Days #11,582-3: Whaa… wait… what in the… WHAT just happened?
Marrakech bamboozled me like a Tasmanian Devil in full spin. One minute I was eager & ready to explore- and the next I was flat on my butt, blinking and wide-eyed.
Thank me later, Marrakech, but I believe I’ve stumbled upon your ideal tagline: “What in the… WHAT just happened?”
Ok… deep breath… let me at least recap what I know.
{This is your cue to imagine a fabulous blurry-wavy dream sequence with harp. It’s the only way.}
Marrakech has at its vortex the famous Djemaa el-Fna Square- which somehow pulls all the labyrinthine roads of the old medina in like some magical black hole.
We had no choice but to get sucked in.
From our riad in the medina, we wound our way towards the square. Skirting the edge of narrow, cobblestoned streets; ducking under old aqueduct archways; dodging the buzzing motorbikes that darted out of nowhere; avoiding stepping in puddles of foul, pooled liquid at the periphery of the road; navigating taxis… and carts.. and vendors… and donkeys… and…
WHEW!
By the time we made it to the Square itself, my head was spinning.
Within five minutes of entering the Square, we encountered:
(a) A team of “snake charmers” with what looked to be severely malnourished snakes. There’s one sitting center-right in the photo above. (I suspect the snakes had been “tamed” by means of refrigeration, which is a really horrid way to slow the metabolic processes of reptiles.)
(b) A pet macaque monkey on a chain leash.
(c) An eatery selling whole, skinned goat heads (eyes & teeth still in place, so you know they’re fresh!), which, upon being ordered, were deftly whacked in half with a machete, and placed onto a cafeteria tray for lunch.
(d) And a so-called dentist with a sizeable collection of human teeth laid out on a wooden table, for display- and possibly, for purchase.
My mouth would’ve been hanging open, but the pungent smell of heady spices, burning meat, cigarette smoke, and urine was thick in the air.
I’d lasted about five minutes before becoming Completely and Utterly Overwhelmed.
As we wandered deeper into the dark, tangled nest of corridors making up the souk (marketplace), it became clear that the best course of action was to keep in constant motion.
Unless you spotted an item that you were seriously interested in purchasing, pausing to chat or look at something resulted in aggressive sales techniques: men pushing cheap-for-you-very-good-price leather goods, women grabbing at you for henna tattoos… I found myself clinging timidly to the crook of Mr. M’s elbow like the diminutive female I never think myself to be.
It was a little demoralizing.
Thankfully, the further lost you get in the dark recesses of the souk, the softer the hustle.
The marketplace is semi-divided into themed souks: the textiles market, the shoe market, leather, lamps & metalwork… all sprinkled with food stands and dimly lit, intoxicating antique stalls that smell of incense and house old skeleton keys & broken cameras under a fine layer of dust.
In minuscule increments, I started to relax.
Mr. M & I watched a snail soup vendor (yes, snail soup) tend his… flock. In a giant bucket teeming with striped snails- designed to be scooped up by the ladleful & plunged into a boiling broth seconds before consumption- one enterprising creature slimed his way to the top of Snail Mountain and dropped over the rim of the bucket to the ground. Go, brother! Mr. M & I laughed, You’ll tell your children about it someday!
The soup vendor calmly walked around to the front of his stand, plucked up the escapee, and dropped him back into the bottom of the bucket.
The climb begins again.
I relaxed enough to realize I wanted a pair of the Berber slippers we’d been loaned at our desert camp in the Sahara. And may have even tried my hand at bargaining (And now I know: I am the world’s worst bargainer. I’m lucky I didn’t reverse-bargain myself into paying more). Still- success!
One new Moroccan lamp and a couple hours later, we were mentally exhausted and completely, hopelessly lost. The souk is so convoluted that no guidebook offered a detailed map, and all advice seemed to suggest that you just hope for the best and follow a “confident-looking crowd” in an effort to get back to the Square.
Even outside the souk, navigating the walled medina was more difficult than expected, as many of the roads didn’t appear to have names… and weren’t labeled on Mr. M’s Blackberry GPS, either.
So it became a bit of an adventure, as all things in Marrakech insist on becoming.
We wandered into blind dead ends… were “offered” an escort to our next destination by a pack of kids who then surrounded us, and wouldn’t leave us alone until we paid them for their “services”… found a gateway out of the medina but had to jaywalk across a highway… nearly got run over… and finally ended up at the Jardin Majorelle.
The Jardin is a botanical garden originally created by the French artist Jacques Majorelle and more famously purchased by the designer Yves St. Laurent in 1980. What immediately got me was how quiet the garden was. A little cactus-filled oasis in the midst of a lot of crazy.
