For our last full day in Morocco we explored Marrakesh. Marrakesh is truly different from all the other Moroccan cities we visited. It's the most modern of them all (of the cities we visited at least, as we didn't see Casablanca nor Rabat), and the most used to tourists. There were many tourists dressed in Western clothes (including shorts and sleeveless tops).
After breakfast at our riad, we crossed Djemaa el Fna, made our way down the boulevard which was lined with kalesas (nothing new to us Filipinos) to the Koutoubia Mosque and out of the medina.
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| Kalesas lining the road with the Koutoubia Mosque at the end |
Our destination for the day was the Jardin Majorelle (Majorelle Gardens). We chose to take the almost 45 minute walk, and we arrived at the gardens a bit past 11. We queued, bought our tickets (70dh), and headed in. The
Jardin Majorelle is a stunning 12-acre botanical garden created by French painter Jacques Majorelle when he resided in Marrakesh.
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| the entrance to the garden |
The garden is full of an extensive collection of plants, most notably cacti and pink bougainvillea, that Majorelle collected on his trips around the world. The walls, benches, gates, and pots are painted in the most vibrant colors, the most popular of which is a bold shade of cobalt blue which has since been dubbed bleu Majorelle. The gardens were beautiful. We spent some time ambling around enjoying the colors and the plants. A few pictures below, if you'd like to see :)
Years after Majorelle died, the garden was deteriorating, so Yves Saint-Laurent (who had fallen in love with Marrakesh) and Pierre Bergeé bought it and undertook its restoration. The two were able to bring the garden back to life, and Saint-Laurent eventually gifted the garden to the city so they could keep it open to the public. After Saint-Laurent's death, his ashes were scattered in the gardens, and they also currently have a memorial to him, as well as a small exhibition with some of his card designs.
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| Saint-Laurent's exhibit |
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| Saint-Laurent's exhibit |
We made the long walk back, by now it was much hotter, probably the warmest weather we've gotten in our 10 days in Morocco.
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| Another view of the Koutoubia Mosque |
Back in the medina we stopped at the post office to mail some postcards, took a break for lunch at
Babouch Café, and then prepared ourselves for an afternoon of shopping.
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| Lunch at Babouch Café |
When we had arrived in Marrakesh
two nights ago, the market
Djemaa el Fna was in full swing, and upon first glance, the
souks look quite overwhelming. Dubbed the heart of Marrakesh, the main square of Djemaa el Fna is yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Teemed with food and juice stalls, walking street vendors selling pastries and other delicacies, souvenir vendors, tattoo artists, fortune tellers, medicine men, dancers, performers, and whatnot, it's truly a sight to behold. But slowly, you get used to the sights and sounds, and it makes for an enjoyable experience.
Armed and ready, we headed into the
souks to do some shopping. The marketplace is amazing; it's a whole world of workshops, handicrafts, arts, goods, spices... just about everything you can possibly imagine. We bought some spices to take home (I bought a bit of
ras el hanout, a mix of spices that Moroccans put in just about everything), some gorgeous foldable cloth ottomans, jewelry, soap,
argan oil, and more. Even if you don't want to buy anything, the
souks are worth a visit. But it's quite hard to resist the temptation since there are so many things it has to offer!
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| entrance to one of the souks |
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| woven goods, carpets, and more |
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| ceramic plates |
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| spices |
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| more spices |
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| some signs |
Having bought most of our souvenirs and gifts, we dropped our things back off at our hostel, then headed to Café France. We indulged in some ice cream to beat the heat and watched as the the Djemaa el Fna square came to life below us. (The food stalls only open in the late afternoon, but the souks are open the whole day).
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| View of Djemaa el Fna from a rooftop café |
After our little break, we wandered aimlessly around the souks once more, buying and doing some last minute things. Ange decided to get a henna -
We met a medicine man who made me try this remedy he had for my forever stuffy nose -
We bought some more of that fresh orange juice -
And also tried this potato fritter from one of the street vendors -
We headed back to our hostel in the late evening to rest a bit, then ventured out again for dinner.
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| The bustle of the food market at night |
Wanting our last meal in Morocco to be perfect, we went back to our new favorite stall for some
tanjia again. It did not disappoint, and it was a fitting way to cap off our trip.
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| Our tanjia |
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| Pouring out the lamb |
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| Another free cup of mint tea |
For those seeking to travel to Marrakesh - I would definitely recommend another day in the city. We didn't have time to explore the rest of the city; I had heard nice things about Gueliz (the newer neighborhood in Marrakesh), the other gardens, palaces, and medresa. But despite being in the city for only a full day, I genuinely loved it. There was something magical about Marrakesh; it was a delightful mix of old and new culture.
On our last morning we had breakfast, packed up, then headed to the airport to catch our flights back to Europe. Morocco is such a treat for the senses. It was incredibly amazing to see such natural beauty, smell and taste all the foods and spices, hear a mixture of French and Arabic, and experience Morocco's unique culture. So glad and grateful I was able to make the trip before leaving Europe. :)
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