Days 106-108 (Marrakech, Morocco)

Day 106:
Today I leave for a short girls trip to Morocco! My friend, Jessica, has been spending time in Portugal (as well as France & España) for work and vacation. Since Morocco is close to Portugal and Spain, we decided to meet there for a few days. My flights were not as simple as they could have been because of where we live. Really there should be a direct flight for me but the  only direct flights are out of Madrid or Barcelona so I had a long stopover in Madrid. I was the first to arrive at our hotel, or Riad as most are called, Maison MK. I already feel welcome because the staff is all so nice! I decided to rest up in our room until Jessica arrives which should be in about an hour. I am in love with the beauty of the room already! This place also provides each room with an ipod that is hooked up to an in-room speaker system as well as cell phones. The cell phone is to take with you outside of the Riad in the event that anything happens, we can call the hotel.

Room decor at Maison MK

Double Room at Maison MK

Shower/tub combo bathroom at Maison MK

Bathroom at Maison MK

When Jessica arrived, she was annoyed and rightfully so....neither of us have eaten and it is already 2:30. She had to wait in the customs line for at least an hour at the airport because it was a busy time (I got right through). Jessica suggests anyone coming to RAK airport (Marrakech) to purchase the fast pass...I think it is about $60. On top of all of that, I guess we got the wrong room! So she wanted the hotel to figure out how to accommodate that. The room we are supposed to have has slightly more room and a bathroom door (the other room only has a curtain for the bathroom door). Because this hotel's main priority is to make us happy and feel relaxed, they got the correct room in order (the couple in there was so kind to also move rooms) and we went to the rooftop restaurant and ate some delicious food. All was good 😆

Pita and dip at Maison MK's rooftop 

Salad and couscous at Maison MK

Moroccan spiced chicken, broccoli, couscous, salad and a mostly eaten stuffed pastry puff at Maison MK

Now we are ready to explore Marrakech! After getting tips from the woman at the front desk (lovely woman, Italian, but I cannot remember her name other than it started with a B). B told us when going to the medina, you must negotiate prices on everything...it is actually an insult if you do not negotiate. She said we should never pay more than half of what the original price was. B also reminded us to take the phone because you can easily get lost in the medina....

We started off at Jemaa el-Fna, the large square only 10 minutes walk away from our riad. The square is filled with booths of food vendors and merchants posted up on the ground. It is a sight to be seen but for me, I try to walk quickly through hoping to avoid the mass amounts of people. At first I was planning on eating some street food but once we got there and I saw the conditions, I decided no street food for me. We shopped a bit....Jessica negotiated a price for some pants and I negotiated for a ceramic bowl. We thought after shopping, we would try to find our way back to the hotel but the area we are in is literally a huge maze. Phone signals get lost and Google maps (or anything similar) has no clue where we are. So we keep walking...it is about 8pm by the time we give up and call the hotel. They said they would send someone on foot to find us so we sat in a cafe until they arrived. We were extremely far from our hotel and were relieved when Omar showed up to walk us back! There were plenty of men around that wanted to help us but we knew the deal, you let them talk to you, they won't leave you alone. Or you let them help you and you are expected to pay for such gratitude.

Jessica & me in the Medina 

Take 2....we got photo bombed!

3rd time's a charm

Calico cat at the cafe we waited at

We ate dinner back at our hotel, at the rooftop restaurant. They also have hookah, or shisha as it's better known as here. I was certainly in my happy place!

