Exotic Touristy Marrakech

Virtually since we arrived in Morocco people (Moroccans and non-Moroccans alike) have always asked us, "Have you been to Marrakech, yet?"

It's basically like the Florida or LA of Morocco. Warm, full of tourists -Moroccan and foreign alike-, plenty of shopping, hotels, clubs, etc.

So, in honor of Mohammad's 147th birthday (aka in honor of having a 3 day weekend to endure the 7+ hour train ride both ways) a bunch of us headed south...well first north to Casablanca on the train and then south (don't try to figure out the logic of Moroccan trains, it just won't be pretty) to Marrakech this past weekend!

We arrived after a stifling train ride (7 hours in a 2nd class train with little air flow at every stop...just not fun) and got checked into our hotel, the Ibis Moussafir which was basically the Ritz in our eyes. The rooms were clean, the tv worked and even had BBC World in English, the bathroom was downright SPARKLING with little shampoo/conditioner packets on the sink, and some of the rooms even had (wait for it, wait for it) an extra toilet paper roll! Now granted, it was about on par with your basic Holiday Inn room in the states, but it for us students...AMAZING! We stay at the cheap, basic hotels (a bit above the Motel 6 types in the states) around Morocco...and well, they work but you certainly leave feeling a bit dirty. Often because you don't dare go in the showers! Needless to say, waking up to a clean roomy shower was the most amazing way to start Saturday!

Saturday we then checked out of our Ritz...post-Spring break we're all eager to save our dirhams and so we found a different hotel that cost us less than our one night at the Ibis for our two remaining nights! Granted even the Ibis was the equivalent of about $30 per night...lol.

Saturday, we explored the famous square of Jemaa El-Fna where there were women doing henna, guys carrying around snakes with their mouths superglued shut, men selling AMAZING fresh orange juice for 3 dirhams per class (about 25 cents), and plenty of beggars or people wanting to sell you one thing or another. El-Fna opens up into the souks... which are a tourist and merchants paradise...tourists get a taste of all the fun Moroccan medina stuff - the bedazzled shoes, tea sets, rugs, baskets, jewelry, touristy t-shirts, scarves, jalabas, etc. The merchants get to charge insanely high prices for the unknowing tourists who 1) may not know to bargain or 2) may not know what to bargain down too. Thus they weren't too happy when we students come in and scoff at their prices after being here a few months, say we live in Ifrane and study at Al Akhawayn, and bargain like Berbers. Ha ha...I went down a whole row of scarf shops before I got 5 scarves for 120 dirhams! It was a fun time...

Beyond shopping, the rest of the weekend included going to the biggest night club in Africa! Saturday night with the girls, going to the Menara gardens (where it is said that the Almohad sultans would come to the Menara pavilion for their illicit affairs and then would throw their concubines into the lakes the morning after), eating at Pizza Hut (yay for Supreme pizza with fake-but-yummy pepporoni), playing spoons in our sketchy hotel, and seeing the King!

As we were making our way to Pizza Hut from our hotel Sunday afternoon we notice that there were crowds of people out on the sidewalks behind gates and were like "Shnoo?" (What in Arabic)...we slowly figured out we might have a king sighting (since he was in Marrakech for the holiday), so we took up shop right across from the koutobia (famous mosque in Marrakech)...and waited...and waited. We watched the military police come out and choose random posts around the crowds and walk seemingly aimlessly around. The rolled out carpets in preparation...it started raining so they rerolled them. Janiters came out to brush the rain out of the gutters that the king would step over. And still we waited. Out came a bunch of men in red uniforms with cream colored jalaba capes and blue hats...men in suits kept walking around and greeting one another...security men talked on their walkie talkies...streets were blocked off. And still we waited. Finally more military police came whizzing down the street and soon we had our own police officer who came over and nonchalantly talked to us (he knew English surprisingly) about Marrakech and the coming arrival of the king. And still we waited. He assured us that the King would come soon.

And then...it happened! Down came a fancy smancy car with the king standing up through the sun roough in a white jalaba and red fez type hat (without the tassle) waving to the crowds. Surrounding his car and behind for about 200 feet were cars upon cars upon cars in his entourage! It was crazy! All arriving at the koutabia for afternoon prayer and some type of ceremony I believe.

It was really great. And totally made my day...okay I lied, it totally made my trip to Morocco...to see King Mohammad VI (or M6 as we affectionately call him) in person just across the street! Sadly, no one was allowed to take pictures as it is illegal. Silly security state. But it was very cool nonetheless. And we were excited that we randomly came out just in time as when he was in Ifrane a month or so ago he didn't make any public appearances so we didn't get to see him.

Ah, good times had by all in Marrakech.

And then we endured the 7+ hour train ride home, no less painful. Grabbed a taxi from Meknes and back again to Ifrane. To the ever-awaiting homework and Holy Week.