Marrakech

RAK- Marrakech, Morocco, Winter 2018

Marrakech was the 2nd leg of our 2018 Anniversary trip. 

How did we get there?

We booked our flight on Transavia out of Paris, Orly. Transavia is located in what is essentially the basement of Orly.

The view from the Runway

Upon arrival to RAK there is a very long customs line. After clearing customs there is an additional luggage x-ray you have to put your bags through. This also happens when you are flying out. So please don't think about sneaking anything in or out of the country.

Shuttle:

The front of RAK

We set up transportation through the Riad. We paid 40 Euros for Rountrip transport between the Airport to the Riad. The driver was waiting outside of the airport with a sign with our name, so he was easy to find. We drove through the new Marrakech and into the Medina. We were dropped off in the middle of everything and thankfully the Manager of the Riad was there to intercept us.

Where did we sleep?

We chose to book our stay at a Traditional Riad for our visit to Marrakech.We stayed at the Riad Ambre & Epices located inside the Medina/Wall. I saved a few coins by booking direct and not using one of the travel sites. We booked a Suite at 323 Euros for 3 nights including Traditional Moroccan breakfast, Mint tea and Moroccan pastries. The Manager Mohammed was at the drop off location prior to us arriving at the drop off point. He immediately said hello and asked for my bag and we were on our way. We walked for what seemed like 15 minutes through a crazy maze, but it was actually only about 5 minutes or so. Once we arrived at the Riad he immediately asked us to sit and get comfortable. We were then asked if we wanted Sugar with our tea and were promptly brought out a kettle of delicious tea by Abdoul.

   After we relaxed a bit Mohammed brought us a map of Marrakech and mapped off all the the places we should go and the importance of each. Which was great because we hadn't made any travel plans. We were even given a business card which had a map of the maze to head into the Riad. We sat and chatted with Abdoul for a bit, placed our dinner order and were then taken up to our room, which Mohammed had already placed our bags inside of.

  We were so tired from all of the traveling and slept into the night. Once we awakened we ventured around the Riad a bit. We walked up to the terrace on the roof and just took in the city a bit. After relaxing a bit we grabbed our laptops and went down to the sitting area because the wifi signal in our room was a little weak.

Mohammed, Zack and Abdoul really make the Riad as amazing as it is. All were extremely helpful with providing maps, places to go and any questions we had about the Riad, Marrakech and Muslim culture. We honestly felt right at home and they became family.

Food is pretty good at the Riad you have to order dinner at lease once. Breakfast is pretty good and typically consists of breads and little cakes. The tea is delicious and you can request the tea pretty much anytime. Dinner and Breakfast are both served in the main courtyard which is extremely Beautiful.

Our room was amazing. We requested a suite and were placed in a room right above the kitchen. The decor is very tranquil and elegant. There are lots of lights and windows so you can control the look and feel of the room. The bathtub in our room was Huge and amazing. It sat directly behind the bed and had stairs leading up to it on both sides. Me and my husband are both 6'1 and we both fit inside quit comfortably together. He even laid down completely and there was still at least 6 inches of room remaining. The shower, sink and toilet were on the other side of the room. The shower was really cool. It was not enclosed and completely open. It was on a wall opposite the sink with a drain in front. The water would fall to the floor and drain down into the drainage holes. Once in a while the water would spread a bit but never far enough to cause any issues. The water gets nice and hot at the Riad and we didn't notice any cool down no matter how long we ran the water.

    The cleaning ladies were EVERYTHING! I wish I could have taken just one back home with me. After our first night at the Riad we ventured off into the Souks and to explore old Marrakech. When we returned the cleaning staff had hung up our jackets, sweaters, scarves etc. Lined up our shoes on a shelf under the sink in the restroom, wrapped up all of our cords and electronics and placed them on the stairs on the side of the bed. Closed our suitcases and arranged our backpacks. This happened each day of our trip. To add icing on the cake we didn't even feel the need to check for missing items, you just really feel at home. This is literally the most amazing place!

Special Kudos to Zach for all of his helpfulness and time he spent chatting with us.

Kudos to Abdoul for making the best tea we have ever had, preparing great meals and just being an all around awesome guy.

Mohammed for being so warm and running such a GREAT Riad.


What did we do?

The Souks/The Square-Jemaa el-Fnaa/Old Marrakech:

Once we emerged from the maze leaving the Riad we were smack dab in the Souks. We were immediately enthralled in all of the colors, scents and culture. We stood around a while just soaking it all in. We ventured down several alleyways with no real destination in mind. Just getting loss and immersing in the Culture. We politely declined Tea offers from shop owners as we weren't ready to make any purchase. But Mr.C found a "Scarf" shop. He ran in and bought several at 10 Euros each. SMH. Of course we later found the same ones for 1 Euro. Sigh.

      There were so many stalls. teas, lights, tea sets, chess sets, shoes, clothing, spices, fresh butchered meats, jewelry and anything else you can think of. It's amazing!
    After a bit of walking around we found ourselves in the square. There were snakes, monkeys, and henna artists crawling over the square. The vendors will try to push their snakes and monkeys on you, but you can respectfully say no thank you.  The same with the henna artists they will grab your hand and attempt to begin a design. They will demand money and the situation can become quite uncomfortable. There are many food carts with local eats and fresh fruits and vegetables. I have literally never seen strawberries so big and bright.
There are quite a few beggars and children selling gum and roses. 








