Surviving Marrakesh

I had heard tales nigh Marrakesh. Reading other move blogs, I ever came across words similar "overwhelming", "intense" in addition to "frustrating" amongst regards to this northward African city. I was curious to know if I would interruption downward or crevice opened upwards the metropolis similar a pro. As y'all volition see, a chip of both.


In the souqs of Marrakesh

I was a chip nervous nigh going to Kingdom of Morocco on my own, but as it turned out, I was never alone, apart from half of the 2nd day, when the people I had met inward my hostel went on an excursion they had booked the twenty-four hr menstruum before. I learned during this trip that inward countries similar Morocco, where the civilization is so dissimilar from that of most travellers, it's much easier to run into other people than it is  when travelling inward Europe or North America. I forthwith teamed upwards amongst other people who were visiting Morocco: solo women travellers, groups of friends, and fifty-fifty couples were eager to pass some fourth dimension together to explore Marrakesh.

 

Find my bearings. When I got off the motorcoach at Jemaa el Fna, the iconic original square of Marrakesh, I was surprised: a daughter lone amongst a backpack, in addition to nobody was hassling me!  The riad/hostel where I stayed - y'all volition hear a lot of tales nigh Layla Rouge in  my hereafter posts - had sent me a video of how to arrive at it, a leisurely three-minute walk from the motorcoach stop. Knowing how slow it is to acquire lost inward Marrakesh, I watched the video twice, so I knew the way. Towards the halt of my walk, I wasn't quite sure if I had missed the tiny hidden tertiary arch I had to transcend through, so I looked at the written directions I had printed out. Two immature Moroccans soon started to inquire "Are you lost? Where are y'all going? Looking for y'all hostel?", quite amused. I knew that some of these people sometimes inquire for coin for pointing y'all towards your destination, or that they tin hold upwards a piffling also flirty, so I ignored them. The 2nd fourth dimension that I passed inward forepart of them, they laughed really difficult at me, in addition to I laughed too. There are a lot of Moroccans inward Italy, so I know some of them are cheeky, in addition to a chip cocky. Some American girls I met inward Marrakesh fifty-fifty compared them amongst Italian guys, in addition to fifty-fifty though I was really surprised, I guess that on a continuum of flirty men on the street Italy is closer to Kingdom of Morocco than the USA are. I forthwith constitute the tertiary arch in addition to the hostel, where I was greeted amongst mint tea in addition to biscuits. Moroccan hospitality is legendary, in addition to it is epitomized inward my hear past times the endless offerings of this really sweet tea amongst mint leaves within the little glass.

 

Safety. I call upwards the most unsafe thing inward the medina of Marrakesh are... the scooters. Seriously, they speed upwards on the narrow streets in addition to jeopardy running over people (or stray cats in addition to kittens, equally the medina is total of them)! Jokes aside, the city did non seem at all unsafe to me. Even equally a solo woman someone traveller, the worst y'all could experience is an inappropriate comment on the street, oftentimes inward French, provided y'all don't create lightheaded things similar walking at 3 inward the morning alone or give also much confidence to somebody y'all don't fully trust. Moreover, equally I told you, I was almost never alone.
 

I haven't heard of anybody existence mugged or robbed piece I was there, in addition to piece I kept my handbag zipped upwards and always inward sight in crowded areas, I never felt threatened. I had a coin belt inward my backpack, but I never used it. I kept my passport in addition to an extra debit card in the locker inward my dorm, or inward my daypack when that was non possible.

I met iii girls on my outset twenty-four hr menstruum inward the city, ii from Scotland in addition to 1 from New Zealand. After dinner nosotros went out for a beer. Yes, y'all tin take maintain beer inward Marrakesh! And no, nosotros were non raped, or harassed. It was an awkward experience to hold upwards honest. I don't know whom the girls asked, but nosotros ended up in the bar of Grand Hotel  Tazi. Only a few older Moroccan men were at that topographic point watching a football game game, in addition to us, iv really pale Western girls. They only served Moroccan beer, no European brands. It was a chip expensive - 50 dirhams each (€4,40), which is mayhap non the cost the Moroccan men were asked -  but, hey, I call upwards it's lightheaded to hold upwards stingy when inward Europe y'all would pass much to a greater extent than coin for everything, including nights out. I'm non 1 of those people who go crazy if they can't find alcohol for a sure period, quite the opposite. If drinking alcohol piece on a trip abroad is essential for you, I advise that y'all alter destination (or priorities!). You actually can't get hammered inward Marrakesh, equally it's frowned upon. In this bar, nosotros were approached past times a slightly boozer older Moroccan man, the form of human y'all could also run into on the streets of Venice. He was innocuous, in addition to only wanted to know where nosotros were from. I wouldn't become to a bar to drinkable a beer alone, however. It was slow to sympathize that places similar that are attended by a minority of Moroccan men, and past times some tourists. Another eatery I went to inward the medina served alcohol, fifty-fifty though it was non on the menu. 

