Holiday begins in Marrakech

Marrakech is very different from Casablanca. It is smaller, about 1.5 million people. That still seems like a huge number coming from the girl who has primarily lived in states where livestock well outnumber the people. Anyway, Marrakech is very different from Casablanca.

Its streets are still busy with activity, but you don’t feel so close. There’s a bit more room to breathe, or it could be I was simply rejoicing the fact I’d made it through the first month of school with out a nervous breakdown. And my record of not kicking a student out of my room is also still in tact…barely.

The train to Marrakech was amazingly smooth and easy. A ticket for first class was about $15 and well worth it; it’s just over three hours to Marrakech from Casa, and in second class, you may have to stand, whereas in first class, you are guaranteed a seat. I was seated with my Casa-family and we laughed and told stories the whole ride down. Upon arrival, we all managed to pile into a ‘grand’ taxi together. Including the driver, that would be seven of us, with our luggage in one cab. Can you feel the love? Oh, it was there.

We were dropped at the end of one of several ‘pedestrian’ walk-ways that would eventually lead us to our ‘hotel.’ I say ‘pedestrian’ because simply cars and buses were not allowed, but people and two wheeled vehicles were. As for our ‘hotel,’ it was alright – once we found it. We missed it the first time. The most direct path was to find the tiny sign that led you down a ‘street’ wide enough for half a pedestrian and a motorcycle. At the end of this ‘street’ turn right and walk along a building for about 4 meters. Turn left. At the end of this wider street (car size – one car) turn left. Follow this motorcycle street to its end (about 10 meters) and turn right. Continue on this motorcycle street to its end, about 15 meters, and turn right, go 2 meters, turn left, and our hotel was about 8 meters down on the left. Really, I’m not kidding. This is how you get to the hotel we stayed in. Now, the amazing part of our budget hotel – there was a giant orange tree in the middle of the open court yard. It was quite beautiful. The rooms were pleasant enough, complete with two beds and a sink. There was a communal shower and toilet for the floor, but the shower room was gigantic. Probably about 4 square meters for a base and 3 meters high. It was a bit of a downer on Friday night/Saturday morning when most of Marrakech ran out of water. No flushing communal toilet Friday night, but it was working on Saturday, sadly not enough water for showers. At least we were on a bus to Essouara on Saturday and could shower upon arrival, which I did.