MARRAKECH, MOROCCO (Week 15)

QUICK LOOK:

Location: Bab Ghmat

Main Attractions: Medina, Jemaa el-Fnaa, Le Jardin Secret, Marrakech Henna Art Cafe

Transportation: Walking

MARRAKECH - Donkeys transporting goods, monkeys entertaining in the square, snake charmers serenading their cobras, motorbikes whizzing by, bicyclists riding through, and pedestrians filling in whatever space is left—we definitely arrived in Marrakech. Marrakech, also known as the Red City due to its red sandstone buildings, is Morocco’s first imperial city and one of its most visited. It is filled with so much life and color and definitely an exciting experience.

Visiting Morocco is exciting on its own, but it was extra special for us because we were meeting up with one of our closest friends, the Wallace’s. I have known Larissa since preschool and she is one of my closest friends. Thankfully, our closeness with one another passed on to our husbands and children, so our girls couldn’t stop talking about how we were going to be traveling with our friends for three whole weeks. Larissa and I had always hoped to travel together some day, so it was exciting to see it actually coming into volition.

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Meet the Wallace’s

The Wallace clan consists of six members—George (the dad), Larissa (the mom), Ayana (10), Zaria (8), Edric (6), and Renzo (4).

George: amazing dad, teacher, enjoys basketball, adventurous (yet organized), dry humor, fun, world traveler

Larissa: super mom, therapist (https://therapywithlarissahouse.com), thrives in chaos, mediator, great chef, world traveler, ultimate cuddler

Ayana: social, singer, plays piano, jewelry enthusiast, crochets, loves sweets

Zaria: playful, small and mighty, artist, horse and animal lover, plays violin and flute, creative mind, builds forts

Edric: dragon slayer, book lover, climber, responsible, smart, plays piano, enjoys coloring, fun, goofy

Renzo: loves Transformers, enjoys monster trucks and cars, always ready to play, loves to hang on things

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The day we landed, we headed straight to our riad (a traditional Moroccan house with a garden or courtyard) and then to Marrakech’s famous ancient Medina (a historical walled city center), which has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site for nearly 30 years. Simply walking to the Medina (we were staying about a 25-minute walk away) was an adventure on its own. Like I first mentioned above, we crossed busy streets and walked through narrow pathways alongside carts, donkeys, motorbikes, bicyclists, and fellow pedestrians, and the pedestrians didn’t seem to have the right of way. That being said, somehow everyone managed to stay out of each other’s way and remain kind in the process.

As we wandered the maze of small yet crowded roads, we made it to Marrakech’s famous Jemaa el-Fnaa square. We heard about the liveliness of the square; but, to be in the middle of it was almost unreal. Monkey trainers, snake charmers, street performers, and musicians were all out entertaining. People were eating, shopping, and playing street games. Others were heading toward the well-known Kutubiyya Mosque to be a part of the call to prayer. It really had a little bit of everything and made for a very exciting first night.

Side note: to add to the excitement, we got lost going to what we later realized was the wrong address. Our address was on "derb el farane;" but, apparently, there are multiple streets with very similar spellings. On our first evening, our family of four headed back home before the Wallace's to get the girls back home for bed. When I typed in our address, one popped up with the name of our hosts (which I had actually saved on my map previously). Instead of looking carefully at the address name, I assumed it was the correct one (even though it seemed like a slightly different direction than the way we came) since it corresponded with the host's name and the one I had previously saved. In hindsight, I should have double checked our address prior to leaving. When we got to the address, we could not find our place. Plenty of people were out and multiple people asked to get us a taxi. We were starting to get a little nervous (and a little overwhelmed by all the people asking to get us a taxi). So, Brad suggested we just head back to the Medina to connect with the Wallace's. Thankfully, we were able to reconnect with them and eventually made it back home together hours later. By then, it was nearly 23:00. I was impressed how late the girls stayed up and how much they walked as we fought our way through the late night crowds (even children were up late) and attempted to find our way home. They were all-star troopers.

On most days, we ventured to the Medina and through its souks (traditional markets) as we snacked on freshly-baked msemen (Moroccan pancakes) that Larissa purchased daily from a sweet lady near our riad. These souks were filled with small shops selling jewelry, bags, lanterns, spices, fabrics, tiles, and more. The colors were mesmerizing and the smells inviting. It is no wonder Morocco has been an inspiration to many designers and creatives. There was even a kind woodcarving artist that used his hands and feet to manipulate specific instruments to carve beautiful pieces of wood that would later become chess boards, jewelry boxes, and more. He graciously made a beautifully carved bead for each child and strung a string through each to make necklaces (see photo). It was such a special experience to see his art in action for him to share his passion with our families.

In the heart of the Medina was the Henna Art Cafe—a cafe, art exhibit, and henna studio all in one (Larissa found this little gem). The owners and henna artists were very sweet and the food delicious. Noe got her very first henna hand art. She chose a unicorn (see photo). She felt brave as she sat very still for the henna artist and was so proud of her willingness to try something new.

On one of our final days, we went to Le Jardin Secret, a large riad originating from the 16th century and restored within the last 20 years. The garden center within the riad is divided into the exotic garden and the Islamic garden creating the peaceful oasis a riad’s garden is meant for. Toward the back of the garden, we were pleasantly surprised to find a room dedicated to explaining the significance of water in Le Jardin Secret. We learned that there are underground pathways leading water from the Atlas Mountains to the gardens, fountains, and kitchen. This personal water system is a sign of great wealth.

Fun fact: riads and dars are both traditional Moroccan homes. However, the purpose of the center area is the main difference. Whereas a riad has a peaceful garden in its center, a dar is simply an open space without plants or greenery.

After a peaceful (and educational) trip to Le Jardin Secret, we stopped at Sweet and Sook for ice cream. Because one large cup with ten scoops was equivalent to about four to five separate single scoops, the Wallace’s got a ten-scoop cup. Call them crazy or simply economical, but it was quite the sight to see (see photo). Our three-scoop cup was nothing in size compared to theirs, but it was delicious!

Marrakech was lively, colorful, flavorful, and nearly everything mixed into one. Even though it was a bit overwhelming at times, was definitely an unforgettable experience and one that I am grateful we had, especially with adventurous friends.

سلام

(Salam)