Jacques was a clearly a monsieur after my own heart and painted the interior of the Jardin in the boldest cobalt blues, electric yellows, and teals.
We decided to lunch in Marrakech’s cosmopolitan New Town and bargained with a taxi to take us there. Or, as the case was, not take us there, but charge us anyway.
Lunch on a quiet rooftop terrace was a welcome hiatus from the madness below.
More so than any other place I’ve ever been, Marrakech is frustratingly troublesome. As much as I like to go, go, go while traveling, I found it impossible not to take intermissions to regain my composure, reassess, and just BREATHE.
Case in point: the following day, we wholeheartedly spurned any Spirit of Adventure still clinging to life and made a unanimous group decision to chillax it up with an overpriced lunch in the orange groves at the legendary La Mamounia Resort.
Not my most intrepid moment, but crucial for sanity’s sake.
Marrakech defies classification in my inner travelogue.
In most respects- and at the risk of being reviled myself- I hated it. It’s filthy, maddening, and on an unapologetic mission to swindle you. But then I’d uncover a gem that spoke to the city’s elemental goodness: honeyed Moroccan cakes boxed up in a young girl’s bakery, the intricate beauty of a carved window frame, a fragrant orange tree on the side of the road.
It’s one of the places in the world where I’ve felt the most helpless; powerless to find my way or communicate; and oddly, frustratingly cognizant of the fact that I’m a woman.
Marrakech is unlike anywhere I’ve ever been.
And as I surveyed my time there, I realized- that’s the whole point.
As unenjoyable as it may be at the time, I want to encounter difficult, nonsensical, and maybe even a little scary. Because getting outside my comfort zone… WAY outside my comfort zone… means I’m getting to experience a way of life extremely different from my own.
A way of life that just might make me reconsider my perspective on life back home.
And in that respect, Marrakech was a vexing, intoxicating, massive success.
But seriously…
… what the hell just happened, Morocco?
Details of the Day:
Dar Azure, the riad that we called home in Marrakech, was a fantastic home base for our group of seven. It was located about 15min walk from the Djemaa el-Fna in the Kasbah district of the medina… which, as you can imagine, resulted in a lot of overenthusiastic Clash karaoke: “Sheriiiif don’t like it, dun dadun dun dadun dun, ROCK the Kasbah, ROCK the Kasbah!”
An added bonus.
If you can avoid it, do not drive in the medina. I was in the backseat of Bash & Jess’s rental car and it felt like a super-stressful video game on steroids in which there were no second lives. In between renegade traffic directors, animals en route to market, and the lack of sidewalks, driving in the medina is… Serious Business.
It did not help that all the gates in & out happened to be closed for an hour that morning (we think due to a visiting dignitary, but the guards were tight-lipped and merely shook their heads “No exit”), so cars & foot traffic bounced around inside the medina walls like fizz in a shaken soda bottle until we were given the ok to leave.
Bash did report that the highway system outside the Old Town was superb, and that driving the couple hours to Fes was a pleasure!
Oh wow...I felt claustrophobic and on edge reading about your experience. I am not a crowd person at all. But good for you for stepping out of your comfort zone...I agree, it does help appreciate home :) Loved reading about your adventures....
Claustrophobic is totally the right word! I usually don't mind crowds too terribly much and still felt really anxious the whole time we were there. New York City seemed tame after Marrakech! :)
Um, my anxiety was CRAZY high just hearing about this/looking at photos. I would've for sure had an attack and started crying in the middle of the crowd! So, you're a step ahead of me at least!! The garden looked like a perfect spot to recharge after that craziness, though. I love gardens... and now I need to figure out a room I can paint bright blue and yellow.... which, incidentally, were my high school's colors... and Trinity's school colors! Yikes, haha. I'm kinda out of rooms, though. The ones not yet painted have colors already picked out. Boo. Now I guess I need to start over! At least the craziness of this experience is something you'll never forget, right? And, it'll help you appreciate the smaller, less hectic aspects of future trips... right? I'm trying to find a bright side.
Blue & yellow were our high school colors, too!! Go dolphins! (AKA least intimidating mascot ever?) I think I decided on painting Mr. M's bathroom in the Jardin Colors. Now I just have to find a cobalt blue that's zingy enough! I know what you mean about running out of rooms... every time I see a new architectural style, I decide I *must* have it in my house. Which makes for quite the... ahem... eclectic... house. I'll definitely never forget Marrakech. I'm actually really glad that I've been, just because it was so different than anywhere else... and also really glad that I don't have to go back. ;)
We were the Warriors, but Trinity's are the Dolphins, too! Well, they are the dolphins in elementary and middle. Next year, when she gets to the high school (!!!!!!!) she'll be a Clipper.
