North Africa.
On this sabbatical, I am trying to go to countries I have not been to yet (a few have slipped by). Ever since I went to Tanzania last summer, I have been dying to get back to Africa. Morocco is a northern country of Africa and has lots of influence from the Middle East. It is a short two-hour plane ride from Barcelona. After a week in Spain, Lauren, Jasmine and I headed for a week exploring a new country none of us had been to. We planned to spend time in Marrakech, Essaouira, and the Agafay desert to get a mix of big city, beach vibes, and small villages in the Atlas Mountains. This is a perfect blend for me when seeing a country, I want to see it from all angles and not only the touristy things. I will admit most of these things are quite touristy, but Morocco runs on tourism, so really anything is.
Souks for days.
We started in Marrakech, the biggest city in Morocco. Busy is an understatement. There are people everywhere, all the time, doing something (I am not quite sure what). The cities run on tea and markets, or souks in Arabic. The hundreds of souks are where you get everything you need from spices to veggies to a new jacket to giant carpets. They are crammed into narrow streets that are swarming with tourists trying to buy, locals try to sell (aggressively I may add), motorbikes whizzing by, and donkeys carrying carts filled with things. It is organized chaos – just like my closets and cabinets. This is silly, but it felt like my childhood was coming to life, I was obsessed with Aladdin (I probably watched it every other day and was even Princess Jasmine for Halloween two years in a row). But seriously, after a few hours I was DONE with the markets. However, Jasmine (not Princess Jasmine, but a gem nonetheless, and Lauren were not and had things they wanted to buy – also room in their suitcases to bring home, this is not the case for me. Lauren was on a mission to buy a tea set and Jasmine wanted a backgammon board, among many other things. Most days I left them early to go back to the hotel (also known as a riad, which is more like a B&B with a small pool and garden in the middle and are so charming with Moroccan flare). I will admit I bought a pair of earrings for four euros and a tassel for my backpack that broke within 24 hours.
Because Morocco is a mostly Muslim country, there are medinas, walled parts of the cities, that do not sell alcohol or hookah. You need to go outside the walls (just like when Jasmine snuck out and met Aladdin) to find bars and they are few and far between. Most are in hotels or a bit more uncover. We didn’t just shop in Marrakech, we also visited the Badia Palace, Jardin Marjorelle – Yves Saint Lauren (very instagramable), Le Jardin Secret, and spent an afternoon at a typical Hammam or a Turkish spa (https://www.les-bains-dorient.com/en/reservation-adwords-english/) to get body scrubs and massages. This city has something for everyone.
We did not go hungry.
Now let me tell you about the food in Morocco. IT IS DELIGHTFUL. From the hummus to the fresh fish, to the tagine (a Moroccan dish made with any kind of meat in a specific clay pot that is like a version of a crockpot). Tea is everywhere. Moroccan tea is made with loose tea, mint and sugar and there is a certain way to pour it (see pics for visual here). Every time we checked into a Riad we were served hot tea and cookies – love this hospitality. More importantly, while we were there Jasmine had her birthday, so we celebrated at a belly dancing show and dinner at a restaurant calls Comptoir Darna (https://www.comptoirmarrakech.com/ – this is a must go if you are in Marrakech. The food and the entertainment was incredible. As a dancer for most of my life, I have no idea how they move their bodies like that, it was simply impressive! We found a great lunch spot called Nomad that overlooks the main square in Marrakech and offers delicious dishes like lentil salad, beef and pumpkin, and cauliflower steak with couscous. We ate street meat grilled right there in the market, we got fresh shakes from the handsome men wearing matching uniforms and cat calling from above the giant fruit stands, and we found a hidden garden lunch spot with amazing carrot hummus and salads.
And lastly, and maybe the highlight for ME specifically, I found a Chili’s (yes, good old chain restaurant Chili’s bar and grill) near a strip mall outside the medina. I obviously HAD to go. Chili’s is my absolute favorite (judge away). I got my usual order, quesadilla explosion salad. The old bad news is they were out of chips and salsa which is one of the main reason to go to Chili’s I may add. After several months of traveling, sometimes you just need some comfort food even if the local food is top notch.