Having a beer inward Marrakesh!

 

 

The maze of streets. There are no street signs inward the medina of Marrakesh, in addition to a map is useless. Having lived inward Venice for a few years now, I thought I knew how to bargain amongst labyrinthine cities: y'all take maintain to trust your "inner compass", I said to myself. Apparently, this doesn't work good inward Marrakesh. On my 2nd twenty-four hr menstruum inward Morocco, the only twenty-four hr menstruum when I ended up exploring the metropolis past times myself, I got lost twice. And when I said lost, I hateful utterly lost. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 immature man child of nigh fourteen told me inward French that I was going inward the incorrect direction, in addition to that the metropolis was finished there. I decided to listen to him, equally I was lost anyway, but he started next me in addition to call for me where I was from in addition to where I was headed to. He went on explaining that I was in the mellah, the one-time Jewish area, in addition to that at that topographic point was a Berber marketplace nearby. I knew that I would take maintain had to give him some coin inward the end, but I actually didn't know how to acquire rid of him or how to notice my agency dorsum to to a greater extent than familiar streets. In the market, an old human explained to me the utilization of many unusual expedients Berber people utilization to rouge their lips, or take away their calluses. I made clear, however, that I did non intend to purchase anything. 
 

The man child led me to a residential area, in addition to at that topographic point I began to experience uncomfortable. I didn't sympathize where he wanted to Pb me, if to the Saadian tombs or to the Royal Palace. He lightly in addition to really casually kept putting a mitt over my shoulders or fifty-fifty farther down. I told him non to acquit on me, in addition to he was a chip embarrassed in addition to said he was sorry. In the end, I gave him 50 dirhams (€4,40) and finally got rid of him. I constitute myself inward the surface area of the violet palace, which was closed, in addition to eventually asked a police officer to signal me to Jemaa el Fna. As it seems, it's almost a  rite of passage inward Marrakesh to acquire lost in addition to to give some coin to someone to hold upwards led to familiar territory. I'm okay amongst giving a few dirhams to a friendly Moroccan someone for showing me a component of the town, because afterward all Moroccan people earn really piffling compared to how much tourists tin afford to spend, but I'm non at all comfortable amongst that apparently casual but absolutely deliberate touching! I experience really wound past times the agency Western women are sometimes perceived inward this component of the world. I was non wearing shorts or a tank top, if y'all are wondering.

I was determined non to let this unpleasant experience mar my remain inward Marrakesh, fifty-fifty when I got lost a 2nd fourth dimension that same afternoon in addition to had to inquire some other tourists for help. I constitute this a good solution: I made friends amongst some French people who clearly had a amend thought of where nosotros were. The agency to  the original square, afterward they explained it to me, was afterward all very easy. It took a piece to shrug off this challenging day. My reaction, when dorsum inward the rubber haven of the riad, was to mass a cooking cast for the next day, which revealed to hold upwards 1 the highlights of my trip to Morocco. Mariam in addition to Aida, the girls who taught equally the secrets of Moroccan food, were extremely friendly, in addition to showed me a completely dissimilar side of Morocco. More of this inward some other post. 

 

The craziness. Scooters that speed past times you, unpleasant smells, flies that buzz some meat in addition to sweets that somebody is supposed to consume at a sure point, ass carts, poo lying on the street, touts, shouts inward iv or 5 dissimilar languages, dust, litter, in addition to much more. The medina of Marrakesh has the potential to irritate you, in addition to it will. By the 2nd day, I didn't know if it was me or everything some me that stank so much. However, I didn't allow this unpleasant side of Marrakesh ruin the beauty of the place. Literally inward every corner of the medina lies a surprise: a shop that sells carved-wood items, a beautiful archway or a door, a street vendor inward a traditional djellaba that greets y'all inward French, or a spice store amongst to a greater extent than colours in addition to smells than y'all tin call upwards of.

