I have always wanted to make a trip to see Morocco and I heard about a recent trip some of my friends took there. I scheduled the same Itinerary as they did and saw just as much! It was such a fantastic place to visit and I will definitely go back! I flew from Lisbon directly to Marrakesh and it took about 2 1/2 hours. Direct flight was perfect. I had a late arrival, after midnight, so I had scheduled a driver to pick me up and take me to my Riad inside the city walls in Medina. A Riad is a traditional Moroccan house or palace with an indoor garden and courtyard. They are located within the old city “Medina” walls. Generally, the Riad is fully enclosed inside, insulated with high-strength, neutral walls and with minimal vents to keep out heat and street noise.

So, in the morning, I set out to walk the streets of Medina within Marrakesh. There were spices and shops and wonderful smells of spices everywhere. The streets were very narrow, so they were mostly pedestrian with only vespas or motorcycles passing by. The shops were selling everything from souvenirs, paintings, meat, bread, cheese, but mostly CARPETS! Everyone was and expert on selling carpets!! I even got lost in the maze of the streets that one guy offered to take me back to my Riad, but I ended up at his brothers CARPET shop!! No, I did not buy any carpets and no, I did not pay him for the ride!!

As you continue to walk through the narrow streets of Medina, eventually you will find yourself ending up in the main public square called, The Jemaa el-Fna Square. It is one of the main cultural spaces in Marrakesh and has become one of the symbols of the city since its foundation in the eleventh century. It represents a unique concentration of popular Moroccan cultural traditions performed through musical, religious and artistic expressions. And, yes you will find plenty of snake charmers and cobras!! But, be careful of the pickpockets and beggers and any of the locals demanding money from you if you take a picture.

The next morning, I set out for a six hour drive to get to the edge of the Sahara desert where I was going to sleep overnight and ride a camel during the sunset and in the morning during the sunrise. I was the only one in my group who upgraded to a “glamping” single tent!! The others stayed in shared spaces and shared bathrooms. We did get some great pictures at sunset though…

We spend the day driving back to Medina as it was a fantastic experience riding camels in the Sahara. A bucket list item I hope you all get to experience! Once I got back to Medina, the host of my Riad told me that there was a restaurant in Medina that actually served Camel on the menu!!! So, you know me, I had to try it!! It tasted like a cross between venison and slow cooked beef stew. It was yummy and I’d eat it again! Here’s what it looks like:

All in all, it was a fantastic trip and I’ll definitely go back to see more of Morocco! Hope you enjoy the video!