Girls Time

When you’ve been friends with someone half your life and get together, the reunion is always sweet. Beyond shopping in the souks, dancing, taking the photos, or celebrating a milestone, I can always guarantee we will: (1) pick up where we left off with a long catchup talk, (2) share great laughs and basically (3) make new memories. By the end of the first night we’d already done all 3! 

My entire trip to Morocco was motivated by my friend’s planned birthday celebration in May in Marrakech. I decided I wanted to be there to celebrate her but also wanted in the first part of my travels to (1) get out of my comfort zone/ day-to-day routine and (2) immerse myself in the culture and life of Morocco. That’s done; now part two of this trip is playing out and it is about girlfriends, fun times, and rest and relaxation!

The day my college friends and I arrived we shopped in souks and each got a dress, which I love! I had more time to indulge the shop owners by playing dress-up a bit as they lured and enticed us with their merchandise. 

Day two began with a packed agenda including a tour of the Koutubia Mosque, Bahia Palais, and Majorelle gardens. There were tons of photo ops and almost as many photos taken. Then we had lunch at a cafe. 

The afternoon was all about R&R at the hammam attached to our Riad. For a westerner a hammam is truly an experience. I almost want to go to another hammam for comparison, but for now I’ll describe this one. It consisted of stripping down, laying on a slab of marble (or some other smooth solid rock) being hosed down, washed (hair included if you like), scrubbed then hosed down again. And before I forget to mention, all with other women having the same done to them at the same time. Once I stopped slipping and sliding off the edge of the slab —I was on the end, I was able to enjoy the experience more. By the end of it we got our robes back and lounged for a while before massages. I felt fresh, clean and polished —literally polished, like a bronze ornament or something.  

The women in my host family in Rabat wanted to take me the day I got henna but we weren’t able to make it work that day.  It would have been interesting to go to their spot because I suspect it would have been different from this riad/ spa. 

After massages, I could have easily napped the rest of the evening but the night was young. We were gonna hit these cobblestone streets again tonight. 💃🏻 In Marrakech, people are allowed to fly through the Medina on motor bikes. So as a lowly pedestrian you’re constantly looking and listening out for engines roaring as they approach suddenly from either direction on the street. 👀 Now imagine that walking after dark, with 10 other people in your crew, scattered throughout the street, mewing cats lurking in corners, while you’re just trying to get to-and-fro your dinner reservations. Definitely sounds like an accident waiting to happen. Can’t say I felt unsafe though mostly just grateful for GPS (yet again) and the safety in numbers traveling with a large group looking out for one another.

Speaking of dinner, lamb has been a top choice, ordered by many at the restaurants we’ve visited. Since, I like to keep it light and fresh for the most part, I’ve been having lots of Moroccan salad and sticking mostly to simpler meals. But for the foodies I’ll drop a couple recommendations: 

• The coffee has been really good here (in Morocco in general) and I’ve been enjoying cafe au lait with no sugar! 
• Last night leading up to my friend’s birthday, we had a beautiful time at Limoni, an Italian-Moroccan Fusion restaurant with a lemon trees growing between the semi-covered patio, where many of us switched things up with pasta. 

Another day gone and another to come! Stay tuned!