Morocco - Marrakesh, September 2024

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 world, businesses selling souvenirs, carpets, art, clothing, tours and massages, and multiple modes of transport such as mopeds, bicycles, donkeys and carts. It was a marvel that everyone remained calm and courteous when jams occurred, and I never witnessed an accident; low speeds and meeting people face to face helped, rather than speeding along anonymously behind the windscreen of a large car.

Moroccan mixed salad from Dabachi chez Cherif restaurant

One of my top priorities was to savour the local food, and the low prices made this much easier. I picked up recipe tips for taktouka (blending tomato, roasted pepper, onion, garlic, cumin, paprika and olive oil), and roasted eggplant with cumin, paprika, garlic and lemon juice (from Dabachi chez Cherif restaurant - https://maps.app.goo.gl/1LpET48DhAYFyTAc7). I tried lots of yummy street food, such as almond-based arabic sweets. Once, I plucked up the courage to sit down with the locals at a tiny eatery for a tasty feed of chicken, beans, bread and mint tea for only €2; all eaten with one’s hands!

Hostel BE 20

I stayed in loads of hostels in my twenties while travelling, but this was my first hostel stay in twelve years! For solo travellers they are priceless for meeting interesting globetrotters, gaining ideas for future trips, and building bridges in language, race and culture. My hostel (Hostel BE 20 - https://maps.app.goo.gl/3JjaHxEPBJe8kz8t5) was previously a traditional Moroccan home, with a shaded central courtyard, colourful floor and wall tiles, and a breezy rooftop terrace for some quiet reading and daydreaming. The friendly and helpful manager Mohamad served up a terrific breakfast daily, and impressively conversed with guests in a multitude of languages!

Date palm in my favourite garden

Sometimes travelling can be exhausting and you go home feeling like you need a holiday to recover. This is because we try to pack in too much. However, I was content to sleep a generous amount, relax and socialise lots in the hostel, and saunter around town soaking up the thriving atmosphere. This was very relaxing! My favourite routine was to seek peace and quiet in a beautiful garden (https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZDviSScTozt2n4e16) before hitting a popular juice bar/pastry shop (https://maps.app.goo.gl/1x6hDuoejVVmoFJo9) for a fruit topped yoghurt and some people watching. I left Marrakesh with a bag full of dates, arabic sweets and spices, a belly full of Moroccan food delights, and a memory bank stimulated with a few days of wonderful experiences to warm the heart and enrich the soul.