Irish in Portugal

On the world map, Morocco looks like a stone’s throw away from Portugal, yet I had never been. So, I booked Ryanair flights from Lisbon to Marrakesh for €50 return, a spot in a hostel eight bed dorm for €14 per night, and I plunged into my 77th country for a solo mini adventure with much excitement!  Koutoubia minaret After living in the Arab world (the UAE) for five years, I felt a warm feeling of familiarity in Morocco’s fourth (after Casablanca, Fez and Tangier) largest city, and it was cool to hear the call to prayer echoing around as I chilled on the hostel’s rooftop terrace. I also enjoyed the opportunity to practise both my Arabic and French, with a bit of As-salaam Alaykum (peace be with you), shukran (thank you) and ma salama (bye) here, and l'addition (the bill) and s'il vous plaît (please) there.  Busy street life Wandering the narrow streets of the historic downtown area of Medina was an assault on the senses. They were packed with tourists from all corners of the ...