Tagine at Maison MK

Chicken wrap at Maison MK

Apple mint sisha at Maison MK

Treating ourselves to Veuve Clicquot at Maison MK

Day 107:
The first half of our day consists of spa activities! I am so thankful this hotel has massage and waxing available...plus much more but I only took advantage of the two. Jessica's spa stuff lasted a little longer because she did the hammam, massage and mani/pedi. The woman who does massage basically does everything except the hammam so we had to time it properly. First was my wax, which was such a great experience especially compared to my last wax experience. Really though, it was probably the most gentle wax I have had...or maybe I just have tough skin. Next, she did my massage and it did not go as well....I need hard pressure or else I feel nothing. I also said my low back is my main problem area and please do not touch my collarbones. We all have weird things, right? One of my many is that I do not like collarbones. I don't like to look at them, I DO NOT like them touched, I can't watch other people call focus to theirs....call it a phobia, call me weird, whatever. Anyways, I asked for more pressure and a little more was given but not enough. Low back went untouched. Breasts and collarbones were touched and I cringed the whole time. Torture. There was definitely a language barrier. She spoke French and I thought a little bit of English but I think it got lost in translation. It happens.

Jessica got her hammam while I was having my stuff done, I opted not to have the hammam because it is another person that bathes you, scrubs you down with many different scrubs and masks all while you are in a sauna-like room. That was Jessica's favorite part though, the hammam. She was just ok with her massage and the same woman who does massage, does the mani / pedi. Jessica was getting concerned about time so only had her do the pedicure. The pedicure was already ruined before I saw her. I guess the process was different than usual and made for a poor pedi. She made up for it later that day and fixed Jessica's toe.

I enjoyed a couple mojitos on the rooftop while Jessica was finishing up!

A beautiful day in Marrakech, Morocco at Maison MK

Good mojitos at Maison MK! As I listen to the call to prayer. I might as well listen and enjoy a drink since non-Muslims are not allowed inside the mosque.

We ate lunch again on the rooftop of Maison MK and then we went on our journeys! Our first stop was to Jardin Majorelle - named after French painter, Jacques Majorelle who lived in Morocco most of his life. The painter lived on the grounds of this large garden and had an artist studio built, where he painted the walls the color blue you see below, "Majorelle Blue." When he died, real estate developers wanted to tear it all down but 2 men saved this beautiful place from that ever happening. These guys go by the names of Pierre Bergé and Yves Saint Laurent 🤗

Look at all this beautiful food on my plate!

Lunch at Maison MK...couscous, chicken, lamb, salad

A walk through the beautiful Jardin Majorelle

Pond full of frogs and turtles at Jardin Majorelle

Sunbathing turtle!

Yves Saint Laurent memorial at Jardin Majorelle

I am in love with the colors throughout Jardin Majorelle

Bamboo walkway through Jardin Majorelle

Cacti of all different shapes and sizes at Jardin Majorelle

A small gallery in Jardin Majorelle dedicated to the artwork of Yves Saint Laurent

Koi pond at Jardin Majorelle

Photo bomb credit to Jessica 😂🖒

Our next stop was to the spice market in an area called The Mellah, the Jewish Quarter. Our taxi ride there (or near there) was quite interesting....the driver claimed some random street was Mellah but we both knew he was wrong. He did not like to be told he was wrong so argued with us a bit and we demanded to be let out. We were not very far from it but the guy is an idiot because everyone knows where the spice market is. Anyways, we never made it into the actual market because we spotted a shop just outside. A benefit of this place is that you do not have to negotiate because prices are as listed. The guy got us good too....he had us drink the tea while we were there and I was sold! This place is called Herboristerie Lamlih and you can find teas, spices, soaps and oils. As we were shopping here, the man helping us (Muhammed) told us about a Berber cooperative close by because we told him we had a couple more things we wanted to shop for! Muhammed walked us there and introduced us to the boss man at the co-op, Hassan. Quite the character he was 😆 The game started like this: he would not tell us the price of anything, rather, he had us put everything we were interested in, in a pile. We talk price later and it will all depend on how many items we buy. Once we were "finished," Jessica, Hassan and I sat in a room with beautiful pillows and rugs (all for sale too) to negotiate price. I laugh because I see how this is going...we have been shopping for at least 45 minutes and we are going to spend even more time to play the price is right...Jessica just wants to get on with it and go but Hassan needs our time. He needs our time to play his game....he draws 3 columns on a piece of paper. Column #1 is for him to write what he would normally charge for these items, then he crosses it all out because he would never charge us that price! Column #2 is for me to write how much I want to pay for the items - is free an option?! - my number was rejected (too low) and I was told to try again and anyone who knows me knows what a smartass I am so I lowered all the prices and watched the confusion all over Hassan's face 😂 OK, fine I said, I will pay a little more for this item, a little less for that item and voila, my total number was the same as the first....Jessica's patience was fading so Hassan shook my hand and said I have a deal. Column #3 was now Jessica's turn to price her items. They also went back and forth but we did not want to spend anymore time negotiating because we really did have to get back for dinner. So they came to an agreement and we left with happiness in our hands and smiles on our faces. Muhammed from the spice shop showed up and helped us to a taxi.

