Marrakesh

28 September 2022

I decided to travel to Marrakesh by train via Rabat and Casablanca.

This was a fantastic way to see a vast amount of the country whilst also sharing the journey with a variety of different passengers joining and leaving along the way. Everyone is very friendly and chatty. At one point a very animated conversation broke out in our compartment amongst six passengers about the merits and problems of Smart phones. I loved listening to the younger female passengers strongly and eloquently explaining how their lives are significantly enhanced with this ease of access to information and connection - and they were translating into English for me as the conversation developed.

In Marrakesh, I dived into the back streets of the old town to find my beautiful simply furnished Riad Laora - all reservations now being made on booking.com with the mobile version offering very good discounts.
The sensory onslaught of this city took me by surprise. I had forgotten the intensity of noise, smells and humanity buzzing around the central square and seeking through into the labyrinth of alleyways and doorways. I loved the millions of small stalls, the availability of fruit, nuts, sweet snacks and spicy chickpeas! - all available within a few meters of the Riad.