Trinity's a fellow Dolphin?!! Why am I not surprised? ;) Randomly, archaeologists just recently excavated a possibly extinct baleen whale fossil under my old high school, and now the school is considering making its mascot "the Whales"! That's possibly the only thing less intimidating than a dolphin. :)
Gorgeous photos and adorable slippers!!!! I want to visit! :D Yay for the SITS Girls for organizing an event which helped me to discover your blog! -Rebecca @ Love at First Book
Thank you so much for stopping by, Rebecca! The hot pink Berber slippers are the COMFIEST things! They've already proven themselves worth it... despite my admittedly terrible bargaining skillz driving up the cost.
What a wonderful adventure and with your writing you made me feel as though as I was actually following along with you. Thank you ^_^ I would probably be running into everyone I passed since my artistic soul would be owwwwing and ahhhhhing at all the designs and colors. SO happy that we're on the same tribe list....I'm looking forward to our next adventure. Ummm I mean your next adventure.
Aww, thank you for such kind words, Regina! :) All of Morocco seems made for artistic souls like you... tere are SO many colors and intricate carvings and little details hiding everywhere. For all its craziness, Marrakech is a beautiful place. I'm looking forward to getting to know your blog, too!! Adventures we shall have!
Your descriptions of a crazy place are very atmospheric and I laud you for being honest, that you hated Marrakech! I've never read anything negative about it before but there's always somewhere that disappoints or simply fails to charm in life's great travels. For me it was Dublin, a place that everyone I've ever met/read/heard of loves. I didn't! Thanks for including your travelling companions' photos, they're really beautiful. Being a travel enthusiast myself I'm very happy to have found your blog thru SITS and I look forward to reading more.
I'm so glad that SITS connected us travel wanderlusters! :) I'm always reluctant to be negative because every new place has *something* to offer, but still... Marrakech was a tough one for me. And you're right- there's bound to be a place that just doesn't live up to expectations, and there's no use sugar-coating it! How interesting about Dublin... I'm headed there this summer and will let you know what I think! I just stopped by to check out your blog and have a feeling it's going to become one of my favorites very quickly!
From your post and photos, Morocco looks so magical, I actually feel sorry now that when I had the chance to visit it I turned the offer down .
'Magical' is a perfect description, Petro! For all of its craziness, the country has a certain more indefinable allure. I do hope you get another chance to visit... it's unlike anywhere else I'd ever been!
I'm not good with any sort of crowded areas. What a honest review of your experience and wonderful pictures.
The souks in Marrakech are definitely not for crowd-haters! Having spent a couple years living in New York City, I thought I was pretty used to dealing with crowds... it was a piece of cake compared to Marrakech! Thank you for stopping by, Raven!
Marrakech looks beautiful and sounds like a place I might want to avoid. :)
Yes! I think I said something very similar upon leaving... I'm really glad I got to see it, and reeeally glad I won't be going back! :) I can't wait to hear what Rockford thinks... as a business trip, it'll hopefully be a bit more sterile.
I always wanted to visit Marocco not so sure anymore. Thank you for sharing your experience :)
Before I turn you off the whole country (shame on me for dashing dreams!), the rest of Morocco was beautiful! The Sahara might even be one of the coolest places I've ever been. I'd recommend just keeping your stay in Marrakech to a night or two, max. :) You'll have to let me know what you think if you end up going!
What a gorgeous...gorgeous place...and what an adorable blog! So glad I stumbled upon it thanks to the SITTS girls :)
Aww, thank you so much, Mila! I'm really looking forward to exploring more of your blog, too! So many yummy recipes... and did I mention that Mr. M loves Russian food? :) Marrakech- and the whole country of Morocco- really was a stunningly beautiful place! Overwhelming, but beautiful.
Marrakech is so high on my places to visit, but I'm totally claustrophobic, hate intense smells, and do not like people touching me. Sounds exactly like my kind of place, right?! Your post was exactly what I needed to read (the honest-to-goodness truth) about why it will remain very close to the top of my must-visit places. Except now I'll be ready… and have my husband close at hand, haha! (but seriously) xo ~kim & chloe @ popcosmo.com
Ha ha! It sounds like you & I are drawn to the same types of destinations, Kim! I can't resist the places that scare me- although it's nice having a little warning in advance. :) You'll have to let me know what you think... and if you end up clutching your husband a little too tightly while getting lost in the souks, too! ;)
What amazing images! I have to say that I'm pretty sure I just had a panic attack just READING about it! lol
Ha! That makes me feel slightly better about being on the edge of a Complete Freak-Out while we were there. :) I got a few more gray hairs on that trip!
