Marrakech, Je T’aime
by Lena
Madersa Ben Youssef
I’ll be honest, this was not a love at first sight though… It was gradual…
Our first date was a grand disaster! ~
I got no flowers, gifts or compliments, instead I got yelled at, stepped on, lied to on several occasions and for a second there thought
I won’t make it to my 28th Birthday by trying to maneuver my way through endless craziness of horse carriages, bikes, cars and buses…
Not so Zen …
Of course being the independent, female, solo traveler, I refused to pay to any local guide and chose to discover AKA “go on my second date” with Marrakech on my own terms, at my own pace and on my own two feet.
Even if it meant that I won’t feel my legs by the end of the day, I’ll be run over by something or led into some “tourist trap” by some guy who tells you that the place you’re looking for is closed today, but he’ll be more than happy to show you something much more interesting in the meantime…
My Reply was ; ” Don’t hassle the hassler, darling.. have a great day! “
Covered from head to toes in dust, with no knowledge of French, (since Morocco is ex-French colony) or Arabic, but free, proud and stubborn, I stood in the middle of hassle and bustle of Marrakech, trying to figure out which way to go. Armed with a map, camera & a water bottle, off I went…
The Koutoubia Mosque
Got lost and ended up in Mellah ( Jewish quarter of Marrakech) … which is a home to this lovely chameleon.. don’t speak French.. just yet.. but fluent in Chameleon!
Then there was this guy, who kept following me around the city and watched me taking photos.
Thought to myself, only a day here, dressed modestly and already managed to get a stalker! Then he came up and asked me if I could take his picture. I smiled and nodded. He stepped closer to the wall, put his hands in his pockets and gave me this stare into my lens…
what a character!
Then continued following me around. After a few hours of trying to loose this guy in the endless alleyways, I gave up and asked him to stop following me… You see, even when traveling solo, sometimes you find yourself in situations actually asking people to let you be just that… solo.
Exotic smells & Mint tea in one of the herbs shops of Medina.
Here, you can find anything! From natural remedies from cold & all health problems under the sun, to a natural jasmine perfume & a “Berber Lipstick” ~ It’s a small brown pot, which you touch with your wet finger, deep red color rubs off the pot and you apply the rubbed off substance on your lips … Ladies, it actually works! “Easy, Breezy, Beautiful, Cover Girl , Berber Pot! ” and gals, I got mine for free!
Colorful Spices of the Medina
Souks in the Medina – UNESCO World Heritage Site
Jemaa el Fna
Jemaa el Fna is full of surprises, different smells, snake charmers, drums, delicious food, monkeys on leashes and complete chaos – I love it here! And speaking of snake charmers… meet my new friend.. Cobra ..
oh please.. big deal… i can do that too ..
” The Four Arches of Marrakech ” can you spot the 4th one?
You can see those colorful strings everywhere if you pay attention… At first I didn’t understand what they were and thought people tie them up for good luck, but then I saw this while walking through the alleys …
Here’s the process of making a caftan.. right on the street, he hooks it to the wall and then hard work begins…
After a few hours of walking around craziness of this maze, I found myself being taken away by the serene side of Marrakech… into beautiful, peaceful and graceful arms of Jardin Majorelle …
Here, I felt at peace…
perfect place to relax, breath & be
Since 1980 the garden was owned by Yves Saint Laurent and after he died in 2008 his ashes were scattered in the Majorelle Gardens.
Yves Saint Laurent’s collection of Love post cards that he used to send to his friends every year.
The card he send out the year I was born..
Feeling rested and renewed I continued exploring Marrakech…
Slowly beginning to feel the first butterflies towards the Yin/Yang of this place and it’s mysterious energy, which pulled me further and further away from my own pride into it’s passionate arms…
While walking through the streets my senses, to be more specific my nose, led me to one of the small and hidden local eateries…
I saw several small and big pots standing on fire… The smell was so heavenly, that I could not pass it without stopping and fully breathing it in …
This turned out to be the most popular Moroccan dish – Tagine.
Since I’ve never tried it before, I just had to get one of those little pots and open it… especially after walking for hours.
I looked around and saw no other woman, only men. And there were zero tourists… perfect !
I ordered a small chicken Tagine..
This was insanely DELICIOUS!
The guy who keeps this place asked me to return tomorrow and have one on him… I said Merci Beaucoup in my almost perfect french .. that’s one of the 3 phrases I know … & a very American maybe ..
Then made my way to Palais Badi ..
and beautiful Palais Bahia
where some guy played on a flute for me while I was sitting next to one of the beautiful mosaic windows..
At night I headed to my now favorite Jemaa El Fna for some dinner and music..
Jemaa El Fna at night
this is how I was greeted at one of the food stalls..
one of them even showed me a different use for Tagine’s top ..
After a mouthwatering dinner, I went to watch musicians… can’t live without the sound of drums..
it’s raw and animalistic… just the way I like it.
After about 15 minutes they asked the crowd to tip, so I tipped the musicians and continued watching them, having to stop myself from being taking away by their sounds into a dance.