Bahia Palace:Cost 70 Dirham per person for tourists, or 7 Euros

Built in XIX century upon request of Si Moussa - King Hassan I’s gran visir - it’s a masterpiece of Moroccan architecture. Upon Si Moussa’s death, his son Ahmed Ben Moussa inherited this palace, restored it and named it “Bahia” that means “the beautiful, the shining“, in homage to his first wife. The architecture is Beautiful. The designs on the ceilings and windows are intricate. Perfect place to go for anyone into architecture or history. There are so many courtyards, so many trees. Very peaceful and serene. We were really lucky that there weren't very big crowds and we were free to explore and roam.

El Badi Palace: Cost 20 Dirhams, or 2 Euros
It was commissioned by the sultan Ahmad al-Mansur of the Saadian dynasty sometime shortly after his accession in 1578. The palace's construction was funded by a substantial ransom paid by the Portuguese after the Battle of the Three Kings.
     There isn't a lot to see as the Palace is completely in ruins. But that only adds to the allure. You get to a chance imagine how beautiful it once was. You can tell that it was once the most beautiful places in the world with a vast amount of fruit trees, pools and courtyards.





Camel Ride:

We booked a camel ride through the Riad. It was around 20 Euro each. A driver came and picked us up. We drove out to an area set up to look like a real desert area. We met our guide and were dressed up in authentic Moroccan garb. We were introduced to our Camels and began our trek. The desert area was nice and made us feel like we were on a real trip. About half way through the ride our guide took our phones and took about 100 pictures of us. That was nice, we ended up with some really nice photos. It was definitely a cool experience. And if you have the opportunity you should definitely try it once.

         





Carre Eden Shopping Center/Starbucks: in New Marrakech:

We walked over to the mall from Jardin Marjorelle. It took us about 20 minutes to get there. We quickly skimmed through mall and the only store that really caught our eye was H&M. But Starbucks was our main objective. We were pretty hungry and were excited for a bit of normalcy. We ordered an array of food including a quiche, sandwiches, drinks and a red velvet cake. All of our food was served on real dishes and with real silverware. Perfect touch. And of course I picked up my starbucks you are here mug.

Berber Womens Coalition Store:

Once we left the square we walked across the street to the mosque. Unfortunately it was closed, so Mr.C wasn't able to check it out. We began speaking with an "official" tourist ambassador who led us across the street to the Berber Women's store. An official store of the coalition. We were greeted and promptly served tea and given a short demonstration of each of the products. There was also a brief description of the Berber Women and watched them make Argan Oil. We purchased some fresh tea, authentic Argan Oil and soaps. And because I was a woman she gave me a free product. We spent around 50 Euros. So yes, we got scammed. This was our fault we let our guard down for 5 seconds and boom. So be careful and make good choices. We could have definitely purchased the same items for much less.

Jardin Marjorelle/Yves St Laurent Garden/Museum/Berber Museum:
This garden is absolutely breathtaking. It has a combined jungle and traditional Moroccan themes. There are lots of different plants and trees with a guide near each to advise you as to what each of them are. The colors inside of the garden are really vibrant, with blue and yellow hues.
The grounds also include a Berber Museum which showcases and pays homage to the Berber lifestyle. Inside you will find their story and origins as well as traditional Berber items including traditional clothing, make up, Women's headgear, sandals and all other necessities. Keep in mind you are not allowed to take photos inside of the Berber Museum.                                              

Upon exiting the Berber museum there is a small art gallery "Love Gallery" cameldedicated to Yves St Laurent.
There is also small monument area dedicated to Yves St Laurent towards the end of the walking path.  
      Almost forgot to mention there is also a cafe inside the garden, we didn't eat there so I can't speak to taste or food quality.

Hammam:
Zach at the Riad encouraged us to try a Hammam. We were able to do it before dinner at the Riad although it was a little weird to do it as the room sits inside of the dinner area. We had to strip down me completely naked and Mr.C down to swim trunks (we wanted to be sure we were being culturally sensitive).

What's having a Hammam like?

• • You will lay in dark and steamy room.  The steam will start to open your pores and a few deep breaths will help you let go of the stress of wandering through Moroccan souks.
  • After 5-10 minutes the attendant will rub thick black moroccan soap on your skin. no need for alarm because it will be really soothing. You will be asked to twist and turn into a variety of positions to ensure she is able to get to your entire body. You will lay and relax in the soap for another 5-10 minutes.
  • The attendant will begin dumping buckets of hot/warm water on you to get the soap off of you. It will seem a bit rough, but trust that you're going to be okay.
  • Once the soap has been rinsed from your skin comes the exfoliation. The attendant will put on a rough glove and begin to rub away your outermost layer of skin. This part can be a bit rough, but once again don't be alarmed you're okay.
  • Finally you place your robe back on and sip some delightful Moroccan tea. You will be completely relaxed and at ease.

Tips:

• Do not allow anyone to guide you anywhere. They will expect money and it could get interesting. Especially in a foreign country. Money is expected even if they just point a place out. Especially the young boys.
• You will be offered tea everywhere you go. It is a lure to get you in the shop to make a purchase. Decline if you do not want to buy anything.
• Exchange your currency. 
• Definitely download offline google maps here. As Verizon nor ATT had any cell service.
• Make sure you negotiate your taxi rate upfront. Don't get in before the driver knows where you're going and you know what you're going to pay.
• When in the square be mindful and do not allow anyone to grab your hand. If the men or ladies doing henna place a single dot on you they will expect payment. Be careful. 
• If you take a picture with a Monkey or a Snake in the square the owner will expect a payment. If the Monkey or Snake is placed make sure you get the off immediately or payment will be expected.
• Everything can be negotiated when shopping. If you can't get the price you want you probably can get it at another shop.
• be mindful of pickpockets in all of the hustle and bustle. There's so much going on and tourists make easy marks.