When you travel in Morocco (or in dozens of other countries outside of the US) you have to manage your expectations. As Americans, we’re used to doing what we want, when we want to. We can get virtually anything we want or need, at any time. We drive to our destination in air-conditioned comfort, pull up in front of the hotel on schedule, unload, check in, and arrive in our rooms in minutes. The GPS tells us how to get there and how long it will take – adjusting for traffic. We know for sure that we will have internet access, and we can get a glass of wine any time our hearts desire one.
None of this is guaranteed in Morocco. A lot depends on the will of God. Insha’Allah, the Party Bus will pick us up around 10 a.m. The air conditioning combined with strategic window ventilation will probably keep us from melting into a puddle in the 100-degree heat. After asking directions several times, we hope that someone will come and guide us through the medina, and nobody will get run over by a motor vehicle in the narrow passageways.
It’s actually sort of freeing if you can adapt to this way of life. This is not my first rodeo, so it didn’t take me long to fall in line. The Party Bus DID show up around 10 today, and although it was a little toasty, we all survived the 3-hour ride on the highway to Marrakech. We stopped at Marjane (the supermarket – where a highlight was seeing the birds eating from the bulk pasta bin) in Marrakech to get some snacks and drinks, and found the assigned street corner semi-close to the riad by a little after 2 p.m. We called Marrakech Riads, the company that manages several riads here, and they sent someone to meet us with a cart. He guided us through the maze to the riad (guesthouse), where we found an oasis of quiet, beautiful guest rooms – with AIR CONDITIONING.
We were seated in the lounge and served mint tea while we filled out the “police forms”, and then we were shown to our rooms. They’re simple but beautiful, and throughout the hotel there are amazing details and cozy nooks. I will post more photos tomorrow, but here are some from today, in random order because Norah wants to go to bed and I can only access the cell network from the roof…
Larry and Marc’s office:
Dinner is served!
The roof is BEAUTIFUL, and so cool and breezy right now (10:30 p.m.):
I told the kids that the pool was super-small because I didn’t want them to be disappointed. Adlani thought this was it:
The door to Gia and Marc’s room:
The plunge pool:
One comment
That roof top looks veryyyyy comfotable……massages????? Gia and Marc’s door…very impressive!!! Padilock????? Also….gotta love that plunge pool and the business office
on the roof!!!! Great photos….we are enjoying them. My Dad says that you have a “way
with words”.