Hi! Stopping by from SITSgirls. Marrakech looks beautiful and interesting but I have to agree with the other commenters here - I am horrible at dealing with crowds. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful photos.
Hi Nicole, and thanks for stopping by! Marrakech definitely *was* beautiful... and interesting... but reeeally not an easy city in which to travel! Especially difficult if you're not one for crowds... there were a couple times when I had to keep my husband in a death-grip to keep from being swept away in the market!
Holy moly. I am stressed out to the core just by reading your account, I can't imagine the way you must have felt there in person! I love your new slippers, they look cozy and comfortable!
Thank you! The Berber slippers were my "happy place" in Marrakech! :) They're super comfy, which just so happens to be my #1 requirement in a shoe! Thanks again for stopping by, NJ!
How wonderful that you get to travel to so many great places. Awesome photos - thanks for "taking me along! :)
Thank you for the kind words, Raquel! I do feel reeeally lucky getting to explore as frequently as I do... even the crazy-overwhelming places are always trips well-spent.
Beautiful writing, gorgeous photos! Thank you for sharing this amazing experience with us. xx
Aww, thank you, Nikki! And thanks for stopping by!
Beautiful photos, and I'm glad you're doing the reporting and not me! Sounds like a great cultural experience but quite stressful. I would be jumping into my husband's arms at that marketplace. LOL :)
Ha ha! Marrakech had me doing a LOT more hiding behind the Mr. than I generally do! :) The city was exhausting, but I'm really glad I got to experience it. And really glad that I don't have to go back!
Overwhelming but gorgeous. Great description. You had me on the edge of my seat. Thank you so much for sharing. I love your beautiful images too.
Thank you so much for stopping by, Michelle! :) As stressful as it was to visit, the overwhelmingness (um, can we make that a word, if it isn't already?) seemed to be part of the experience... it was part of what made Marrakech so different than any other place I'd visited! That said- I did a LOT of deep, calming, zen breathing while we were there. ;)
Great story and your pictures are amazing!
Thank you, Reda! The one nice thing about crazy travel experiences is that they yield good stories. My lounge-on-the-beach vacays don't have quite the same effect... ;)
Oh my gosh, my anxiety level went up just thinking about your journey, mostly the beginning. Although by the time I got to the part about Jardin, I started becoming more intrigued and I'd actually like to see it myself, especially because of the photos. I have a tendency to be super scared and super excited at the same time...which is exactly how I felt when I went to Istanbul and Bodrum.
I couldn't agree more, Mina! The scary places are the ones that tend to intrigue me the most! Oh my goodness, though, Turkey has been on my list for such a long time. I had a trip planned last year (to Istanbul & Cappadocia) but had to cancel last-minute due to work. What did you think when you visited?
Hello, coming from SITGirls Comment Love Tribe. I love these pictures and love to connect with a wanderluster. One of my regrets was not paying Morocco a visit. We decided on Egypt and Jordan instead. It's on my bucket list and it looks to die for. I get what you mean about re-assessing and just breathing. Some countries you need to take a break from it. I felt that way in India. Looking forward to your next travels. Have a blast xo
My fellow wanderluster! :) (Who's much more bad-ass than I, traveling the world with kids!) I can only imagine that Egypt & Jordan were amazing in their own way! And they're a lot more difficult to get to these days than Morocco is, so perhaps it was best you visited when you did. I haven't yet been to India, but it definitely seems like the sort of place where I'd need to put myself on a voluntary time-out. Oddly, I kind of enjoy those destinations the most. :) I'm so glad I was connected to your blog via SITS!
So glad to have connected with you as well! Me? Bad-ass probably not. Just more of an ass haha bad ;) Thanks for popping by. PS: Love love love your blog xoxo
You have amazing photos. I loved reading about your adventures and it's great that you were able to step outside your comfort zone and have an experience that you could share and one that will be with you for a lifetime.
You're so right, Nickida! The one thing I don't like is a boring day. And Marrakech was *anything* but boring!! I'll take outside-my-comfort-zone & overwhelming any day! I hope LA has been treating you well while you're in town this week!!
What an adventure! The first time I traveled out of the country I couldn't bargain well at all. I got better on my next couple of trips! It's actually kinda fun once you get the hang of it (if you're a competitive person like me, I guess!)/
There's hope for me, Rachel?! Seriously, I almost ended up paying MORE than the asking price! Perhaps I just need more practice... and more shoes. ;)