Trip to Morocco: Day One

Well my lovelies, I am just back from a 4 and a bit day trip to the south of Morocco and I can tell you before you read any further that it was certainly the highlight of my Erasmus and also one of the best experiences of my life so far. As if I hadn't already caught the travel bug! Now I'm itching to see the rest of the world (Or is that the bed bugs?), but of course there is one month of Erasmus left and then real life to return to. Some day though.

Last Monday we set off to Sevilla airport to catch our plane. This trip was planned in April fairly impulsively, a German friend found €50 return flights from Seville to Marrakech and what can I say, I got swept up in the excitement. We booked hostels some time after that and before we knew it the eight of us were on our way to AFRICA, which sounds very dramatic entirely. Marrakech is only  a short hop from Seville so we arrived at about 5pm and within 10 minutes on the airport bus, costing €3 in Moroccan currency, the Dirham, I could tell that a) this was like no place I had ever been before and b) I was very, very excited. This was a proud moment given that while I was packing I had my customary "I don't want to go" fear of the unknown moment. The bus let us off at Jemaa el-Fna, which a friend who had done more research quickly informed me was the largest square in Africa. 

Jemaa el-Fna at sunset

The noise and smells and colours had me transfixed, but no sooner had we taken a few steps than a small old man swooped down upon us saying "Waka Waka?" (the name of our hostel). It was with some trepidation, and the encouragement of a police officer, that we allowed him to lead us there, given how difficult it was supposed to be to find in the winding streets of the Souk. We soon realised that this is how things work in Marrakech. If you are lost or uncertain then there is always someone to help you find your way, for a small fee of course. Paying him 10 Dirham (€1) each seemed fair enough gvien how long it would have taken us on our own, and then we were home for the next few days.

this time for Africa!

Waka Waka was a different kind of hostel, similar in atmosphere to the very hippy one we stayed in in Granada, and was laid out in the traditional Riad style of windowless rooms around an internal courtyard lit from above by a roof which could be drawn back to let the air in. Despite reviews warning us of them, the dorm, while basic and a smidge uncomfortable, seemed thankfully bedbug free. The staff of Waka Waka are the best part, however, and we were very pleased to be welcomed in the common area by a cup of Moroccan mint tea (which we would drink a lot of) and a slice of cake. All this and breakfast for €6 a night!

Riad style

After settling in we went and found a supermarket to stock up on provisions. I love supermarkets in foreign countries. Of course, Spain's have lost their novelty at this stage but there's really nothing like looking at packaging you've never seen before and what people eat every day. We asked when we got back to the hostel where was good in the square to eat but were told everything closed at 10 after nighttime prayer in the mosques. We found this to not be true a few days later, but we'll chalk it up to a misunderstanding. 

one of about 20 million

My first observations of Morocco? There are cats everywhere, and I do mean everywhere. Feral cats and kittens were as present as pigeons are here, and if you have a phobia of them I'd ask you to think about it before going to Marrakech. Secondly, it is not as dirty as people tell you it is (at least in Marrakech). Also, in the evening there were far more men out than women, and the women who were out were covered up. In a country almost 99% Muslim that's not surprising. The attitudes are simply different to what we're used to in Western Europe. Basically what I'm trying to tell you is: dress modestly. Fortunately we knew about this and it was long skirts and loose trousers all the way. If you wear a mini skirt, shorts or strappy tops which show off your chest/shoulders, you are going to get a lot of attention. And it won't necessarily be positive.

modest dress: protects you from the sun and unwanted leering. 

Stay tuned for Day 2. I'd say "tomorrow" but we know how unreliable I am. Hasta entonces x