Mosque (near The Mellah) Moulay El Yazid

Teas and spices at Herboristerie Lamlih

More spices at Herboristerie Lamlih

So many colors and yummy smells in Herboristerie Lamlih

Jessica and me at Herboristerie Lamlih

Muhammed from Herboristerie Lamlih helped us to the next place, came back for us when we were finshed, then helped us with our new items and put us in a taxi

I wish I could take all of these lamps home!

Jessica, Hassan and me at the co-op

Tonight's dinner was at our riad, Maison MK. The food was good but of course, too much food.

Olive stuffed cucumber, meat stuffed pastry, cream filled something at Maison MK 

Salmon appetizer at Maison MK

Grilled aubergine at Maison MK

Tajine plates

Entrees at Maison MK

Veggie raviolli at Maison MK

Lamb tajine entree at Maison MK

Day 108:
Saturday, 22 of October, we woke early to begin our day trip to the Atlas mountains. We hired a private guide through 4x4 Camel to give us an authentic experience. We were very comfortable but at the same time, we got to experience the culture of the Berber people and see the beauty of the valley. Anyone who gets car sick or is afraid of heights, this might not be for you but I know this company would work around any issue. We went very high up the mountains in the 4x4 vehicle where it is all dirt, a little bumpy and small roads. Our driver, Abdula, was perfect. He educated us on the people, the climate, agriculture, and everyday life in the Atlas Mountains and Ourika valley. Our first stop was to ride the "camels." These are actually not camels, they are dromedaries. Dromedaries have 1 hump and a camel has 2 humps. I really enjoyed riding the Dromedary!

This dromedary kissed me!

Jessica and me on our Dromedaries! A Dromedary has 1 hump, whereas camels have 2 humps. People often call these camels, but they are NOT camels!

Meet Shakira, she is my dromedary....the blonde of course

I was very upset that these little ladies had to be tied together. I guess the dromedaries are used to it but I still find it unnecessary and inhumane. I asked if we could untie them and the answer was no. Later along when the guide wasn't looking, I asked Jessica to loosen Shakira's rope just a little. It made me feel a bit better.

Dromedaries in Morocco!!!

Dromedary like to eat cactus and these two kept stopping to chomp on some!

Next, we drove through the Ourika Valley to where the Berber women make Argan Oil and other Argan based products all by hand. I ended up purchasing some soaps at Cooperative Feminine Tiguemine Argane and Jessica got some oils. Overall, the experience was nice to see but the price of the products were high. After the Argan tour, we went to have some Moroccan tea by the river!

School walls in Ourika Valley of Morocco...

...and the graffiti on the school walls...the positive in this is that at least the spelling is on point.

Argan process from the beginning (after they have been harvested and picked of course!)

This woman churns all day and it does not look easy

Jessica knows how to pour the tea! It is customary that the person who pours the tea from the beginning, is supposed to continue the act of pouring when one needs a refill. It is not proper to take the teapot and pour your own. We also learned the word for cheers: Bessaha!

Now we begin the more rocky roads to get to our lunch destination! We are having lunch at a Berber house. Berbers are an ethnic group indigenous to North Africa. They live in small villages, speak their own language and just have a different way of life. They seem more peaceful and reserved. Woman work inside with other women, a setting they feel comfortable in whereas men do outdoor work: farming, livestock, building. The Berber house we were welcomed into had the most beautiful view albeit the bees! We got a tour of the home and the grounds...a true hammam room, the furnace room where our bread was being cooked, living room, and the gardens full of different flowers, fruits and veggies.

