2 Sweaty Scherms Morocco 2017

Let's see...where did we leave off... Today was our day on our own in Marrakech. Rach was remarking how much she felt like she was in an Indiana Jones movie. I have never been anywhere that feels so foreign yet so familiar at the same time as does Marrakech. I can't explain it. It's Africa, but European, permeated by Islam, but not imposing, clean, red and beautiful! The people are warm and friendly while the salesmen are terrifyingly pushy. Nothing makes sense while everything does. Anyway, we got lost on our way to our friends' riad due to getting distracted by the live chicken vendors, stray kittens, delivery mini-trucks of fresh herbs, the fishmonger slapping his fish onto the display shelf, etc. so we ended up face to face w/ the medina wall knowing at that point a u-turn was in order.  After a few map consulting stops in the shade of vendor awnings and a garbage collector pointing the way we made it.  So, a 5 min. walk took us 30! Dijana and I decided to take a pe...

Okay, so, w/o Mohamed we would have a) gotten terribly lost in a maze of souks, not to emerge again until next week or even a month from now b) paid double or more for anything we bought c) ate icky cookies instead of yummy ones d) taken 2-4-10 x as long to get to any of the tourist sights, especially those walking distance away e) been relentlessly hounded by shop salesmen and f) wandered into all the wrong stores just because the names were written in English a.k.a. tourist traps g) gotten run over by a bike/moped/donkey/car/pushcart and h) well, I could go on and on.  Anyway, after Mohamed's 2-day crash course in negotiating the medina I think the 4 of us will enjoy a navigational adventure to the gardens tomorrow and visit to the hammam, nap, maybe some henna and then a nice dinner, or whatever the day brings us.  Salaam alaikum! Lazama Synogogue - view from upstairs women's section

Fri. Shabbat Shalom!  Fitting to tour the Jewish quarter - mellah - of Marrakech and the Lazama Synogogue today. We also visited some amazing buildings architecturally (El Bahia Palace, Ben Youssef Madrasa, Saadian tombs) and some lovely adjoining shaded gardens and (back through the) shaded souks. Today felt hot hot hot which we bore like the good adventurers we aspire to be as we emerged from the shade w/ smiles and into the 106 degree schvitzing extravaganza. We even had a sweet hot tea break w/ yummy almond, rosewater and pistachio cookies. They say it's good for the stomach, but in this heat? Still, it was our choice to sit in a cafe on the square in the Mellah under the shade and sip hot tea while watching the world schvitz by. Sad to say goodbye tonight to our tour guide Mohamed after he walked us to meet Dijana and Nadia for dinner. We were entertained with live music and dancers at a 17th c. palace-now-restaurant called Dar Essalam, which was breathtakingly beautifully dec...

Tomorrow, Sat. is a free day and afternoon hammam treatments at Hammam de la Rose just around the corner to our riad. Saw a public hammam on our tour of the souks, w/ the heating attendant next door minding the heat and steam for the baths and tagines of the locals dropped off earlier in the day to cook. An unwelcome surge of heat met us as we passed the separate men's and women's entries. We hurried on to enjoy the cooler shaded alleyways of the covered souks in the medina.

Fri. - Slept through the first call to prayer this morn but awoke to birds singing in our riad courtyard. Our riad is very beautiful and the 2 Mohammeds on staff, Moona and others in the kitchen are helpful & accommodating. We were treated by Mohamed #1 to an orientation of Marrakech over tea and cookies then a tour of the riads' narrow whitewashed halls, stairways, decks, library and patio/courtyard areas before proceeding to get lost anyway on our way to and from our room. No locks to rooms; just a key to the main riad door & a room safe. Youssef is on dinner service then doubles as our nighttime guard, plus the main alley to our riad has a guardsman at night so we feel very safe. Breakfast, then a full day w/Mohamed our guide this morn, thank God. I am not quite ready to venture out on our own after walking the maze of the streets, souks and bustling square yesterday afternoon. Highlights were seeing the metal & leather artisans at work in the depths of the souks, ea...

We exchanged airport stories and were all soon passing out on the flight to Marrakech. In spite of the quality nap I still wasn't sure how long we'd last - the girls had little sleep their last night in Israel and I thoroughly jet lagged. Thanks to our enthusiastic tour guide Mohamed and the vibrant sights, sounds and wafting delicious bakery smells (alternating w/others scents not quite as enjoyable) in the souks we made it through dinner at our riad before collapsing into bed. Although Dijana's flight was delayed due to a missing pilot she made it in time to join us for dinner.  See next post...

Thurs. - After a layover of hours of waiting at the Madrid airport where I stayed awake by getting my nails done, riding the automatic walkway up and back in our terminal, had a coffee, paced alongside the walkway & back, hit the loo, re-applied make-up, read, spoke to the Info Booth ladies in French and English, browsed all the shops, Rach and Nadia finally arrived from Israel! Talk about great hugs.  I had to split this post up due to problems posting photos on-line. 

Pre-trip post-trip-delay-day-with-no-plans win at cards!  I knew there was a reason my schedule was delayed. Not to mention the impromptu opportunity to enjoy delicious homegrown heirloom tomato salad. Thank you neighbor Heather! xoxo - Susanne

Wow!  Morocco is soooo cool!! Actually, it's really hot, but I'm not experiencing that yet because I haven't left the US as my best laid plans went kaflooey.  I had quite an emotional morning spent at the airport while my travel-agent-extraordinaire/husband Greg, who, just after dropping me off, had to pull over at a Starbucks somewhere in San Diego to talk at length w/ AA international while Rebecca was on her phone acting as go-between for myself and Greg as I pled w/ an AA supervisor and a ticketing agent at the ticket counter to find a way to successfully get my tusch to Morocco as we so meticulously planned. Now normally as a Leo I enjoy lots of attention - but in this case, I have to say, I would have preferred just the usual TSA Precheck. After minutes ticked away while we did our useless waltz and it was certain I wasn't going to make my flights I collapsed onto the floor in front of the ticketing desk and, surrounded by bags, I stared into space wondering if t...

Destination:  Morocco 7/25-8/6 Welcome friends & family!  I thought I would share impressions and experiences about Rach's and my summer trip/s with you in one spot, specifically our blog spot! Below is a link to our Moroccan trip itinerary: http://tinyurl.com/Susanne-Rachel-Morocco-Packet I cannot believe I will be leaving in 4 days.  Rach and her friend Nadia arrive in Morocco from Israel the day after me, and Nadia's mom Dijana arrives same day as the girls do.  I imagine Dijana and I may experience some jetlag but hope a few good doses of Moroccan tea will help do the trick.  I have been packed for days now - there is a first time for everything - and after daily trips to CVS this week to pick up arch supports, dental floss, immodium, mascara, sunscreen, etc., I think I am about ready to go! Although Nadia and Dijana aren't using a tour organizer like we are - ours is Journey Beyond Travel - they will be paralleling our trip so that we will be s...