Essaouira.
I got advice to go to Essaouira while in Morocco (thank you Josh!!) and let me tell you it did not disappoint! It is located on the coast with a beautiful white sand beach and about half the size of Marrakech. It is known as the white city because most of the buildings are white and reminds me a bit of Greece (even though I have yet to go there – April!). On the drive to Essa, three hours from Marrakech, there is a tourist trap for goat lovers with tons of goats in the trees. We hired a private driver because it was the most convenient way to get around and with three people it is much more affordable. Also because Lauren and Jasmine HAD to stop to see the goats. I will admit the baby goats were friggin adorable, and I don’t even like animals 😊Essa also has loads of souks, medinas, and delish food. We took a private cooking class and made beef tagine. I will NEVER forget that tagine. It was one of the best things I have ever tasted. And we made it!! Abdou, our private chef, let us into his home to teach us how to make Moroccan tea the traditional way, took us to get spices at his local market for CHEAP, and step by step showed us how to make the dish. It was such a lovely experience.
Also, for my Game of Throne fans out there, part of the show (no idea what season or episode – but YouTube has everything: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFLSfmxHYFs) was filmed on the coast, so we walked the Ramparts and Sqala du Port even though none of watched the show. However, the highlight of Essa was riding a camel on the beach at sunset. It was one of those things you will never forget but we have lots of amazing photos if we do. On the last night we went to Taros, a rooftop bar outside the medina of course and danced the night away until we got Moroccan burritos at 1am. What is a Moroccan burrito you ask; it is kebab meat in a tortilla. If you are visiting Morocco, add Essaouira to the list. It is everything you could want and more.
Moroccan mountains.
The last day of our trip, Lauren and I headed out to the Agafay desert to hike some Atlas mountains and see the rural parts of Morocco where the indigenous Berber tribes live (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Berber). We had a private driver who took us to several tourist locations on the way to the mountains with great viewpoints and shops. The highlight was a women co-op where they made homemade almond and argan butter along with every kind of argan oil you could want for your face, skin, cooking, etc. Lauren and I were easily convinced to get what they call Moroccan botox – which is really just barbary fig packed with antioxidants and nutrients. But I swear none of the women had wrinkles…maybe they just stay out of the sun, don’t drink, and take care of their skin. I should take notes.
We then drove to the small village in the Imlil Valley where we started our two hour hike. We walked through mountain villages, waterfalls, and had a local guide tell us about the region. It was not a challenging hike, but a very enjoyable one with so much surrounding beauty. After the hike, the tour guide brought us to his home to enjoy cookies and fresh Berber tea. We ended the afternoon with chicken tagine (which was almost as good as ours we made) on a terrace overlooking the mountains and valleys. It was a great way to end our Moroccan adventure.
The jen essentials for morroco.
- Wine and beer opener (Moroccans don’t drink much so these items are few and far between)
- Desire to shop (apart from eating, shopping is king)
- Ability to avoid shop owners (they are aggressive, persuasive, but sometimes charming)
- Love for anything bread (Moroccan’s version of pita comes with everything!)
- Camera at all times (this country is beautiful and unique so have your cam ready)
- Cash to exchange (ATMs do not have any money in them, so bring cash to take to the money exchange counters)
- Private car (it is relatively cheap and the best way to get around from Marrakech to Essaouira)
- Moroccan tea (tea comes with everything, it is sweet but delicious)
- Scarf and long skirt/pants even if it is hot (it is culturally appropriate even for the tourists to cover your shoulders and knees – respect it)
- Hookah (while it is hard to find, we had to do it once)
Wrap it up jen.
Morocco is a special place. It has charm, beauty, character, history, all types of terrain and climate, and most importantly kind people. Having Jasmine and Lauren to explore with was just the cherry on top. We had such a wonderful time eating, drinking, exploring, and shopping (mostly them). I would say we brought our friendship closer after the hammam experience so they are stuck with me forever 😊. I cannot wait for our next girls trip, wherever in the world that may be.
Up next: South of Spain for some R&R and more Flamenco dancing.
Signing off for now,
Jennifer