But then, saw a little girl, who works with these musicians sometimes. She starting to dance inside the circle of onlookers.. when she saw me, she came up and asked me to come dance with her..
I gave the camera to some tourist lady who was sitting and watching musicians next to me and asked her to take our picture while we danced… well the picture didn’t turn out so well… but the memory that I got to dance with that incredible girl, who stole my heart on that dance floor I will cherish forever..
We danced for about 20 minutes and the crowd around us began growing .. fast!
I actually asked for my money back since this girl and I brought them almost the whole Jemaa El Fna square…
we all laughed..
It was time to go back to my hotel since I wanted to visit beautiful Ouzoud Waterfalls the next day, that live 3 hours away from Marrakech.
I made my way through now empty & still streets…
feeling so incredibly alive, happy and
in love…
PS – To the person who arrived at my blog after they googled the following – ” do the oscar winners have sex in the after party? “
Answer : It depends on how much alcohol they’ve had at that party.. : ))
PPS – I uploaded a video of my jump into the most dangerous pool in the world..
_____________________
The woman behind the words …
↓
I do so always enjoy your posts, your adventures and your photographs. Thanks for sharing your art. :)
I nominated you for the Sunshine award. :) If you choose to participate in the award show, go here: http://currierose.wordpress.com/2012/04/18/my-own-person-award-show/
Have a lovely day,
Currie
mi piace. like a lot.
Very inspiring, thank you! I love hearing and reading about solo female travelers! :) What an exciting life.
fun!
Intriguing and beautiful!!
Awesome post – the pictures and words are very captivating. You are truly gifted in many ways.
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed both : )
el
Love this! I’ve always been fascinated with Marrakech thanks to National Geographic and old movies. Now I’d really love to go there.
You really should! No movie, book or a picture can fully fulfill all the senses.. you have to be there..
love & light
el
Great Post! Do they have cheeseburgers in Marrakech?
not sure : )
Amazing colors! <3
Brilliant post and wonderful pictures, never been to Africa expect out in the desert in Alger while my fiance where testing cars – have friend that has been in Marrakech and they describe it just like you – colorful and exciting. Love the blue background with the 3 pots. Thanks for bring color into my grey – Wednesday.
Glad you enjoyed it! Yes, the colors are fascinating in that place… you can not take a bad picture even if you tried..
love & light & many colors your way! ; )
el
Yes, that is what my friends told me .. too. It’s like a firework.
Beautiful!!!
you totally do inspire me. and the “dreamy state” you make it of travelling solo… very cool. would love to hear about how you get cash to travel. email me on: darrel.hofland@gmail.com.
Travel doesn’t have to be expensive.. it’s only as expensive as you make it out to be.. seriously, THIS GUY can tell you all about low cost travel, better than I ever hope to do..
But here’s a few tips from moi ;
* payed for all 4 tickets to 3 countries and back to US – $1700 on tickets alone I saved about 4 thousand of dollars ( Vayama.com / momondo.com )
* didn’t use agencies and buy tickets myself
* travel lightly and never pay for baggage ( I travel around the world with carry on only )
* use local transport & eat at local places ( a great way to actually see the REAL country you are in )
* I don’t mind staying at low cost places, since all I need is a good bed & a shower, the rest is not important, since I only sleep in the hotel, the rest time I spend exploring the country and it’s culture. But sometimes I do like to stay at a nice place and since I usually save a lot of cash on plane tickets, I’m able to do that.
* don’t shop at expensive places and prefer vintage clothes ( LA is full of very cheap amazing vintage stores.. gotta love America.. )
* don’t care much for diamonds and brands
* Never go to a beauty salon
* I’m not one of those beverly hills housewives that you see on television and i couldn’t care less about silk bedding and porshe, don’t have a car..
* i have about 4-5 pairs of shoes
* travel is high on my priority list and i choose to spend my money on travel instead of a mortgage and a car ..
hope this helps .. good luck and
Let there always be a road ..
el
Elena, I hope you don’t mind, I read this question and couldn’t help but reply;
– CHOOSE DESTINATION WISELY. For example; as a budget traveller you can live in India & China for $15 a day, S.E. Asia $20, S. America $25, Africa $30, Australia $40, etc.
– CHOOSE DESTINATIONS CLOSE TOGETHER. International flights are expensive! Instead of flying between countries, why not choose an area of the world you would like to visit and cross borders overland. E.g. A one way flight from Ethiopia to Sudan $300 while an overland bus from Ethiopia to Sudan $15
– FLIGHTS: Get a flight to the cheapest destination and cross boarders overland. Don’t buy flights leaving on Friday to Monday or you will pay a premium.
– DONT TAKE TOURS. Tours are designed for speed and comfort. You can’t experience a country sat in a fish bowl. Get out and walk, wonder, explore. It’s free. Jump on a local bus, get a shared taxi, hitch a lift and get lost, meeting people as you go!
– STAY IN BUDGET HOTEL/HOSTEL. Stay where locals stay, you don’t think the average person pays $100 a night in a developing county do you? Alternatively stay at a hostel with like minded travellers.
