We landed in Marrakesh on January 2nd. After a twenty minute ride from the airport, our driver pulled into a dirt parking lot on the edge of the medina (old city). He piled our luggage into a pushcart, and an elderly woman in traditional dress beckoned for us to follow her down a narrow alley.
And with that, for the first time in six months, we left the elegance and modernity of Europe for the color, chaos, and liveliness of Africa. We jostled for space down the narrow alleys of the medina with horse carts, families on mopeds, Berbers in traditional dress, and shops selling chickens, rugs, Moroccan bread, spices, and tagine pots. Entering the medina is like going back in a time machine, albeit one where Google maps still (occasionally) works.
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| Medina scene |
Marrakesh is a great city for wandering. On a map, the alleys of the medina look like someone dropped a plate of noodles on the page, and there are surprises around every bend. The Djemaa El-Fna, the main square in town, must have been the inspiration for the pop-up restaurant, as hundreds of eateries selling everything from couscous to goat brain to jus de pamplemousse are set up each night and then torn down by morning.
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| Djemaa by night |
From Marrakesh, we traveled two days across the High Atlas mountains to Erg Chigaga in the Sahara, where we stayed at Nick and Bobo's Luxury Desert Safari Camp. There we rode camels, hiked up giant dunes to watch the sunset, dune-boarded down the same dunes, and marveled at the beauty and solitude of the desert. If you ever want to see the Sahara, go see Nick and Bobo - link below. A special place, and a photographer's paradise. There are a few more images below, and a full set up on my Flickr page.
Tom's Full Morocco Set
Erg Chigaga Luxury Desert Camp
The family agreed that Morocco was right up there with Alaska and China for our most memorable family vacation. The culture, the food, the desert scenery, the safari tents, and the warm Moroccan people combined for an unforgettable week. And since several people have asked - we felt completely safe during our entire visit, and found the Moroccans very welcoming and engaging.
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| The Kasbah de Telouet across the High Atlas |
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| Camel at sunset |
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| Hiking in the dunes |
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| Sand dunes at sunrise |
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| Family portrait |
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