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Published: November 23rd 2023
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It's been a time for goodbyes. Some have happened, some are going to happen soon. I guess travelling is all about goodbyes. Welcomes and goodbyes. You arrive somewhere, you stay for a while, and you leave again. Hello, how are you, and goodbye. That about sums it up. But I am not talking about those everyday goodbyes. I am talking about those that are closer to the heart. Goodbyes to loved ones. Goodbye to Jenni. She had to return to Germany, back to work, back to real life. Not everyone can stay in the dream like state that I call life. Eternal bliss. I'm just lucky.
But before we said goodbye (but not farewell!), we took in Marrakech. Morocco's premier tourist destination. It was a bit of a shock, after the countryside and sleepy Taroudant. All those tourists. It was like Khoasan Road in Bangkok, but with snake charmers and monkeys in dresses. You might see those in Khoasan road as well, but only if you are tripping on mushrooms. We hadn't seen this many tourists during the entire trip. Sure, Fes has tourists, as have all the places we visited, but not in such an abundance. To be honest,
Marrakech
Courtyard in our hotel I'm not sure what I feel about Marrakech. It has its charms, but it's a bit too much. A bit over the top. Too many tourists, too many groups of men singing around a fire, too many snake charmers, too many henna ladies, too much of everything. Then again, that's what people expect.
Aside from Djemaa el Fna, the square where all of the above happens in abundance, Marrakech does have a lot of very beautiful palaces and medressa's you can visit. Yes, it has a lot of those too. And, there is the Marrakech beyond the circus that is the square, and its immediate surroundings. Further out in the medina things become quieter, and outside, life continues as always. The tourists (us included), were everywhere though, mostly gravitating around the centre. Then again, we didn't go into the suburbs. In fact, we didn't do much beyond the medina. Too little time. If we did, I'm pretty sure, we would have seen no tourists.
Enough about all that. We did have a good time in Marrakech, we had some great meals, we sat and listened to the singing men, and gave them a few coins after, as this
Marrakech
That way! is the whole reason they are singing, or playing instruments, or drinking piping hot water from a kettle. We didn't watch the snake charmers, because I am not charmed by the charmers, nor did the monkey guys get our attention. I rather monkeys swing in the jungle, then wear skirts and do funny tricks for humans. We saw things of great beauty, and a couple of storks. We were happy.
And then came the day that Jenni had to leave. Her flight was from Agadir. I brought her to the airport, and then I was alone. I didn't stay in Agadir. I went on right away. It's the best way to deal with goodbyes. Don't give yourself time to reflect. Going back to an empty hotel room, is the worst thing you can do. I did actually go back to an empty hotel room, but only to pick up my backpack. I then hopped onto a grand taxi and made my way to Tafraoute in the Anti-Atlas, and stayed in a beautiful homestay, with a fantastic cook. Half board for 22 euros!
I walked around crumbling houses, and green orchards, went into a tiny Berber museum where I
Marrakech
Alley outside our hotel to one side learned all about the old way of life. We can learn a lot from them, I concluded. Absolutely everything was used, or recycled. Human waste was used for manure, food waste as cattle feed, cattle warmth as heating (by using the ground floor as a pen for the animals, their body heat helped heat the first floor where the family lived). Ingenious. I hiked to some painted rocks, an art installation by a Belgian artist, who painted them back in 1985. The painted rocks were just a point for me, I was in it for the scenery on the way to them, and back from them. I was alone. Surrounded by huge boulders, tall mountains, and strange rock formations. The only sound the wind. I felt small. It felt good. I don't mind feeling insignificant. It is humbling and somehow soothing to know how unimportant I am. Just a speck in a grand landscape, which is just a speck on this planet, which in turn is a speck in the solar system, which is a speck in the milky way, which is a speck in our universe...
Soon it's time for the goodbye that will still happen. The goodbye
Marrakech
Alley outside our hotel, when you turn the corner! to Morocco (but not farewell!). Soon. But not yet!
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