and a happy new year!

The final part of Christmas break was an epic New Year’s celebration with new and old friends meeting, mingling, and adventuring through Morocco.

auld lang syne or something like it: a reunion

Something that I’d been hoping would happen – and then was so exciting to look foward to once it was planned – was reuniting with one of my American friends from our semester together at the University of Glasgow in Spring of 2017. Alexa is also on a Fulbright, but in Greece – hopefully a future trip to Greece is in the cards for me, but we were so excited to be able to coordinate to spend part of winter break together. what a small world! We were so delighted to hear that we would both be in Europe at the same time, doing what we both love, knowing that we’d meet up somehow. How fun it was to be able to journey to Marrakesh with Alexa and Amanda!

from paris to marrakesh

The flight from Paris to Marrakesh was a popular one, and our riad arranged for transport from the airport back to it. The owners of the riad were a wonderful family and they were incredibly gracious and helped us engage with the local community and feel quite comfortable. As soon as we arrived, we were offered some delicious Moroccan tea – I dream of it, and I drank as much as was possible during our almost-week in the country. As I mentioned, Amanda and I met up in France and then time came for us to go to Marrakesh. We met Alexa at the riad, and it was such fun to catch up and think about the next few days. The restaurant in our little village – which was just outside/across from the medina – had a stellar menu, and the food was scrumptious. We could not stop eating…another tagine, please! It was NYE, but we chose not to book a party/dinner ahead of time – alcohol laws are very strict, so we celebrated with our delicious dinner and decided to do something special on New Year’s Day, rather than trying to find bars or such. I suggested that we watch the Times Square Ball Drop, which Amanda and Alexa took very well…they gently let me realize that that would be in hours, as we were several time zones ahead. Classic MK! I’m so glad we chose the course of action that we did, as it was a perfect evening and the next day was a wonderful way to ring in 2020!

We spent the next day exploring Marrakesh, and we had a grand time shopping and searching for bargains at the souks. Bartering is quite a skill, and I was a little rusty! The products and wares were beautiful, and the selection was stunning. Of course, we enjoyed food and exploring and just taking it all in as best we could.

In the afternoon we went to the Majorelle Garden, and I’m so glad we waited a bit to go in. They were designed by Yves St. Laurent, and they are an incredibly peaceful place. It was such a visual treat, and I am grateful we had the chance to visit. In the evening, before sunset, we went to a rooftop hotel bar to ring in 2020. Alexa had noticed the hotel the day before Amanda and I arrived, and it was an excellent spot – a fun menu, a really neat vibe, and sunset views. What a day!

to the Sahara we go!

The next morning, the adventure began! This is truly what brought us to Marrakesh. Last night, after celebrating the new year, we had dinner at our favorite place (surprise!) and stocked up on snacks and water. It was a bit of an early morning, but it was so worth it. Our van picked us up from the riad a little after 7am, and it was a good group of people from all over. Basically, it is an 11 hour drive (more or less) from Marrakesh to the Sahara. On the way there, we did it in two days; on the way back, all in way. It was a delightful way to see part of the country and interact with its history and culture.

Day 1

The first real stop was in the Atlas mountains – they are stunning! It was cold and windy and just beautiful. We obviously had little stops and took in beautiful scenes of the countryside and various sites, but I’ll continue to focus on the main ones. Our big stop on the first day was at the UNESCO site of Ait-Ben-Haddou. This ancient settlement is an “igherm,” or fortified village, on old caravan routes between the Sahara and Marrakesh. There is a modern village across the river, and the old part is wonderfully preserved. We met a tour guide from the area who showed us around and taught us about the livelihoods of citizens and the remarkable history of the site. Numerous shows / movies have been filmed here, and it is easy to see why, thanks to the stunning beauty and incredible preservation of the site.

We went to a big shop area at the end, where we received our “passport to the Sahara” – a scarf to block the sun, of course! We had the opportunity to purchase one from a wide variety, and then learned how to properly wrap and tie them for optimal sun protection.

We spent the night at a hotel and had a really fun dinner with others from the same bus – a Finnish couple, a Spanish couple, and two Italians. We laughed and got to know each other, and the food was great as well.

Day 2

The next day was yet another mini-adventure, and filled with even more excitement as we got closer and closer to the desert. The countryside was stark and beautiful; it is harsh, and totally different scenery. Our big stop today was at Toudgha El Oulia, a commune/village near the Toudgha Gorge. We toured the commune and saw the old, historical part, as well as the slightly less ancient and more populated parts. It was stunning. After the tour, we went to a local rug store. It is essential a co-op, and the women who make the rugs earn fair wages and such, and we were thrilled to have the chance to support them in their work. I got a small rug, and it was the literal final thing I could fit into my pack.

After seeing the village, we went to the gorge. It was spectacular. I waited until the end to say it out loud, as I did not want to ruin it for others, but it looked eerily similar to the scene in the Lion King when Scar kills Mufasa still, absolutely breathtaking. The drive was punctuated by other smaller breaks, and lunch of course. I cannot eat enough of this food!

Finally, the terrain began to change – we were nearing the Sahara!

