All I can say is, it’s about time I posted this! So without further delay I present to you Morocco….
This is my second time traveling to the continent of Africa. My first was to South Africa, a trip that is still one of my favorites and one I’m confident will always make it into my top 3. So this time I journeyed to Northern Africa, Morocco to be more specific. I loved this place and this trip because it was so incredibly different from everywhere I’ve been! I will say if you travel enough you’re bound to run into some snags along the way. That can present itself in the way of lost luggage, things getting stolen, or in my case this go around, getting very sick! Luckily it happened at the tail end of the trip so there was a bright side! The good thing about traveling with a group is that they become your family away from home and let me tell you I had the best one on this trip! I had my biological mom with me (as this was our girl trip), my adopted moms (ladies we met on the trip), who had everything from medication to food and home remedies! They always made sure I felt my best! Thanks Gate 1 Fam!
Why Morocco?
The short is answer is, I don’t know.
The semi long answer is… why not? It seems to be a place of interesting people and vivid color and something out of the norm. and let me tell you this trip was out of the norm from day 1, from rain in the Sahara to landslides while driving through the mountains, out of the norm is definitely one way to describe it. So I’ll try my best…
How to dress.
This is a hot topic! Especially since this is a Muslim country, I looked at multiple blog posts and googled and talked to all my travel friends and got mixed answers. So I hope this helps somebody out there! I am on a Gate 1 tour and this came directly from my tour guides mouth at our orientation “you can wear whatever you want, you have to wear something but you can wear whatever you want!” My guide is male and a local of Fez. Now, I wish I would’ve heard this sooner as I definitely over packed for my trip but hey it’s good to have options right? Trust me you do not want to come to Morocco in the summer where the temperature can be 127 degrees in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. I went out in mostly dresses that for most part, are pretty conservative and I brought a scarf along if it got cooler at night to throw something over my arms. Nobody really bothered me and I didn’t get any strange looks from anyone. However, I would not walk around with your shortest shorts and a skin tight tank top.
Medinas and Markets
The Medinas were sensory overload, everything from the smells to the sights made my brain feel like I had about 900 YouTube tabs open and they were all playing a different video at one time. I can also compare this in the most relatable way possible. Imagine going to your local grocery store and being greeted by bus loads of tourist taking photos of you getting your fresh produce or picking out just the right avocado, kinda weird right?! If you think about it that way it’s kind of funny, but in a similar way it is what you’re doing, you just don’t register it that way because what you’re experiencing is so out of our normal day to day experiences.
The Medina is such an interesting place, it’s not just a place for tourist to see, it’s a place where locals live, and shop for their everyday needs. It was an eye-opening experience that I’m glad I got to have, the spices are something seemingly unreal, with colors so rich and bright you’ll wonder if you can actually eat them. Be sure to ask the guys for a sample most will let you try them.
Walking into the Medina in Fez is like stepping back in time but people have smart phones. Literally people still get around by mule.. and be advised that they take priority on the road so if they’re coming you better move over because they will not stop for you (I say this because I nearly got run over by one). This is the best one to go to if you want authentic Moroccan Carpets/Rugs and nice leather and since I recently became a brand new homeowner I went with every intention to buy a rug for my kitchen and I found the perfect one! Keep in mind that the authentic ones will not be cheap by any means but you are getting something that you will have for a lifetime. Also remember you can bargain just about everywhere. These carpets and rugs are hand made by women only! Which the feminist in me just loves of course! But the time it takes to hand sew one of these rugs, and sometimes depending on the rug you choose is done by one woman! That’s right, ONE! I don’t know about you but I can barely sit still long enough to type this post without getting distracted by something else. Needless to say even if you don’t buy a rug it’s worth taking a peak at because they are beautiful!
Now let’s talk leather shall we?!
Fez is also the place for leather. Here they have the famous tannery. Now if you’re a sensitive person this may not be the place for you but if you’re that sensitive you’re probably not buying leather, in which case this wouldn’t be a stop that would interest you. This is where they process the animal skin and then dip them into huge vats of color to dye the leather the beautiful colors that you see. They use plants and other natural varieties to give the leather all that rich color. Yes, I bought a gorgeous fringe bag. While you’re in Morocco you’ll see both men and woman with the coolest looking leather slippers and you can buy them for about $10-$12 US currency. Which hello, that is such a good deal and they are super unique!
Camels and the Sahara
So I booked this trip and was probably the most excited to ride a camel in the duns of the Sahara. Well this turned out to be one of those things that you just laugh at when you travel because if you don’t you’ll be upset and it will ruin your trip. This is the desert which we all know from probably around grade school that it hardly ever rains and when it does it might not even be an inch or two in a year. Well that inch or two came down all at once, on the day I rode a camel in the desert. I guess you could say it added to the experience because the chances of you coming to morocco and catching a stormy day in the Sahara is a one in a million chance, and somehow, I always happen to be that one.
If you’re a little uneasy about this let me say that the camels were as sweet as can be and I felt more at ease on a camel in Africa than I did on a horse in Texas! Riding through the Sahara was something I can’t really put into words other than indescribable. It rained and I got soaked and then got sick but I wouldn’t change a thing.
Authentic Moroccan Argan Oil
First of all, on our way there, we took an unplanned pit stop to feed wild monkeys on the side of the road soooo cool! I’m telling you, morocco just kept bringing the surprises!
This stop was one of the craziest funniest stops on the trip. Yes, I am talking about GOATS IN TREES people! Yes, it’s a real thing! It sounds crazy but it is an ability that goats have and is quite common especially in Morocco where the food can be scarce, the Argan trees produce a fruit that is appealing to goats. I was also able to visit the lovely ladies who crack the nuts so they can be processed into oil, and other products… and let me tell you it looks simple… hit the nut with a rock and done! NO NOT EVEN CLOSE!!! Let’s just say I failed miserably and the look on the lady’s face says it all! I must say I was so bad I had to laugh at myself! Also note I spent lots of $$$ in the Argan store, it’s like an all-natural Sephora. C’mon ladies. can you blame me?!
Morocco you were one of a kind and an eye opener to a very vibrant and colorful culture that I won’t soon forget!
This is a lot of info to take in but I hope you find it helpful and also entertaining, as I tend to always bring a twist on my adventures if you can’t tell (rain in the desert, landslides ect.). But, they do say rain in the desert is good luck…. Here’s hoping!
See ya next time
XOXO
What I wore
Dresses – I shopped mostly at Anthroplogie and Tjmaxx of course! Anthropologie has some beautiful options and going to a place like morocco you’ll want to be bright and fun!
Check out the link below for some fun options!
Fabulous photographs 🔆🐪🐫your post has made me even more excited about visiting Morocco this year.
Thank you so much! Have so much fun in Morocco!