Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech was the final stop on my four month trip through Europe (which ended in Africa, obviously).

I arrived by train from Casablanca. In contrast to Casablanca, which is a huge and insanely busy city, Marrakech is smaller and a bit more calm. Except for the medina, where you could be sharing a narrow ‘street’ with any number of mopeds, donkey-pulled carts, and motorcycles, not to mention the locals and tourists and street vendors.

When we arrived we initially went to the wrong riad, going so far as to checking in before we realized our mistake. We got hassled by some kids for a couple of dirham - they claimed they helped us find our way there (a common situation you’d be warned about before going to Marrakech).

The rainy, chilly weather was left behind in Spain and I was welcomed with sunny skies and temps in the 70s. I had a good few days, and was completely in a different world living and adventuring around the medina. Somehow I deleted some pictures from one of the days I was there, but this is still a good set.

This was taken from the rooftop of the riad where we stayed.

Taken from the top of the riad where we stayed.

A riad next to ours was being worked on. They are all open from the top, so at least some are made from terracotta which absorbs some of the water that will inevitably make its way inside.

Daily prayers were sang from towers such as this all throughout the medina.

Medina

Green

Orange

Taken at Le Jardin Secret.

Le Jardin Secret

Stairs

Taken at Le Jardin Secret.

Taken at Le Jardin Secret.

Lunch

I don’t remember the name of this restaurant, but it was in the medina up on a second level overlooking street vendors near Jemaa el-Fna.

Vendors

Taken from the rooftop of the riad where we stayed.

Me

(Out of) Focus

This is a terribly grainy smartphone picture but this is what the medina looks like at night.

Nicole and I traveled together for the 4 months we were in Europe. When I left Morocco to head back to the states, she went on to Egypt and South Africa. This was taken as I left the medina to get a taxi to the train station.

I got on a train going to Cassablanca, then the next morning boarded a flight back to the US.

I was on the last train car so I took this out of the back window.