The medina of Marrakesh

 

The peace of a riad, or whatsoever form of palace similar Bahia Palace or medersa Ali ben Youssef volition soothe you. Inside my hostel the atmosphere was relaxed in addition to quiet, such a contrast to the hustle in addition to bustle outside. In the rooftop terrace y'all couldn't believe y'all were inward the noisy in addition to smelly medina of Marrakesh. I usually don't pass much fourth dimension chilling in hostels, if non inward the even out if I don't experience similar going out, but hither it was a pleasure. Embroidered cushions were everywhere, piece the friendly managing director of the hostel, Abdel, would come upwards up in addition to central a few words amongst the customers, giving suggestions on how to create this or that.

 

A corner of the rooftop terrace

 

 

The touts in addition to the pressing vendors. I tin shrug off touts pretty easily. Maybe it's because at that topographic point are some touts inward Italy too, particularly inward touristy places similar Venice or Rome. My tactics is to state "no, give thank y'all you", or cypher at all. Some friends I met inward Marrakesh had dissimilar tactics, for example to ever greet in addition to respond but never to take maintain their dubious offers for help. What proficient tin it come upwards from somebody who spends his fourth dimension at the entrance of a motorcoach station call for to foreigners if they are making their agency to this or that other city? A daughter I met, also travelling lone inward Marrakesh, got completely overwhelmed in addition to left the metropolis before to bring together her friends inward Rabat, a less touristic city. As a thing of fact, these annoying people abound inward Marrakesh, but only inward the medina, the old town, which is really touristic. I constitute Essaouira, which is a pretty town along the Atlantic coast, much to a greater extent than relaxed, in addition to the hustlers were practically non-existent equally nosotros drove closer to the Sahara desert.

 

I take maintain heard of girls existence grabbed past times the mitt past times a adult woman for an unwanted henna tattoo inward Jemaa el Fna. They constitute themselves inward the embarrassing province of affairs of having  to negotiate downward the exorbitant cost asked for the tatoo. This hasn't happened to me, anyway. In my experience, a elementary "no, give thank y'all you" was plenty in addition to the touts left me largely alone. I'm non the form of traveller who spends lot of coin on souvenirs, or lingers for hours browsing them if I don't intend to buy, so mayhap the touts knew they didn't stand a run a jeopardy amongst me. 

 

Palace Bahia

 

The scams. It's slow to avoid scams if y'all know nigh them. Sometimes vendors endeavour to "scam" y'all for 1 or ii euros. I wouldn't fifty-fifty telephone phone that a scam. After all, most people call upwards that existence charged for "coperto" inward Italy is a scam! The in conclusion black nosotros stopped at the famous nutrient stalls inward Jemaa el Fna, a waiter did his maths incorrect on purpose to acquire a few dirhams to a greater extent than from us. Perhaps he didn't similar the fact that nosotros didn't consume all of our food, I don't know. After all, correct at the same stall, only a few days before, a friendly waiter gave us a little discount equally nosotros had gone dorsum to that stall iii times. Everything inward Kingdom of Morocco seems to be based on personal relationships: if y'all care to joke a piffling or to connect amongst people, y'all powerfulness acquire a little discount. I call upwards I got a fairly proficient cost for my 3-day tour to the Sahara.

It's of import that y'all consider the fact that not everybody is at that topographic point to scam or mislead you. On my 2nd twenty-four hr menstruum inward Marrakesh, when I tried to go into Palace Bahia, the guard didn't take maintain the alter for my 50-dirham banknote in addition to sent me to the postal service utilization to alter it. As I didn't know where the postal service utilization was, I wandered some the palace walls looking for a house that looked similar it could take maintain some change. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 guy told me that I was going inward the incorrect management - a mutual thing you'll hear inward Marrakesh - in addition to I decided to endeavour my luck in addition to ask him where I could alter a banknote. When he went within a covered walkway, I was expecting him to Pb me somewhere strange, like his uncle's carpet shop. Instead, it was a little cornershop where an old human changed my money. I thanked profusely in addition to went dorsum to Palace Bahia. The guy didn't desire whatsoever coin from me, nor did he endeavour to flirt amongst me.

