This photo is a bittersweet reminder of our last evening in Toulouse which we spent with my cousin François. We're standing in front of the city hall, after our final French dinner.
Kim and I had just returned from spending four days in Marrakesh. We did not enjoy it. We went because my cousin loves to vacation there, and because I wanted to visit the continent of Africa once in my life. François recommended we stay in the old part of the city of Marrakesh. To be fair, from what we learned later, we should have traveled outside of the city in order to see more of the area. We did earn a few blisters walking all over the damn place, trying to enjoy ourselves. Marjorelle Garden was definitely worth the walk and the paltry entry fee. The souks were a nightmare, the smell of donkey urine in the morning; and continuing all day long. Although at our hotel Muhammad made a mean pizza when he was in the mood. What really lifted our spirits was the discovery that although alcoholic beverages are prohibited, if you speak a bit of French you can buy wine in a few of the shops.
I guess we just weren't prepared for Marrakesh to be the Tijuana of Africa. Still, looking back, I'm glad we experienced a bit of life in Marrakesh. I'll never forget the plane trip; flying from Toulouse to Morocco, the flight attendants didn't speak a word of English. It's certainly a trip we'll never forget.
Few pics of our trip here.
7 comments:
I love your pictures. The colors are so bright and vibrant. Too bad that you had bad experiences, it sure sounds interesting. I just love experiencing different cultures.
donkey urine aside what a fabulous adventure
it's cool you were able to find some good stuff in amongst all the bad. all i know about marrakesh is what i read in esther freud's "hideous kinky" and it made me never want to go there.
I am really sorry and sad to read these things as for the ideas that you have on Marrakech... To read and see are two different things, as for the odors of urine of the asses, I never smelled them, and then, except error of my share I had warned you before going there.
I had not said that we like there to go because the culture was different and that we do not live in the same way...
I think sincerely that if we had gone together in Marrakech, you would have appreciated your voyage more, only, foreigners with the language, and lost a little, it is difficult to like!
I recognize that the experiment was bad for you, but that will have taught me a sure thing, we cannot appreciate the same things in this country !
I also think that Karen should go to the site before criticizing what it reads in the books...
I have been to Tangier, which is north of Marrakesh. It was a very interesting experience. I liked it. I don't know if I would go back. If I did, I would be better prepared. We went very last minute when we visited Spain...it was an adventure of a lifetime!
bonjour francois-
maybe you should take your beef up with ms. freud, not me. :)
My impressions after visiting Marrakech were only positive. For me a good summary of Marrakech can be appreciated in the main square, called Djemmaa-el-Fna, which in the afternoons is full of dancers, musicians, snake charmers and fortune-tellers. Main interesting sights are the immense Koutoubia mosque, built in the 12th century, and with a high minaret which was the inspiration for the famous Giralda of Seville, the Saadian Tombs, the Dar Si Saïd Museum, the great Menara and Aquedal gardens and the camel market.
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