Journal · Marrakech · The Red City · Travel Diaries · May 01, 2018

Travel Diaries : 24 Hours in Marrakech

24 hours in my favourite place on earth, the red city that never stops. Filled with interactions and by-chance meetings that ensure every persons experience is unique. I first arrived in Marrakech in the evening as Jemaa el-Fnaa was erupting into it's nightly antics. With my backpack on and map in hand, I hopelessly tried to navigate the streets. Discovering very quickly to surrender myself to this place, a place unlike anywhere I had ever experienced before. Here is how I felt after my first 24 hours in Marrakech.

Jemaa el-Fnaa, Africa's largest open square in Marrakech Morocco

Walking around aimlessly in the intricate streets, the colour and vibrancy consumes me. I'm hypnotised by all the local people calling me in, wanting to show me all of their beautiful handcrafted, hand-painted, sculpted and sewn treasures. All of my senses working overtime, seeing, smelling, hearing, tasting and feeling all things Moroccan.

The air littered with the scent of fresh spices, bursting with ornaments and people as far as the eye can see. Dodging motorbikes and animals as I inevitably get lost deep inside the Medina; an old town truly from another time.

A donkey in the Streets of Marrakech Morocco Medina

Hearing the sound of prayer pour over the country six times per day, mixed in with the tooting of horns and the greetings of those amazing locals. “Hola”, “Hello”, “Bonjour”, “ssalamū ‘lekum" as they desperately swap between languages searching for my preferred to allow us to converse.

In Marrakech, I am never alone. Surrounded by an eclectic mix of personalities, every encounter an adventure. The streets almost impossible to navigate, immediately accepting that losing your way is all a part of this journey. I simply wander in awe, amazed how somewhere so chaotic and crazy can somehow function in such harmony. I have entered another kind of world.

Adi with her Rivers handmade vegetable tanned leather backpack

Somewhat intimidated, but mostly intrigued by all the locals who are interested in my day, my past and my life. It takes some time to accept that they all just want to talk, that these people just want a minute of two of my time and the more I give the better my experience becomes. 24 hours in Marrakech is in no way enough, 24 hours in Marrakech barely gives me a taste of what this city has to offer and what these people have to share with me, let alone what I have to share with them. After 24 hours in Marrakech something changed inside me.

I was sure I'd be back. I was right.

The Streets of the Marrakech Medina in Morocco Moroccan woman doing traditional henna for a tourist in Jemaa El Fnaa Marrakech A worker in the Marrakech Medina in the back quarters working for the leather tannery Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech, Jemaa el Fnaa