Our day started early. After waking up, it was time to pack our backpacks and head to the airport for the first time in a long time!
Our flight took off around noon from Cologne/Bonn, where we quickly made it through check-in and security. For those who are flying from Cologne, go to the gate as late as possible, as those waiting areas are the most boring ones we know.
The RyanAir plane took off with a slight delay and as soon as we were in the air, the hustle and bustle of the flight attendants began, trying to sell everything from food and tobacco to beauty products. As we later found out, this was just a small taste of the Moroccan medinas, but more on that later.
The time on the plane passed very slowly. Franzi managed to take a nap here and there, but the seats were a bit too small for me.
View of the airplane on the south coast of Portugal
But that soon passed, and after about 3.5 hours of flying, we had a very hard landing in Marrakesh and were able to set foot on African soil. Our first impression was one of amazement. Despite the 33°C, the heat didn't feel as strong as after the flight to Thailand. We knew there would be a difference, but it was surprising to feel it with the first breath.
After the bus ride towards the Medina (old Moroccan city center, 30 DH = 2.76€ per person), we found ourselves right next to the Koutoubia Mosque near the 'Big Square'. The culture shock was complete. It smelled, and it was impossible to determine the source of the smell. There were tourists, locals, vendors, and taxi drivers bustling around.
We dove into the chaos and headed in the general direction of our accommodation across the large market square. Horses, donkeys, monkeys, snakes, and above all, people crossed our path. When we left the square and entered a street where the hustle and bustle continued, we realized that we couldn't rely on Google Maps. The general layout of the streets could be deduced, but the proportions and the exact GPS location were completely off. It must have been written all over our faces because we were approached by a boy our age. He took us (through some detours) through winding alleys to our riad. He was exceptionally friendly, but when we arrived, he asked us for a small 'donation'. Since we would have been quite lost without him, we exchanged a large bill at the owner of our riad and gave the boy 10 Dirham (= 0.92€).
And just like that, it became quite again. Our accommodation (690 DH = 63€ for 2 nights with breakfast) consisted of a mini courtyard with plants, a few seating areas, and apparently a whirlpool.
The inviting atmosphere was only topped by the friendliness of our host. We were immediately served freshly brewed mint tea and given an overview of possible activities in the city. Then we went to our rooms, affectionately called the 'small room'. This description was quite accurate, but not at all negative. It was cute. Everything we needed was there: a bed, a bathroom, and a few storage options.
But we didn't spend much time there, as we were 1) quite hungry after this long journey and 2) wanted to experience more of the city and the day.
So we went back to the 'big square' and through the so-called 'souks', which are made up of many winding alleys where one small shop follows the next. We were constantly approached from all sides and encouraged to buy. But it was a bit too much for us, the hustle and bustle and the overwhelming focus on tourism overwhelmed us.
Crowd of people in the souks We found a spot in a small café and had dinner, a typical Moroccan dish: Tajine. A term that refers to dishes that are prepared and served in the same named pan (140 DH = 12.86€ in total). Two different tajines with bread and olives
The next morning, we decided to just explore the city and visit some sights. And that was the right decision: We got to know the charm of the city away from the hustle and bustle and noise, as the city shone through its winding clay alleys. We never knew what to expect around the next corner. Unfortunately, scooters and bicycles often passed by with what we considered to be excessively high and risky speeds, which made strolling around leisurely a bit challenging.
Franzi in an archway
The garden at the big Koutoubia Mosque was nice, but not really anything special.
Water feature in the park
We only saw a large adobe wall at the so-called 'Royal Palace', which was heavily guarded and partly resembled a ruin.
The wall of the palace
But around noon, we came across an attraction that we both liked immediately: A spice market in the Jewish quarter of the city. Here, one pleasant smell after another met our noses, and the variety of colors was indescribable. An overly excited salesman managed to sell us 100g of fresh mint tea (50 DH = 4.59€). We are already looking forward to drinking tea in Germany!
Piles of colorful spices
Right next door is the Palais Bahia, the most beautiful attraction in the city. Unfortunately, this was also reflected in the price: With 70 DH (= 6.43€) per person, it was quite expensive, but the winding palace was worth it:
The main square of the Palais Bahia
Orange tree
Vaulted ceiling in the palace
After a short lunch break in a side street and at the riad, we set off again, this time approaching the souks from the other side. But again, we didn't feel very comfortable, so we ended up on a terrace at the 'big square', where we could watch the hustle and bustle from a safe distance while enjoying freshly squeezed orange juice (10 DH = 0.92€).
The market square from above, rather quiet
But we wanted to eat again, so we went back to the market and had overpriced meat skewers and some couscous (100 DH = 9.21€). Unfortunately, we were still not full, so on the way back to the riad, we got 2 sandwich pockets similar to döner kebabs (20 DH = 1.84€). We don't want to know exactly what was in them, but they tasted exceptionally delicious!
In the evening, we had a conversation with a younger staff member of the riad, who was able to give us some tips about our trip and the route. But you will find out more in one of the next blogs. I'll just mention two keywords: Sahara & beach!