 

The haggling. Some people take maintain fun haggling for beautiful handcrafted goods inward Marrakesh, but I am 1 of those people who notice it frustrating in addition to exhausting. In my terra firma it is ordinarily considered disrespectful or shameful to inquire for a discount inward a store. I don't know what's incorrect amongst me, in addition to maybe I volition come upwards to terms with this inward the future, equally I know it is component of the civilization inward many countries other than my own. Moreover, I tin never haggle to the cost I call upwards appropriate, fifty-fifty if I know the full general rules of the game. Right at nowadays I'm only somebody who's learning to swim, timidly in addition to clumsily trying to arrive at my first few strokes.

Tajines for sale inward Marrakesh

 

In terms of taking a interruption from the chaos, the hustlers in addition to the unwanted manly someone attention, it was regenerating to go on my 3-day trip to Ait Ben Haddou in addition to the Sahara desert. The twenty-four hr menstruum trip to Essaouira was a delight, too. I would advise the latter for when y'all experience stressed out past times Marrakesh. Another house to become to recharge if y'all don't fancy going somewhere that far are the Majorelle Gardens, inward the novel town. Such an oasis of peace in addition to much-needed shade!
 

Majorelle Gardens

Moving around. I ordinarily dislike taxis. Even inward my ain country, y'all are at jeopardy of existence overcharged. I took 1 inward Marrakesh, however, together amongst an American couple, inward guild to arrive at the Majorelle Gardens. We had asked our hostel managing director how much the fare should be, in addition to the outset taxi driver nosotros asked directed us to some other taxi driver, who quoted the exact same fare, xxx dirhams (€2,66). At other times, I used buses. It is perfectly rubber to convey the aerodrome bus, in addition to so avoid a pricey hotel transfer or a taxi, at to the lowest degree if you're arriving in addition to departing during the day. In my experience, it is also rubber to convey a motorcoach to become to places similar the prepare station, or to convey a long-distance motorcoach to some other metropolis inward Morocco. I take maintain heard that trains are also safe, particularly past times day. As a solo woman someone traveller, I would advise a personal curfew, inward guild to avoid wandering the streets of Marrakesh lone at night. Keep an oculus for other tourists, or for women who facial expression similar they could utter French, or some English, if y'all experience similar y'all are inward unfamiliar territory.

I tin proudly say I'm a Marrakesh survivor! In spite of the reasons that arrive an intense in addition to yes, sometimes overwhelming in addition to frustrating experience, Marrakesh is a colourful, vibrant, in addition to amazing metropolis that is absolutely worth visiting. It should hold upwards on everybody's bucket list, in addition to people shouldn't hold upwards prejudiced nigh it. There are so many wonders to hold upwards constitute within the walls of a riad or a palace, or inward the souqs of this exotic city, but also inward little things, similar the Standard Arabic writing on something ordinarily equally familiar equally a Coca-Cola.

Marrakesh is a metropolis I came to dearest in addition to loathe at the same time. I tin sympathize that it tin hold upwards scary to purchase a airplane ticket in addition to become to Marrakesh alone, particularly equally a solo woman someone traveller. I was dubious for a long time, in addition to I thought that I would never notice the courage to move there by myself. But y'all know what? I am so happy that  I decided to go, in addition to that I managed to see this amazing terra firma that never stops to amaze, non fifty-fifty for a second. My suggestions if you're travelling lone to Marrakesh are:

1) Stay inward a hostel if y'all are travelling alone, so y'all volition take maintain plenty of possibilities to run into novel people. If you shudder at the thought of sharing a dorm amongst strangers, no problem: y'all tin ever mass 1 of  the individual rooms, in addition to and so run into other people inward the mutual areas;

2) Try to take maintain a positive attitude. The 2nd I was taken by negativity, everything seemed hostile to me in addition to I was really easily irritated past times the chaos of the metropolis or past times all the unwanted manly someone attention;

3) Dress conservatively, particularly if y'all are a woman, in addition to inward full general hold upwards prepared nigh do's in addition to don'ts in Morocco. There are plenty of tourists amongst shorts in addition to tank tops inward Marrakesh, but this doesn't hateful y'all take maintain to habiliment them too. You'll regard the men volition flock to those of your friends who habiliment skimpy clothes, in addition to y'all volition walk behind them almost forgotten;

4) Take extra precautions. Don't hesitate call for your hostel/riad managing director if it's rubber to create this or that alone. You'll larn it's pretty slow to navigate the town 1 time you've learned ii or iii things nigh the city. Ask for guess taxi fares, for instance.

5) Have fun! Don't hold upwards paranoid, Marrakesh is a keen metropolis amongst plenty of things to offer.



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