Jr. goes to Morocco

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My wife visited Marrakech with work and swore to herself that she would return with her family. All I can say is that I am pleased she did. Nothing can be compared to the magic of The Medina (old city). It’s winding roads, one leading to another and that another, the visual, auditory, and olfactory stimulation offered by everything in the Medina, manifests itself into quite the tour de awe. And then there’s Jamaâ El Fna, the square and market place in Marrakech’s Medina quarter, filled with everything from wagons selling freshly squeezed orange juice, hand-made leather goods, Nagila, food, and snake charmers just to mention a handful. My son took every molecule of it in, as did we. It was an amazing experience being there.

We stayed in a magical Riad in Marrakech (check out the pictures) ten minutes walk from the square. Located in a very quiet part of the Medina, we were able to retreat to the Riad roof-top overlooking the city, and temporarily escape its madness, only to be taken by the hand and led into a fantasy world, thanks to the truly astonishing sounds of the mosques calling for prayer.

The Medina is a magical place, a place where everything and anything can be seen. Our mouths were open in awe during our first wander through the narrow and windy streets of the Medina. The colours and the sounds were something we weren’t accustomed to seeing and hearing in Copenhagen, even on a busy day, so afternoon siestas quickly became a part of our daily routine, which enabled us to digest the many impressions. We spent five amazing days in Marrakech and decided to head for the coast for the cool sea breeze and a change of tempo.

Essaouira is a small town 3 hours west of Marrakech. When travelling between Marrakech and Essaouira, consider using Supra Tours (located at the main station) to do so. They offer a super service for a good price (70 or 100 dh per person). We found a beautiful Riad located in the centre of the Medina, which we found via trip advisor. The town has much to offer and as you can see from the pictures below, the beaches are enormous and very child friendly. The water remains shallow, very far out and provides an insane playing environment for children. The random running around on the beach, documented via a picture below, went on for hours, every day. This beach is truly a super spot for children. The Moroccans are especially fond of football so your son/daughter will be an instant play-mate-magnet if they have a football handy.

Unlike the Medina in Marrakech, you won’t get lost in Essaouira due to its size, so feel free to randomly wonder the streets and allow your children to lead the way. This way, you’ll be sure to find all the good spots and hidden shops; I followed my son one afternoon and found a small, narrow street which led us to a beautiful door, of which I have included a picture below. For us, this was a good way to find new places.

Go to Morocco and have a blast. It’s a superb travel destination with a tremendous history. You will find lots of good quality, hand-made goods at half the price, and you will meet exceedingly hospitable, warm, and friendly people.

Do:

• Try the Cactus flowers sold on the carts, everywhere (2 Dh for 4)
• Have lunch at Café Arabe (Marrakech)
• Try the Moroccan wines (the reds and grays we had were lovely)
• Eat dinner at Elizir (Essaouira)
• Consider staying at Riad Lunetoile (Essaouira)
• Consider staying at Riad Bamaga (Marrakech)
• Visit the Koran school, Ben Youssef located next to Musée de Marrakech (Marrakech)
• Visit Musée de Marrakech, wonderful exhibitions (tip: buy a tickets for this and koran school at the same time and save 50%)
• Visit Majorelle Gardens (Marrakech)
• Eat fish at the harbour (Essaouira)
• Have drinks on the roof and dinner at Taros

Don’t:

• Forget disinfectant spray/gel for hands
• Ask for directions from people in the street, go into a shop
• Walk too close to the Cobras and Puff Adders in the square (saw a woman get close, close call) (Marrakech)
• Forget to have dinner at Elizir

See you in Morocco!

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