– CAMPING. Carry a tent and use it when you can, they are tiny, weighing 1.5Kg (ideal for Oz, NZ or Africa). In South America you can sleep in a hammock under the stars at hotels for a couple of dollars
– AVOID PEAK SEASON. Need I say more?
– EAT AT LOCAL RESTAURANTS. Don’t just see the world, taste it too. It’s less than $2 in developing countries.
– DONT PRE-BOOK. Get last minute flights, last minute seat on bus, barter for bed in an empty hotel. The internet is a smart cookie, they know where you are from and charge accordingly. Always turn up & barter. Always be prepared to walk away.
– BARTER. Always barter for everything but remember people must earn a living.
– SHARE ROOM/TRANSPORT. It is the only time in your life when you will meet a traveller one evening and share a room with them the next. Most are on the same wave length and happy to share.
– STAY WITH LOCALS. Hang out with the locals and accept an invitation to stay. This is common in Africa and Asia.
– COUCH SURF. I have never done this but it is becoming popular – look into it.
– HITCH HIKE. Forget western pre-conceptions of Hitch-hiking. I hitched 60% of my way across the African continent, the rest by public transport. It leads to some amazing stories and is socially acceptable in most non-western countries. The locals do it, so why not?
NOTE: Just remember if an average local person in a country can live on $?? a day then why can’t you?
Peace & Safe Travels
Darren
Darren, thank you for such an amazing input! Maybe I should write a post sometime about how to travel and not break the bank and include your comment with a link to your blog. These are great points and suggestions!
Cheers EL.
Darren, I posted this in one of my posts with a link to your blog. /2011/11/15/africa-solo/ I will also add this updated version to my next post.
Thank you for such detailed info! I’m sure my readers will appreciate it!
love & light
el
Thanks EL. I often get asked this same question over and over again. People are always amazed that it is possible travel for a year or more without working. Putting aside budget saving tips, at the end of the day it just comes down to a life style choice. Buy that flash car or travel for a year, get that big mortgage or enjoy life while you are young and able, in most cases the choice is yours…
Peace & Safe Travels.
Stop stealing my words! : )
Which words?
just the way you feel the world is very similar to my own..
Interesting… I thought that too.
Welcome back! :) Glad you have such lovely adventures. Beautiful pictures and I love the travelogue.
Thank you Lisa! Happy you liked this post… more to come soon.. I’m back and now preparing for the most important journey of my life so far..
citizenship interview.. which will take place in May..
love & light
el
Another destination for our bucket list! :-) Great shots!
Love the pictures withthe cobra, you are one brave lady
you should see the pictures with me and lions : )
glad you liked the post
el
I loved Morocco! The food, the people, the music… all of it. Looks like you had an amazing time!
can’t wait to go back.. hopefully really soon .. really, this place just has a hold on me now.. that’s beyond my control..
Great post as always, Elena! Marrakech is one of my favorite cities and particularly love the square at night. Keep up the amazing work!
Thanks for this post and photos!
I was in Morocco as well. See
http://dearkitty1.wordpress.com/2010/12/27/sanderlings-and-stone-curlews/
and blog posts around it.
Really good post – it reminded me of my visit there – Thanks!
Nice Photos!
How fabulous; you and the trip! I loved the photos and felt like I discovered an exotic world too. The photo of the street with the monkey reminded me of Raider of the Lost Arc.
I can’t wait to see where you go next!
Thank you Susie!
Have many more posts on the way.. from Morocco-Egypt-Turkey trip..
This was just first day : )
Sounds amazing!
Thank you for taking me on the most wonderful virtual tour of Marrakech. I was mesmerised by the words, colours, images & photographs :) P.S. The 4th arch is the cat. Nice touch.
So glad you enjoyed this post. Have many more on the way.. this was just first day.. will be sharing videos as well..
ps – yep, that cat was a perfect model in that shot ; )
What a colorful place, beautiful photos.. what an amazing time :)
Great adventure & some great pictures too :-)
Aaw fabulous post! I was just thinking of your blog and hoping you’d post soon. Great pictures, love the colors- now I want to go :)
you absolutely should! I did not want to leave..
Great post, looks like you had a great time. I’ll have to go visit!
Beautiful post! I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing it.
Olga
Wonderful place
What an interesting place! Thanks for sharing, sounds like you made the best of every situation, gotta love that positive attitude! :)
Fabulous!
Glad you had a great trip! As a solo traveler, how did you take the pictures with you included? i’d be scared someone would run off with my camera, even on a self timer. you did well! Great blue colours!
Your courage and flair for adventure should be an inspiration to young women everywhere.
Thank you for your kind words.
love & light
el
Amazing post! Love the pics you took!
What a great post! Was the fourth arch the cat?
Your photos are gorgeous, and remind me of when I visited the city and fell in love (okay, maybe not love. More of an “intrigued, excited, and want to see him again.”)
Kudos for braving such a chaotic city solo!
yep, that cat posed perfectly… timing is everything..
Thank you for the compliments and I’m glad you enjoyed reading this post.
el
ps – I definitely want to see “him” again .. ; )
Great post! Looks like an amazing place!