Meet Me in Marrakesh
The stench of urine is noteworthy. And beware of the motorcyclists, forever zipping past impossibly close through mixed crowds of locals and tourists alike. Wind in their hair. Cross, if you dare.
Pedestrians, take care!
Marrakesh, the Ultimate Gritty City
The streets are steamy, with smoke coming from grills and burners and kitchen exhaust pipes. Fumes from motor bikes mix with the scent of sizzling animal flesh: chicken grilling, camel tucked between two buns — but the scent of bacon won’t meet your nostril.
Steam floats past pastel buildings, dilapidated, in varying states of decay. And the lights of the night shine through the haze and down on the mass of humanity — upon the crowds of people, making their way who knows where. Garbage, here and there. Mist in the air.
Marrakesh is the ultimate gritty city.
From Naples to Athens, I love gritty cities — as long as they have plenty of character or charm. Marrakesh has oodles of both.
Confidence is Key
After two weeks of exploring the North African Kingdom of Morocco, I still manage a polite, but adamant, “no, shokran,” to hustlers along the way. By far I get more “Hola, Chica!”s in Marrakesh than in Madrid. The place is thriving. Streets are for the people, and I adore the spectacle of it all.
Marrakesh is where I became master of studying directions in advance, then walking confidently out into the world, checking my GPS only ever so discreetly as I go. Looking competent is key. Ignore the “helpers,” or they’ll be all over you.
It’s past dark the first time I venture outside my hotel to explore. I just arrived on my maiden visit, and already I’m walking around like I own this town. I’m sending out my best don’t-mess-with-me vibe. It’s for survival. The weak get eaten alive.
Marrakesh is my kind of city.
My strategy of charging off in confidence regardless of whether I know where I’m actually going has led to slight embarrassment on a few occasions, when I’ve bolted off in one direction only to realize it was the wrong direction. I backtrack past merchants like I really don’t care. But they know I’m backtracking. And I know they know. And they know I know they know.
Meet Me In Marrakech?
OK, so one does not really get “eaten alive” in Marrakesh. And not every street smells of urine — though as in downtown Seattle or in New York City, you can catch a whiff now and then. Let’s just say I took a bit of artistic liberty in this stream-of-consciousness piece. Think of it as a dramatic ode to this Moroccan mecca I’ve come to love.
But, pedestrians, you really must take care on any visit to Morocco. (Pedestrian street lights are purely decorative, I’ve found.)
As I type this, there is snow falling outside my window here in Edmonds, Washington. So I’m thinking quite fondly on those five weeks I spent traveling through Spain and Morocco (but mostly Morocco) in November and December of last year. The further south I got — Marrakesh, Essaouira, Ouarzazate, Agadir, and even as far as the Sahara — the more spoiled I got by the weather. You can sign me up for enjoying December temps in the low 70s (Fahrenheit!) anytime.
How about you?
Travel with Me to Morocco and Beyond
I’ll be posting more on my Moroccan journeys in the coming weeks, but for now I’d like to tell you briefly about a friend and colleague who runs tours beyond Europe — including to Morocco! He’s a Rick Steves’ Europe tour guide and the founder of Imprint Tours. His name is Reid Coen, and I’m excited to announce that I will be guiding some of his future tours — most likely starting in 2021. And so I’d like to gauge your interest!
Imprint Tours offers a wonderful Morocco itinerary, but the world is Imprint’s oyster, as there are many incredible destinations waiting to be explored by a merry band of enthusiastic travelers like us! Let me share a bit more about Reid Coen and Imprint Tours.
Imprint Tours
Reid has been leading tours for Rick Steves’ Europe for over 20 years — since 1996! Once he even had Rick himself as a tour member, which Reid talks about in this guide interview. “Having Rick on my tour was a completely positive experience. He blended in like any other tour member — just there to enjoy Europe and the tour. The other tour members were initially a bit star-struck, but quickly got used to him and he became a regular part of the group.”
Reid founded Imprint Tours in 2005, and his company is all about “traveling with intent” by broadening horizons through cultural experiences. In short, according to the Imprint Tour philosophy, “travel broadens horizons, introduces new ways of seeing the world, equips us with a new frame of reference for evaluating our own society, breaks down prejudice, and promotes global understanding.”
