Chaos. The plane was absolute chaos. Passengers walking around everywhere, not sitting down where they were supposed to sit. Stewards, known for their patience, were losing their patience. I am inside a plane about to depart to Marrakech, Morocco. How did I get here? Well, I frequently travel for work, and I always take the same taxi with the same taxi driver: a Moroccan man whose company I always enjoy very much. He came from Marrakech and one day I decided it would be nice to visit it.
The plane did leave on time, arrived on time, and my partner Mónica and I were picked up from the airport by a very friendly Spanish man who would take us through the crowded streets into the traditional centre, to his ‘Riad”; a traditional Moroccan house with typically a courtyard or interior garden. The entrance to the Riad was a small and narrow iron door, looking a hundred years old. Once inside, we had to walk through two long corridors, almost like tunnels, to arrive at the courtyard. It was at that moment that an immense feeling of calmness hit me.
The place was absolutely beautiful…
But it wasn’t t the beauty of this little house, nor the traditional Arabic decoration that hit me; it was a strange feeling of ‘feeling home’. The courtyard had a small swimming pool that was somehow blending perfectly into the surroundings. the bathroom was created with cement, beautifully shaped, and even the wall holes to place the soap bottles were carved into the wall. There was a roof terrace covered with blankets to protect you from the Sun while you could eat your delicious breakfast on a lounge-style couch with pillows. I realized that I wanted my home to look exactly like this.
The centre of Marrakech has many historical sites to visit, such as the Koutoubia Minaret, Bab Agnaou, Badi Palace. And of course the souks are a mandatory visit where in particular very nice spices can be bought. One of the nicest places I visited though was Yves Saint Laurent’s garden next to his private house: Jardin Majorelle.
Koutoubia Minaret 
Koutoubia Minaret 
Bab Agnaou 
Souks 
Jemaa el-Fna 
Badi Palace 
Badi Palace 
Badi Palace 
Jardin Majorelle
Jardin Majorelle 
Jardin Majorelle 
Roaming the covered streets
Field trips can easily be done, such as Ait ben Haddou, which had a coliseum when the movie Gladiator was filmed, and places bordering the desert such as Quarzazate and the film studios; birthplace of several ‘Easter movies’….
Tizi N’Tichka 
Tizi N’Tichka 
Driving through Morocco 
Ait Ben Haddou 
Ait Ben Haddou and Gladiator scene 
Edge of the desert 
Quarzazate 
Quarzazate 
Quarzazate studios 
Quarzazate studios 
a rather fake Ferrar? 
Scene from Romancing the Stone
But in line with the relaxed feeling I got upon arrival, there were three places that I liked most.
The first are the Hammams; bathhouses where for example you can take a steam bath followed by a massage.
The second place is a restaurant outside of the historical center, run entirely by women, called Al Fassia. The atmosphere is great, and the food even more so.
And finally, the countless roof terraces with lounge couches, Arabic lounge music, and delicious cocktails, are places to visit on a daily basis. If you can stand the heat!
But it was the return to the Riad in the evenings, that was always the highlight of the day. I believe that everybody has one or a few places of calm for themselves. Places outside of your house, where you would like to keep coming back. Where you feel at ease, relaxed, from the moment of arrival. I believe I have three of those places. This Riad, turned out to be one of them. What are yours?
Ciao!
Robin
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