I had been looking forward to March especially after having concluded that my December vacation to Mali wasn’t quite the relaxing vacation I needed. I shouldn’t have been surprised though because my fellow Peace Corps friends and I did it backpacker style, with no concrete itinerary and trying to save money by sleeping on buses. Also our days were filled with climbing over steep rock passes, sleeping in random villages built in the rock face, and climbing down steep rock passes. It was awesome, being able to see the cultural similarities with a neighboring country, but I was ready for something completely different.
I didn’t expect to be so blown away by this last trip to Morocco. Morocco has it all from fine cuisine of olives and steaming tajines to impressive architecture like the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca to name an example of the many. The Berber style music was tantalizing enough to give courage to the most timid tourist into bargaining with a street vendor. And the people were so generous, calming my “Lonely Planet” alert status. Food, art, and heritage-the main indicators of a rich culture worth exploring---Check!
But the best part of any trip is the company. My very, very special friend Adam invited me to travel to Morocco where we’d meet his parents, Lynn and Roger. It felt so good to be with his parents. The presence of any mom and dad must be universal because I felt so at home. While Lynn and I relaxed at the hammams (Turkish baths where huge, hairy, naked women throw hot buckets of water on you, lol), Adam and Roger enjoyed ice cold Casablancas and unexpected 4 course meals. We had our share of laughs like when Lynn thought a Moroccan passerby said his daughter “has a big mustache,” when what he was trying to say was that his daughter “ has her big master’s degree?” And we had our share of scares like when Abdul our driver would keep us on our toes every time we got into the car.
Oh did I mention we had a driver? I felt so spoiled being able to see so much more of the country because of having our own transportation. Also all the accommodations we stayed at were so comfortable and beautiful. We had a really nice stay at a riad, a traditional house, in Marrakesh. Imagine trying to find a hotel in a maze of slums and when you get to the marked door you are weary until the door is opened, revealing a hidden palace. It truly was a unique experience.
Each day was full of activity, wandering around Roman ruins, sampling olive oil and argon oil straight from the press, and visiting tiny villages up in the High Atlas where people made their homes inside the mountains. Being able to sip on mint tea at the end of the day was always a treat, but having a nice comfortable room to stay in was extra special for me (I’ve been sleeping on a straw mattress for 14 months, give a girl a break!). You better believe I took advantage of the blowdryers, candies placed on my pillow, and the fitness centers. That was what a vacation should be like!
Thank you so much to Adam, Lynn, and Roger for letting me Morock’ n roll with you guys
