Sunday we walked around Marrakech. We were dropped off at a garden surrounding the tallest mosque in Marrakech. Every building is shorter than this mosque, no taller than 5 stories. We took a group photo at the fountain with the water men. These men had triangular hats with baubles which matched their kaftans. They were brightly colored. They traditionally gave water to those who wanted it for a few. They are covered with little gold bowls and have a goatskin filled with water. They are really only for tourists now with the rise of water bottles.
Speaking of water, they charge you at every restaurant. With the difference of countries we were recommended to drink water bottles vs tap water. Many of us buy 1L to fill up the 0.5L bottles that we buy. Some men have bought 6 packs for the whole trip. It is a necessity with the heat and the walking.
After pictures with the mosque, gardens, and watermen, we walked to the Bahia Palace. It isn’t decorated like a European castle; the rooms are all empty. It gave space to look at all the craftsmanship of the ceilings, walls, and floors. Such beautiful photo opportunities. We learned about the history of the kings that lived there and the French who set up offices there a hundred years ago. I hope to come back and see the grand courtyard.
We were tired and thirsty after that. Water break provided by Ad! We walked to a pharmacy/herbalist next. Oh the smells and the products. Morocco has native argan trees, so many of their products contained a higher concentration of oils than sold in the US. There were products for everything: asthma, snoring, allergies, rosacea, acne, hair loss, stress, concentration, moisturizer, anti-aging, and more (including libido). Afterwards it was almost like an auction. They gave us big baskets to put our products in and they called out the different options for us to wave our hands. Many of us spent hundreds of dollars on these products justifying “we can only get this in Morocco/it’s part of the experience!”
Afterwards we were starving and went to a restaurant called Kabana. Very good food, delicious mocktail, and a fun atmosphere. We sat on the roof (but under a covering) and several women wandered around to take photos. I ordered lamb and ricotta ravioli and it was great. I took some Parmesan truffle fries from some others and with the ravioli sauce *chef’s kiss* We then left for money exchange/ATM to grab cash. Next was hotel for relaxation before dinner. It had a pool so some had a dip; I had a nap.
We ate at 6. That was the restaurant name. We actually ate at 9pm. That’s the regular time to eat dinner here, late at night. I got a royal calzone (egg, bacon, cheese, basil?) which came with a salad. For dessert I had lemon sherbet with vodka. I didn’t leave until 12am. I was exhausted.
Monday was the excursion day. It was advertised as a cooking class, but it was so much more. We drove out to what felt like the middle of nowhere. We pulled up to an ochre building with a giant camel out front. We walked through the doors, down a small hall, into a beautiful courtyard. It was huge. It had all sorts of artsy statues and murals. There was a pool in the middle that we later found out was the shape of Fatima’s hand.
We were ushered into a hallway to get ready to cook. We put on aprons and they tied scarves around our heads. We of course had a cup of mint tea before we started. So good! The group went into this room with five stations in a semicircle. They grouped us and named us by cities. Our group was Rabat (the capital). It was Nadine, Jessica, Thalia, and me. We prepared chicken in a traditional tagine, a cone shaped lid on a plate, both made of clay. We chopped potatoes that were boiled, cut tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro for a salad; and a few of us helped knead bread. They even asked if I could work for them!! 😅 after the food was all done, we relaxed outside with a non-alcoholic mojito. Many wandered around for pictures with the art.
The group went to mini-Morocco: a collections of rooms displaying cities of Morocco. We learned about the Berber language, old “banks”, why the doors have a door within a door, history, and more. We saw a room full of doors, showing the intricacies and decorations. We enjoyed the tiles and displays. We even had a photo opportunity in an upside down room! It was so fun.
Finally it was time to eat. They had tables set for us. Platters with the tomato salad and potatoes were brought out. We munched on olives and bread. They brought out jars with our chicken. They shook the jar and poured it onto a bowl. It was so tender and fell off the bone. It was great company and a good bonding experience.
Jafar was our instructor and guide and he made us feel at home. He danced with us, drank with us, and made us laugh. I would go back as a relaxation time and swim in the pool and eat food someone else had cooked. Before we left, they served us spiced coffee and I enjoyed it! I don’t usually like coffee, but I’d drink that again.
We got back to the hotel exhausted. Half of us took off to see the Majorelle Garden. I took a nap. Buuuuuut it was only an hour and then I took a taxi with 3 others to the square. We saw a snake charmer and held snakes and got great photos. We were tourists and bought magnets, postcards, and coin pouches (that had camels with fezes on). We wandered the market, fending off sellers at every turn. Several of my tour mates were called names. Not bad in itself, but definitely an odd experience.
We returned to the hotel and got ready for dinner. It was Isi’s (my roommate) birthday and we ate dinner at Azar, an expensive place with a three course dinner and entertainment I.e. belly dancers. Food was phenomenal. We got there around 9 and left after midnight. That’s how most of our dinners have been like. That was our last night in Marrakesh
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