. The last part of the Hammam consisted of being washed with cold water (heads included) to remove the soap, mask, and dignity. This was definitely one of the most memorable parts of our trip. I’m not sure it was our favorite part, but neither of us will ever forget it!
MEDINA
As happy as we were spending time in the Riad, we did venture out.
Marrakesh is divided into two sections: the Medina (old city) and the Gueliz (modern district).
The medina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site enclosed by 12 miles of PINK walls. (Well, sort of pink-ish.) This historic city has narrow, cobblestone streets that twist and turn and often don’t show up on Google Maps.
At the heart of the medina is the famous Jemaa el-Fnaa square, which is the busiest square on the continent of Africa!
FACT: Jemaa el-Fnaa has existed for almost 800 years!
Jemaa el-Fnaa is a bustling square and marketplace (souk) that will give you a sensory overload of sights, sounds, and exotic smells. During the day, the square is crowded with tourists taking pictures, fresh-squeezed juice carts, horse carriages, Barbary apes, and snake charmers.
By night, the square transforms into a chaotic, intense, bizarre extravaganza with a frenetic energy! (Are those enough adjectives to get the point across that it’s madness?!) Chleuh dancing boys, Berber story tellers, Gnaoua entertainers, medicine men, and acrobats are some of the less shocking things you might see at the souk.
Needless to say, most of our time in Jemaa el-Fnaa was spent shopping DURING THE DAY.
FACT: I was surprised to see the variety of services being offered at the souks. I think most Americans think of Jemaa el-Fnaa as a place tourists go to buy souvenirs and locally-made items, many of which are made specifically for tourists. While it is that, it is also so much more. The souks provide daily necessities for locals, too. Medical and dental care were both available at the souks, not to mention food and water supplies. For many locals, the souks are where they get their news (and gossip).
I loved walking through the souks. Everything looked enticing, not necessarily to buy, but definitely to photograph. I really wanted to capture the essence of the souks because I knew words would not be able to fully describe the uniqueness of the experience. However, the owners of the souks didn’t look kindly at that idea and quickly encouraged me to keep walking.
Each of the souk stalls specializes in its own type of merchandise. You might see:
- Bright displays of spices
- Billions of nuts overflowing their boxes
- Fresh food (even the meat, unfortunately)
- Carpets
- Leather goods
- Lanterns
- Ceramics
- Tagine pots
- Tea pots
- Every knick knack a tourist could dream of
Souk vendors will always give you the “tourist price” when you inquire about costs. It’s common, and expected, to try to negotiate a lower price. This is a tricky subject for me because:
- I don’t want to be the dumb tourist they laugh at for not negotiating.
- The money probably means more to the souk vendor than to me since I’m on vacation, and he’s busting his butt dealing with annoying tourists like me.
- I like getting a good deal.
So… Negotiate or don’t negotiate… It’s up to you! Helpful advice, right!?
SNAKES
I didn’t really know what to expect at the square, but I have long heard stories of serpents coiled inside baskets, entranced to rise up by the sound of the snake charmer’s flute in Marrakech. It sounds very exotic and was one of the things on my “must-see” list.
Since patience is not one of my strong suits, going to find the snake charmers was the first thing we did. It didn’t take long to find them since there was a crowd of people standing around in a big circle with their cameras out. Before I knew what was happening, a man came up and put a Moroccan water snake around our son, Michael’s, neck. Michael thought it was cool. Our daughter wanted a picture, but I moved way back. The man said we needed to pay him money to take a picture, which I had been expecting, so I was happy to do it. AFTER we paid and were getting ready to check out the bigger snakes in the baskets, he tossed the snake onto Cabana John’s neck which he was not happy about at all.
We asked the not-so-charming snake handler to take the snake off, but he wouldn’t do it until we paid more money. At this point, Cabana John was infuriated, both that he had the snake on him and that he was being pressured to give this guy more money. Somehow we managed to get the snake off (We probably ended up paying again, but we don’t remember.) and rushed off. I never got to see the snakes being entranced by the flutes, but there was no way we were sticking around after that ordeal
On the other side of the square, you could pay to have your picture taken with a Barbary ape. I was not at all tempted to do that after the snake experience, but also, I felt so sorry for the apes. These endangered animals are chained to their owners all day in the sun, being used as tourist attractions. I’m not a fan! It really made me regret having already taken pictures with the snake charmers.
TIP: Always ask before taking a picture of someone. It sounds obvious to say, but sometimes we get caught up in the moment and don’t think before acting. Most people will be happy to oblige, with the incentive of a tip, of course.
Art & Culture
Marrakech is rich with art and culture. We didn’t have time to complete everything on our to-do list, but here are a few of the highlights…
Saadian Tombs
The Saadian Tombs are burial chambers which date back to the time of the Saadian Dynasty (16th and 17th centuries). They are spectacular displays of intricate mosaics, colorful tiles, ornate chandeliers, and domed chambers depicting scenes from Islamic mythology. The arabesque designs are a photographer’s dream! I wish my photography skills were better to really show how magnificent the tombs are. I’m not doing them justice!
Jardin Majorelle
In the 1980’s, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge transformed Jardin Majorelle from a neglected garden and villa to an impressive collection of cacti and sculptures. After Yves Saint Laurent died his ashes were scattered around the property. I’m not sure if that makes this garden more or less desirable to visit. Hmmm…
In 2017, a museum/exhibition was opened to showcase his sketches, photos, videos, accessories, and garments, many from his personal collections. We only spent about five minutes here, but if you are a big fan, you would probably really enjoy looking around a little longer.
John woke up sick the day we went to Jardin Majorelle. I was worried about leaving him alone at the Riad for the day, but when we returned, we discovered that he had been completely spoiled by the staff. They brought him special tea throughout the day and even bland snacks to nibble. I can’t say enough good things about Riad Dar Anika!
Madersa Ben Youssef
This was one of our favorite places to visit. It’s a historic Islamic school and was once the largest in Northern Africa. Now, it’s one of many UNESCO World Heritage sites in Marrakech.
We loved seeing the bathrooms, dormitories, and classrooms. Our teenagers were with us, so it was fun to compare this historic school to their modern schools. Be sure to walk every winding hallway and investigate each nook and cranny. It was fun to try to figure out the use of various rooms and objects. The historic bathrooms were especially intriguing.
We hired a driver to take us to the Madersa Ben Youssef. We agreed upon a price with the driver before getting in the car (an absolute must), but he only drove us part of the way. He told us that we would need to walk the rest of the way on foot, as he couldn’t drive any further on the narrow streets. That would be fine EXCEPT that we still had no idea how to get the rest of the way. Luckily for us, there was another guy at the curb offering to take us the rest of the way… for more money,of course! I’m sure they were working together. Ugh! Even when you try to do everything you know you should, things still don’t always go as planned. That’s part of the adventure of traveling. You just have to roll with it. (Or walk it, in this situation!)
Zebras
The streets of Marrakech are madness. Our Riad manager told us that crosswalks, a.k.a. zebras, are just SUGGESTED PLACES to cross the street. Pedestrians do not have the right of way and cars will not stop if they see you waiting there. Cross at your own risk. Once you decide to go, keep going. Don’t stop in the middle of the street. You’ll be stuck there forever. Trust me on this one! I speak from experience.
My favorite picture from this trip! I love the “modern” ladies walking past the “traditionally” dressed women with their babies.
Some of the best parts of our trip happened outside of Marrakech. We ventured out into the Atlas Mountains, shopped at a Berber Market, rode camels, and met dozens of local kids. Check out my other Morocco blogs for more tips and stories!
