Shukran

Categories: Accommodations · Marrakech · Morocco · TravelTags: · · · · · · ·

To this day, I still say “Shukran” or Thank you to Morocco for an unforgettable experience three years ago. I hold fond memories of my journey through Marrakech and Central Morocco and here are some of the other sights to take in. For centuries, the unique and extraordinary square of Jemaa el Fna has been the centre of Marrakech. Meaning “Assembly of the Dead“, the name refers to when the square was a place of execution until the 19th century and severed heads were placed on display. Today, the open square is the heart of Marrakech. Every night, it fills with musicians, dancers, storytellers,…

Sahara

Categories: Central Morocco · Morocco · TravelTags: · · · · 2 Comments

It must have been a movie that I saw more than ten years ago that had me dreaming of traveling to the Sahara one day. Three years ago, I headed to Central Morocco to fulfill this dream — to the desert in Erg Chebbi, where the dunes can  reach up to 150 m or 492 ft high. Starting off in the late afternoon (to avoid the heat) at the town of Merzouga, I rode a camel for an hour and a half to arrive at a campground that has been set up in the middle of the desert. Mint tea was served and a delectable tagine dinner was prepared. This was followed by after-dinner…

Central Morocco

Categories: Central Morocco · Morocco · TravelTags: · · · · · · ·

The other side of the Atlas Mountains lies the Morocco that was reason I journeyed here three years ago — the desert! However, I first have to traverse through the High Atlas mountain pass of Tizi n’Tichka, through Dra Valley, Dades Gorge, and Todra Palmeraie. Along the way, I was greeted by fortress-like mud-walled kasbahs, palm-fringed oases, changing landscapes, and friendly turbaned nomads astride on their one-humped camels (dromedaries). Welcome to Central Morocco – a region of spectacular gorges, valleys and desert!   Taourirt Kasbah in Ouarzazate is the former Glaoui Palace built in the 19th century and has 300 rooms and within…

Marrakech

Categories: Marrakech · Morocco · TravelTags: · · · · · 2 Comments

My first visit to the African continent was three years ago when I journeyed to Morocco. First stop: Marrakech. Marrakech is an imperial city full of sights, sounds, and tastes both ancient and modern. Located in northern Africa, Marrakech is a crossroads where sub-Saharan Africa meets Arabia and Europe. This Moroccan paradise is filled with beautiful architecture, artisan culture and mouth-watering cuisine. Known as “The Red City” for its rose-hued and ochre buildings, Marrakech attracts a high number of visitors looking for a unique experience.   The small botanical garden Jardin Majorelle was created in the 1920s by the French painter Jacques Majorelle.  Convalescing from tuberculosis, he went…