After realizing how small is Frankfurt HHN airport and what a big mistake it was to do the security check so fast we somehow finally got to Marrakesh airport where i was welcomed as a rock star. A special guest. Guest of honor. VIP. ( a taxi was sent for us with my name on it)
Taxi driver took us to our hotel and on the way we could observe the city that immediately feels a lot more different. A lot more like Adventures. And what a lucky coincidence exactly on the days we were visiting Marrakesh, they had a world summit for sustainable energy and/ or green living or smth to do with that. We didn't really care, what we saw was a lot of police on the streets that got our attention. So we felt safe. Would we feel safe if there would not be so many police....? I think i would. Not a single time did we come up to a situation that would look even remotely scary. ( as to me).
Some of my travel partners seemed to be scared even before we got on plane to Morocco.
So who were we and where exactly did we go. It all started with one of my ideas of traveling. For some time i wanted to go to Morocco, so i bought tickets for myself(110 eur there and back from Riga with connection in Frankfurt ) and then told about it to my friends. So day after day our ranks got bigger and more of them bought the same tickets until our number reached 6. Five Latvians and one German. Why one German? Well because i said so.....and we needed someone who speaks French ( commonly spoken in Morocco)
Me and Juli went the full trip while other Latvians went home in the middle of my trip.
Our trip was: Riga - Frankfurt- Marakesh - Sahara Desert - ( here latvians went home) - Casablanca - Rabat - Fes(Fez) - Frankfurt - Riga.
Marrakesh, city of not so much. When we first saw it it looked awesome of course. Never ever had i been in such a country. Driving is crazy, loads of scooters ( fact; anyone can drive a scooter without any driving license, any age, and scooters dont need any plate numbers) but funny enough 0 accidents. In my whole trip i saw only one car accident in the mountains. Seems impossible in a country that clearly lacks rules or people who would follow the rules on streets. But NO car accidents at all. Best drivers i have seen.
On first day we got till our hotel and went to a local restaurant to eat Tagine ( local food) for first time and drink the famous mint tea. I was happy as hell. Next day get up early put on my guide mood and lead everybody into a city i knew exactly nothing about.
And soon enough we are in the old town, locals looking with a bit of strange look on us, because we were not in the typical streets of tourism. Soon enough we find a museum where we buy city map, have tea and coffee and we are ready to explore the city. As we approach the Souk ( Market) Some of girls start to disagree with my leadership and start to propose not to go in the market at ALL. Because it looks too scary. ( Poor Latvian tourists. They did not completely understand with whom they went on this trip) so after listening to their prepositions ( like a good city guide would do) i completely ignored it all, girls cramped their hands stronger into guys hands and into the market we went.
Colorful, rich in taste and smell and all what you would like to expect. To make it better add occasional donkeys, carts pulled by men and scooters all going through the narrow streets at the same fucking time.
Some of us tried to bargain with the locals for a scarf, they did not like the process so it was never repeated again. But my friends bought some spices, and souvenirs on the way out of the market. During day we ate in a restaurant on top of one of the houses in the market. Food was great and price acceptable. Everywhere you can eat and drink for average 60 dirhams per person. More is already quite overpaid. 60 dirhams about 6,00 eur.
After exploring the glory of market went out of it and visited the new town and parks, not anything of interest there but might suit anybody who want to relax a bit from the old towns rush and noise.
On way home my friend Artūrs found the only store in whole Morocco that sells alcohol and with stuff in our bags home we went. On the way we saw a bit of junk market outside of city walls, where they sell literally anything. Calculators, phone batteries, light bulbs and anything else they have seemed to find on the street the day before. Here unlikely how in old town market sales men took no interest in us and didn't offer anything for "the best price"
First day done, legs warmed up for the second day.
On second day we took a different route to visit Royal Palace and the huge garden next to it. Quite visible was our disappointment when we learnt that in no Royal palace tourists are allowed, no tourists can visit any mosque in Morocco ( big pity for my friends who had never been in one before) and the huge garden is also part of the royal palace that is surrounded all over by some 5 m tall walls.
So we went back to central market, ate some food, noticed that today there were people with live monkeys chained like dogs in leashes and also a couple of snake whisperers. Seeing that, we chose a way out of the city, ended up a bit further from home than expected and got back home some 15 min later than planned.
