We thought that we would reflect on our last few days in Marrakech
Arriving in Marrakech was by public transport organised by our tour leader, great seats and aircon, so travelling in style. The windscreen on the bus started if intact but as the 3 hour trip went on, the small stone chips developed into huge cracks that enveloped the whole windscreen. This did not go well with the aggressive style of driving and frequent pot holes.
Our dinner that night was in The large square which dominants the city centre. By day it’s a large open area with touts, story tellers and snake charmers. As dusk evolves then it quickly transforms with carts and mobiles restaurants into a crowded colourful collection of stalls serving a variety of cheap foods including deep fried sheepshead. It was great sitting amongst the stalls simple people watching.
Getting a taxi home was an amazing series of arguments between rival taxi gangs, insulting each other as to why they didn’t take us in the first place at the discount rate.
Day 2 was up to us – suppose to be day 14 on the tour but essentially we had the day to ourselves. We first set out towards the medina or walled city and the markets. It is a great but at times confusing network of stalls. Having seen the rest of morocco it was nice to relax knowing how things worked and how much things cost. A coffee and some beautiful palaces and Islamic school competed the afternoon. I tried a few times to replicate many of the post cards I’d seen 🙂 the mosaic work was amazing but it was great to sit in the cool rooms and relax for the afternoon.

One last trip was the Yves saint Laurent Gardner that he donated to the city. It was a eclectic mix of bamboo and cactus gardens, with yellow and blue buildings housing a museum and fashion shop. A nice way to relax for the morning.

Dinner was a farewell event, followed by a few drinks at the local night club. This time though it was large groups of women dressed to the nines, drinking liquor by the bottle – never a good mix.

A little but if stomach upset slowed the following day, but a trip to the post office was an event to remember. Posting a carpet home was a classic event, with very little English and a lot of hand signalling. Look forward to seeing the package arrive in New Zealand in 7 days (hopefully) courtesy of Maroc post.

Marrakech is an interest contrast tips the rest of morocco; loud and confusing with western influences everywhere. The conservative dress of the rest if the country is replaced with high heels and upmarket dressing, iPhones, busy streets and malls. As the lonely planet suggests, ‘you arrive in Marrakech thinking that you have lost something behind – what your missing is predictability and all sense of direction.’ After 3 days and we had our fill.

Off to rome on Ryanair !
Cheers for the good times morocco, we’ll be back. !!