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| Oh boy, did I miss that smile! |
Cue two weeks of exploring Morocco with my long-lost bestie!
We'd been planning this adventure ever since our last, in Chicago (check it out here!), so we had plenty of time to discuss the sandy beaches we'd find, the mint tea we'd drink, and the treasures we'd discover in the souk.
The real Morocco was even more compelling than our daydreams, of course, in all its colorful elan and problematic gender norms and leather and almond-scented medinas. I had the best time, with my best friend.
Now excuse me, while I reminisce. You might want to grab a cuppa tea and settle in...
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| Casablanca, in the world's 3rd largest mosque. That ceiling retracts! |
We kicked off the trip with a one-day whirlwind tour of Casablanca, followed by a shlep south to Essaouira. The two cities couldn't be more different. We traded the grand, industrial scale of Casablanca for the small port town, painted in blue and buzzing with French tourists in search of the sun.
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| Our trip tasted like fresh OJ -- we drank some in every city! |
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| Essaouira, in all its azure beauty. |
We stayed in the media, the walled old city, during our weekend by the sea. At the end of the day, we would meander through the stone alleyways, lined by craftsmen and kittens, and climb a tiled spiral staircase to reach our AirBnB nest.
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| The yummiest pizza, hamdullah, in our little expat beach alcove. |
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| Get at me, Moroccan tourism board. |
We packed our new purchases (Moroccan linen clothing and cosmetic amber) and popped back onto the train.
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| I made a pal on the train :) |
We chugged to Marrakesh, the reigning king of tourism in Morocco, for a thrilling encounter with the red-baked city (no, really; all buildings must be the same hue, according to a royal decree!).
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| Exploring the Bahai Palace in Marrakesh! |
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| Jemma El Fna, home to snake charmers and story tellers. |
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| Jardin Majorelle, with its illustrious blue. |
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| Earth Cafe, the only vegetarian restaurant in Morocco |
With heavier bags and lighter wallets, we said shokran to the south and headed back to Rabat. Blake had Arabic classes, so I contented myself during the day with reading (The Color Purple), interviewing (I got the gig! And am loving it), and exploring the capital city.
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| Paying our respects at Hassan Tower |
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| Chellah, a Roman ruin. The clicking of storks' beaks echoed through the site. |
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| The Kasbah of the Udayas |
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| Looking across the estuary to Sale. |
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| We sipped Moroccan tea and chatted here, for hours. I loved this place. |
Our final excursion was to a city I serendipitously uncovered in Blake's tour book -- Larache!
We were the only tourists in town. Quite the experience. Blake's Arabic and Spanish were more than enough to get us around an old colony of Spain, so we made the most of this hidden gem.
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| Maghreb in the Maghreb! |
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| Temple of Neptune, Lixus |
It was here that we earned our best "for the grandkids" stories, as Blake calls them.
Find our favorite bakery; eat harsha and raib daily? Check.
Accidentally pay five USD for a seven-course lunch? Yep, that happened.
Charter a small fishing boat to paddle us to a sandy beach? Duh.
Receive a private tour of Lixus, astounding Roman ruins otherwise closed to the public, and then hitchhike in a new Audi to said sandy beach? But of course.
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| Oh yeah, rejecting those cultural standards of female modesty. |
I've been privileged to travel extensively in my few years, and I always say that exploring the world with someone you love makes the sun shine with a particularly rosy tinge, regardless of continent. This could not have been more true in Morocco.
Blake, you have the most sparkling personality of anyone I know. You inspire me to embrace life -- hardships and challenges included -- with a full heart and my best smile. Please, let's be friends for a long, long time, ok? :) I can't wait for our next adventure!
L
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