For me, those are words to embrace and to live by. If these ideals and an enthusiasm for travel resonate with you, too, I’d love to share these exciting tour happenings with you. If you’d like to join me for fabulous explorations abroad, or would like to stay in the loop on what’s to come, please submit your interest below.
Travels with Stef
A Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single click.
Shokran! Merci Beaucoup! Muchas Gracias! Vielen Dank! Thanks so much!
Marrakesh is Photogenic
In the meantime — before I wrap up this post — I’d like to leave you with a few more pictures I took in Marrakesh to conclude today’s written and visual journey!
As always, thank you so much for stopping by! Please share your questions and thoughts in the comments section! And don’t forget to submit your travel interest above!
Shokran!
Related article: Two years ago I spent time journeying to Morocco’s imperial city of Fez and came away with much more than I could have imagined.
“The stench of urine is noteworthy.” Haha, what a way to start an article. Honestly though, I love how you are so candid and honest in your writing. It was entertaining to read, but also helpful. I agree that confidence is key and studying a map before entering an unfamiliar city is a good idea. We made the mistake of not doing that in Stone Town, Zanzibar and we got led around by all kind of guys looking to get some cash out of us.
Hi Cecilia! I’m glad you appreciated the candor! Haha! I hope you had a great time in Zanzibar, despite being led all around by guys with an agenda. It looks so incredible in pictures, so I hope to make it there myself some day. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
I like your honest opinion about the stench of urine, steamy streets, garbage, the motorcyclist, crowds, and the scent of the sizzling animal flesh. Never read or heard about that before from people who traveled to Marrakesh. Yes, it’s not everywhere but it’s there. Making a visit to Marrakesh more exotic. Just like in the movies.
Hi Umiko! Thank you! I like to try to give honest descriptions — and these were indeed the first observations I made upon arrival in Marrakesh. Although, as can be seen from the pictures, it’s so much more than the initial sensory-overload experiences I shared! There’s also so much beauty and culture to be experienced. Happy travels!
I loved Marakesh for the architecture and the patterns, those are so beautiful. I also miss Marocan tea with mind, that was so delicious to eat with roasted almonds. I should probably visit again as I see from your post that there are some places I haven’t seen.
Hi Anita! Yes, I need to visit again too! I think there’s still so much more to explore! And I also adore the Moroccan mint tea and how it is served so sweet and full of ceremony — when it’s poured in such a tall stream cascading down from the kettle to the glass! Thanks for your comments!
I really want to visit Marrakesh. Your photos were amazing and the tiles at the Saadian Tombs – wow!
Thank you so much, Jane! I hope you do get to visit sometime soon! 🙂
I’ve always considered Marrakesh to be such a romantic city: full of history, movement, enticing (and gross) smells, where anything can happen. I totally get what you say about survival of the fittest. There are so many beautiful colors and patterns all over the buildings and architecture. So cool that you’re going to be able to start guiding tours. Sounds like a fun adventure!
Yes, Marrakesh — and Morocco in general — is full of such interesting, colorful, and enticing contrasts! It’s such a unique place that is full of character and authenticity. I wouldn’t have it any other way! Thanks for your comments and for stopping by, Rachelle!
Marrakech is much in my wish list. Being from India, a gritty city is something that I’m pretty used to.
Loved your photographes. Looking forward to read your upcoming posts on Morocco…
Bhushavali recently posted…Street art & Installations (Prague – Czechia)
Thanks so much, Bhushavali! I hope to make it back to your part of the world — to India — in the not-too-distant future. I really loved my introduction to the big country and feel that there is so much more still to explore! Happy travels!
It was really interesting to read about your Maraksh experience and I really enjoyed every line of it. Congrats on your new job as a tour guide, I hope you have a lot of fun on the way. I would definitely love to meet you if I visite Marrakesh (hopefully, later on this year).
Hi Daniel! Thanks for stopping by and for your comments! I’m very excited for you that you might be traveling to Marrakesh later this year! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! 🙂
Marrakech is a pretty city and you have captured the pictures so well. It is great to know that you will be getting into being a guide just like your friend Reid. I am sure the experience will be thrilling! Rick Steeve’s Europe Tour is really popular, and I am sure, you will gain valuable experience of your lifetime with them. Wish you good luck! When I visit Marrakech, I would love to meet you!
Hi Shreya! Thanks for your comments! If we ever end up in the same place at the same time, it would be great to meet in real life! Take care and happy travels!