Jessica and me in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco 

Atlas Mountains, Morocco 

Natural high...Atlas Mountains,  Morocco

Berber woman baking our bread 

Berber lunch in Morocco's Atlas Mountains 

Interior of Berber house

Interior of Berber house

Carrot soup at the Berber house

Baked veggies at the Berber house

Jessica and me having our Berber lunch in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco 

We had to make our way back but we were not quite done with some purchases so we asked our driver, Abdula to take us to a real Berber market. We wanted to get more tea, a nice tea pot, along with some other items before we leave Morocco. The Berber market sells everything from school supplies to a chicken murdered right in front of you. There are fish, meats, veggies, spices, household items, etc at this market. It was somewhat shocking for me when I thought we were only walking through a meat market but the fish were there too. I cannot handle fish markets and this was the worst I have seen (I went through one in Zanzibar's Stone Town....and I thought that was bad). We made it through (without me vomiting, thank you very much) and just as we turned the corner, a chicken was taken out of a cage and about to get its head cut off. So, basically I do not recommend this market. I did not want to take too many photos here because I was afraid of getting harassed or my stuff stolen so this is all I got...

Berber market in Morocco's Atlas mountains

Grains and spices at the Berber Market

The grand finale of our last night in Marrakech was the high class restaurant, La Grande Table Marocaine at the Royal Mansour hotel. Jessica got us in because when she was eating amazing food all around Paris, she met the well known chef that owns this restaurant (and the other in the hotel), Yannik Alléno. Yannik told her to go here to eat and meet the Executive Chef, Jérôme Videau. We did one of the three tasting menus, The Nakahat (means the flavors in Darija). Tasting menus are not cheap and consist of a LOT of food but it was an experience not to be missed. We said my only allergy is mushrooms and we forgot to tell them neither of us like shellfish. We met Jérôme before our meal and he wanted to make sure we were taken care of.....this means, he gave us items we were not expecting on top of all the other food we had coming!

Before dinner we had a drink (or 2) at one of the many bars at the Royal Mansour. Mine had champagne and ginger

Intricate ceiling at The Royal Mansour 

Harira soup (dates, quail eggs) at La Grande Table Marocaine 

Multiple appetizers at La Grande Table Marocaine

Briouates (lamb with mint, chicken with honey, prawns and spinach and cheese)

From the chef: homemade pasta with clams....we tried to be polite and eat the clams but could only get 1 down each. The pasta portion was delicious!

Chicken Tajine at La Grande Table Marocaine

This was my favorite of all....Chocolate mousse at La Grande Table Marocaine

Jessica and me at La Grande Table Marocaine. After our meal we were invited back to see the kitchen. I loved watching Jessica's fascination with it all. The kitchen was huge, in fact, there were 2 sides, one for the French restaurant and the other for the Moroccan restaurant. Jessica was so happy to experience this and got to ask Jérôme many questions about how the kitchen is run...then a plate full of couscous dropped behind us, making a terrible mess that they needed to quickly clean up so we left them to it and went back to our riad.

Tomorrow we leave for Portugal but have time in the morning to do a little more shopping and pack up.

Marrakech has been wonderful and I hope to explore more cities around Morocco in the future. Before I left España for this trip, I met a woman who said to me, "why would you go to Morocco?" And asked, "have you ever been to a Muslim country before?"
Well I say to you this, yes, I have been to Muslim countries before and I will go to more in the future because I think many places have great things to offer. The people here were very friendly and the flavors of spices, teas, food is different than the usual. I travelled with another woman and we felt safe the entire time. We got to learn about the people, the history, the way of life and I think that is something everyone in the world would be lucky to experience. So, thank you Jessica, thank you Scott, thank you Morocco and thank you Africa!