So I'm out of Rome for the weekend visiting Marrakesh. First impressions?
1) It has a peculiar odor. In the souks, the air is scented with spices and fresh leather but in the main square (Djemaa el Fna) stinks of piss and horse dung.
2) The environment is unlike any I've ever been in. Definitely the most exotic place I've ever visited with its snake charmers and architecture. I was eating dinner on the roof of my hostel and was listening to the call to evening prayer from the (many) mosques in the city. Definitely not in Western Europe anymore.
3) Speaking of my hostel, it's possibly the best hostel I've stayed at. A former luxury riad, it is appropriately opulent and luxurious without feeling too over-stuffed (I'm a fan of the pool!). Oh and there are two or three cats that live here full time and have the run of the place. Definitely a plus.
4) The souks are ridiculously confusing. A rabbit warren of streets that all look the same, I definitely got lost on the way back from my run. Like, really lost. Running up and down street after street (I definitely blundered in not bringing a paper with the NAME of my hostel or street), it took until I encountered a salesman (who started talking to me because he is also a runner) who first sold me a nice camel-leather bookbag and then took me back to my hostel so that I could pay him. I might have caved too quickly in the bargaining (I got him down from 800 riyhad to 500) but to get back was nice and the bag is a quality piece. After walking about tonight, I definitely now know how to find my way home (which will avoid any costly blunders in the future!)
5) And while discussing running, I'll note that this city, on the edge of the Sahara, was much easier to run in during the early afternoon than Austin is at this time of year. Draw your own conclusions there.
1) It has a peculiar odor. In the souks, the air is scented with spices and fresh leather but in the main square (Djemaa el Fna) stinks of piss and horse dung.
2) The environment is unlike any I've ever been in. Definitely the most exotic place I've ever visited with its snake charmers and architecture. I was eating dinner on the roof of my hostel and was listening to the call to evening prayer from the (many) mosques in the city. Definitely not in Western Europe anymore.
3) Speaking of my hostel, it's possibly the best hostel I've stayed at. A former luxury riad, it is appropriately opulent and luxurious without feeling too over-stuffed (I'm a fan of the pool!). Oh and there are two or three cats that live here full time and have the run of the place. Definitely a plus.
4) The souks are ridiculously confusing. A rabbit warren of streets that all look the same, I definitely got lost on the way back from my run. Like, really lost. Running up and down street after street (I definitely blundered in not bringing a paper with the NAME of my hostel or street), it took until I encountered a salesman (who started talking to me because he is also a runner) who first sold me a nice camel-leather bookbag and then took me back to my hostel so that I could pay him. I might have caved too quickly in the bargaining (I got him down from 800 riyhad to 500) but to get back was nice and the bag is a quality piece. After walking about tonight, I definitely now know how to find my way home (which will avoid any costly blunders in the future!)
5) And while discussing running, I'll note that this city, on the edge of the Sahara, was much easier to run in during the early afternoon than Austin is at this time of year. Draw your own conclusions there.
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