Morocco for the weekend

We've just arrived in Morocco. Three flights, 31 hours and 11 time zones later we’re finally sipping mint tea by the pool in Marrakesh. For the next five days, we’re enjoying an extended weekend break before work begins in earnest in London on Tuesday. Watch this space for more posts in the days ahead.

Today we’ll explore the grounds of Koutoubia, one of Morocco’s most sacred mosques, and soak up the atmosphere of Jemaa el-Fnaa, a massive public square on the edge of the Marrakesh Medina (old city). Tomorrow we’ll explore the Medina and its many souks in full on a self-guided walking tour, before taking an overnight tour through the Atlas Mountains on Saturday and staying a night in Skoura, a sprawling date palm oasis.

We’re staying at Riad Les Yeux Bleus on the edge of the Medina. A riad is a traditional Moroccan house known for its enclosed garden and courtyard. Riads are very common in Morocco as they used to be the standard homestead for wealthy merchants and traders. Many of these buildings have since been converted into luxury guest houses. 

Riad Les Yeux Bleus was renovated in 2016. Sadly, nine years on, the renovation is showing its age. The building we’ve checked into looks a little tired and shabby in parts. It’s still clean and safe but is proving a little more rustic and less chic than the images plastered online. I also missed the memo that none of the ensuites have doors. Let’s call it an “authentic” cultural experience. 

Here’s a summary of our actual flight paths courtesy of the Flight Aware app. I love this app. I can always tell if my flight is on-time by checking to see if my plane is actually at the airport or still en route. It’s also useful for checking the reliability of tight connections, as you can track the tardiness of previous flights over several weeks.

In a single day we’ve witnessed the sun setting over Perth, then watched it rise again, albeit 20 hours later, while taking off from Heathrow the next day. I doubt I’ll ever tire of the miracle of travel in the Twenty First Century.

UPDATE: 25 January

I've added a few more images of our riad to illustrate this post. You can also read about our first full day in Morocco here.