THE DESERT:

There is no way to adequately describe this, but I’ll do my best and let your imaginations do the rest. I will say that the Sahara Desert is NOT warm at night, especially during the winter…fortunately, we prepared for this!

We arrived and prepared to head into the desert. The sun was still really strong, and I’m so grateful they made sure we knew how to wrap and wear our scarves to prevent sunburn. My camel behaved so well, and riding them into the desert was unlike anything I had ever imagined! Growing up, my grandparents had a pony and then a couple of old rodeo horses, so I have a decent amount of recreational riding experience, but camels are way different! For one, they stand up with their back legs first, so you’re at a STEEP angle looking at the ground; I didn’t really feel like I was going to fall, but it was funny to witness each other experience it for the first time.

Away we went in small groups in the sand dunes. I’m not sure for how long we rode the camels, but it felt like both an eternity and no time at all (cliche but fitting here). We disembarked (precariously) and then had time to wander around some of the dunes. They are really hard to climb! But wow, was it worth it to climb and climb and see more and more.

There was a 9 year old Dutch girl traveling with her parents, and at one point I ran past her, clearly teasing her and seeing if she would race me to the top. Unfortunately for me, she took the bait and did better at getting to the top than I did. I thought I was going to need an oxygen tank. We were all sitting at the top, taking it in, when she meandered back over…she wanted to race me down! Most people who know me know that I do not have great depth perception, and going down a hill is much more difficult than going up. However, too many people heard her request for me to say no, and I cannot often turn down a good competition. So, off we went, racing down the dune…I came SO CLOSE to falling flat on my face, but my flailing arms saved me and I ended up winning. Afterward, neither of us could make it back to the top until several attempts later. At one point, it was funnier to roll back down to the bottom than to keep trying to get to the top. So, that is the story of how I raced a child to the top and bottom of a sand dune, as well as how I ended up rolling down the sand dunes in the Sahara.

We watched the sunset from the dunes. Incredible. Afterward, our camels carried us to the encampment for the evening. What a setup! The site was beautifully arranged and quite comfortable – much comfier than my childhood camping trips. The dinner was delicious, yet again, and it was followed by traidional Berber music and dance. We sat, clapped, and danced around the fire, under the stars. After, we wandered around a bit outside, trying to take it in. I do think it was the most stars I have ever seen at once. Unforgettable and breathtaking.

The next morning, we packed our bags and hopped on the camels. We rode back out to the dunes to catch the sunrise. Somehow, it was maybe even more beautiful than the sunset. The anticipation was palpable, and it was just spectacular to see the sun break over the sands. The ride back was smooth, and we were back in the town at the edge of the desert.

We had a large breakfast, and then got back in the van/bus and headed back to Marrakesh. It was a fun drive back, and just as beautiful. We were sad to say ‘bye to our bus buddies, as it really was such a good group. Of course, after we took our packs back to the riad and changed and such, we went to our favorite restaurant for dinner (surprise).

recovery

So, what does one do after a trip into the Sahara? Well, we went to a hammam! We chose to go to a local, public hammam, rather than one at a riad. It was such a positive and uplifting experience, and it cured me of all my stress. It was unlike any other experience, and we were all so glad we decided to do a local one – it was the best choice and experience for us!

reflections on Morocco:

A different pace and energy – high, high energy! everywhere I turned, there were wares, vendors, or a passing cart piled high with fruit or other goods. The energy was infections, but also could be a little wearing (me, an introvert!).

Spanish was not near a prevalent in Marrakesh as it was in Tangier. Between the three of us, we had enough workable French to get by, but most people defaulted to English as the lingua franca of interactions. I am struck by how fortunate I am to be a native English speaker; additionally, it is startling for me to see how common it is for much of the world to juggle at least 2-3 languages, whereas that is very much not the norm in the US. Food for thought!

world events: Coming out of the desert to see reports of Australia literally burning and then the US airstrikes outside of the Baghdad airport were shocking; large world events can be a lot to process while at home, let alone while in a foreign country where one does not have a mastery or even a proficiency of the vernacular. Fortunately, we were with a wonderful tour company and we were able to keep an eye on any emerging situations. So, if you see my parents, please give them a gentle shoulder pat or maybe a hug for me. I bought them souvenirs, even though they both said no! to receiving a gift. oh well!There could be much, much more to say about this, but I’ll leave it at this: it is difficult to reconcile patriotism and pride in my country when others abroad ask “how on earth can you be doing this?” There are no easy or really good answers, and we’re all doing our best to make sense of this world that 2020 is bringing.

back to “home”

Ah, Pontevedra! It was so satisfying to look out the window as we landed at the Santiago de Compostela airport, seeing the green hills and forests. Disembarking at the Pontevedra train station was our last stop in the journey, and while this was an enthralling and invigorating adventure, I was thrilled to be home. I can’t believe my backpack survived the winter holiday adventure and that everything (mostly – a few things were tied to the outside) fit.

I slept for the next few days, and frantically did my laundry. There is sand EVERYWHERE from the Sahara, but it is not really a nuisance. I’m excited to go back to school, and I’m thankful to be home safe and sound. I’m calling my family a little more often and reminding them how much I love and miss them.