May 16, 2007. 

Touch down. We arrived in North Africa. How cool is that?

Stepping out of the airport of Marrakech we were greeted with a warm breeze. This breeze subsided over the course of the day and during our 3 days in Marrakech the temperature managed to climb to 42 degrees by midday! It was dry, it was hot, there was little doubt we were now in Morocco.

After hoping into a taxi at the airport, we took a 1o minute drive to the Old Medina and found our way to our Riad. With the help of some young Moroccan boys, who are always willing and wanting to be your guide for a nominal fee of $1 or $2, we ducked into low tunnel-like alleys, twisted and turned through narrow passageways and finally reached our destination, presented to us by our young, 3-minute guide by saying ‘You stay here!’.

This was to be our Riad. Not much from the outside but stepping through the door and onto the premises was like waking up on the holodeck of a Star Trek episode. All the hustle and bustle, smells and noise from the outside was instantly muted and replaced with bright white walls, gardens, dipping pools, a light breeze and flowing white curtains.

Lea enjoying the shade before a dip in the pool.

Shanti makes a sultry exit from our room.

It was comforting to know that our Riad was so beautiful and relaxing because stepping out into the Medina was INTENSE, a complete bombardment on the senses. Medinas have been designed as a method of defense. They are so incredibly vast and intricate that it is impossible not to get lost in the myriad of narrow alleys and tiny shops which sell everything from Aladdin-type shoes, Moroccan carpets, swords, silver plates, the latest knock-off fashions, spices, meats, and sweets to anything else you could ever imagine. Oh yes, and the largest tassels you have ever seen!

A shoe fetishist’s dream? Or Aladdin’s closet?

The only real danger in Marrakech is being mowed over by a scooter or being ‘bumped’ by a donkey and its overloaded cart. All perceptions of being in a Muslim/Arab/African/Moroccan environment, instilled in us by Hollywood and the (American) press, are completely false. In fact, we were greeted with such kindness by complete strangers that you almost felt guilty for having such an overly cautious attitude at the beginning. Moroccans in general are the most open, appreciative, and friendliest people that I have met in all my travels. Random strangers would be welcoming us to their country and were actually thankful for our visit.

A warm evening on a rooftop before dinner.

Delicious tagines.

After wandering around the Medina for a couple of hours and surviving the heat, we crawled back to our Riad, had a nice dip in the cool water, sipped Moroccan mint tea and planned our next day’s mission. Dinner was had at a nearby restaurant with an open deck that overlooked the city. For dinner… fantastic tagine!
Day 1 was a success. Smiles all around.