Making it in Marrakech!

Marrakech - inside the Medina

We have arrived in Marrakech and were immediately transported into a mesmerizing culture!  Marrakech itself is made up of two portions - the new and old city.  The old city is enclosed within the old city walls and is called the Medina.  I had arranged for us to stay at a Riad (kinda like a Moroccan bed and breakfast) in the Medina.  We were greeted at the airport and whisked away in a taxi into the city walls.  Our taxi drove until it could drive no further, then our bags were loaded into a modern day (made of metal with heavy duty tires) rick-saw and we followed our "bell hops" of sorts into a crazy labyrinth of alleyway after alleyway after alleyway - seriously we walked for ten or fifteen minutes turning left and then right and then left again!  

And then all of a sudden we had arrived!  Magically transported from alleyways full of mud and brick and hustle and bustle to a sanctuary of calm.  Our room is beautiful and comes with complimentary teas, coffees, water, and fruit from the trees in the courtyard whenever we like and the service is amazing.  They actually sent us out with a guide to teach us how to figure out how to get back - it's things like look this building, turn right here, okay now see this sign?  turn left here.  They escorted us to a scrumptious lunch - again in a restaurant that was an absolutely serene blissfully peaceful place away from the craziness in the streets below.  The hotel also arranged dinner and helped us score reservations in an amazing restaurant just down the street.  We have felt so welcome!  Oh!  And to help you when you get lost (which we did once - although we are proud to say we re-navigated back on track) each room's guests are provided a complimentary cell phone already loaded with all the numbers we need to call the Riad and its staff for help!  Amazing!  

We also made it out on a long walk through many of the souks and into the main square in the Medina - which was again an amazing mix of people, goods, foods, every kind of transport - from donkeys, horses, bikes, mopeds, motorcycles, and cars whizzing all around!  We heard the call to prayer lilting over the rooftops as well as the drum groups (that are off beat children that make Daniel start to twitch) which "performed" off and on throughout the alleyways until about 11 pm tonight!  It has been an amazing day so far - we are very excited to explore and bargain our way through Marrakech tomorrow!  But for now?  I am really excited to get a nice solid night's sleep in our sanctuary!  

The courtyard of the Riad (from above)

Our beautiful room!

Rooftop terrace overlooking the Medina - holy satellite dish(es)!

One of the many, many, many alleyways preceeding the Riad.  Things look very very different on the inside - it is amazing how many buildings we have been in where we feel magically transported the moment we cross the threshhold!

Chris enjoying a refreshing fruit juice blend at the Jardin - a garden restaurant that was an absolute sanctuary!

Toasting with our pineapple, pear, apple, and strawberry juice blend - we have made it to Marrakech!

Evening at the Djemaa el Fna