Marrakech
 

Well, we're here. We flew in on ryan air, as opposed to the Marrakech express. Many lines, lots of standing. Late flight. Taxi ride charged 250 but bargained down to 175 but should have been 150 since it was well after midnight. Nice hotel. Palais khum. They made us a club sandwich. There's a pool. It's in the media ji. Lots of medias. I hope I can find my way back when we leave to explore. We're here for three more nights. DW still sleeping. We welcome suggestions, but don't really want to ride camels. Gotta get going. Times a wastin.

Medina. Sorry.

First thing. Figure out exchange rate.

Use xe.com.

Lots to see in the medina area, but I liked the Jardin Majorelle in the newer section too.

Ben Youssef Madrasa

Le Palais de la Bahia

I found the Saadian tombs spooky, but some are not impressed.

Wish I could remember the name of the excellent restaurant we visited, outside the medina. Searched, but nothing rang a bell.

Ok. The dirham is worth about 10% of a dollar. Our hotel is very pretty. It's in the walled city, next to the soul. Where DW bought an overpriced wood box (my wife is not a good negotiator, which explains why she agreed to marry me) and I got a haircut and shave. Best ever. Face massage, head massage, great shave, and after everything, a shampoo with cool water. Then soft towel pat dry. Meanwhile great Moroccan music on a nearby sound system, motorcycle sounds, conversations on Arabic. Best ever. Then a swim and a nap. Worth the waiting on ryan air.

Try the Maison Arabe for some great food.

Thanks for the suggestions, which we will follow tomorrow. We ate at nomads tonight, a restaurant in the medina with 3 floors and a view of the mountains. This is quite a place.

Bookmarking for our April trip!

This morning we went to three museums. The Muslim school, the photography museum, and the museum of Marrakech. There a certain diminishing marginal utility to museum visits, but all three are nice. The first has many small rooms, beautiful tile floors, and old wood doors and shutters. The second has photos from the 1880s and a nice roof top terrace. The third has a huge hanging lantern in the coutyard, a soft chair to sit in, and some fabric art. Now we're back at the hotel for pool, lunch, and some sort of body wrap spa treatment. Tomorrow we go to garden and govt craft center where our bargaining skills won't need to be demonstrated (fixed prices).

Download Google maps for use offline before you go. They work well w/o wifi in the medina and won't use data. You just chart your progress along your path by following the blue dot. If the blue dot moves away from where you want to go, turn around and walk the other way.

Last night I got a henna tattoo at the henna cafe. By the morning all the ink fell off and I thought I did something wrong but then I realized under the ink was the red henna pattern on my hand. Cool. We went today to the govt craft center, no great shakes, and the majorelle garden which Yves st Laurent donated to the city. Maybe he lived there. Lots of bamboo. Tomorrow we fly on ryan air back to madrid, and then home the next day. Then I'll just stay home and tend to my garden, like Yves st Laurent.

Sounds like a very nice and short trip. Thanks for sharing.

Continued safe travels!

Is your Ryanair flight still on ? Many have been cancelled. You'd better check.

Marrakech seems to have been spared from the Ryanair cancellations. I am flying there from Seville on 10/17 and to Madrid on 10/20th and both are still flying.

We're in Philadelphia. Our last day we went to the palace Bahia, which was nice in a worn authentic beautiful way. Marrakech has some crazy traffic. Fast and dangerous, especially for motorcycle drivers I think. Never heard an ambulance though. Ryan air was on time. This time we did assigned seats and priority boarding. We flew an almost empty aa flight to philly. Sweet. Flight to dc delayed. Shoulda planned a GTG.

If you're still waiting I read Tom Price wishes he had taken the train between Philly and DC, or vice versa. You could try the train.

Hey SM -- Do you recommend where you stayed in Marrakech? thanks!