Marrakech in midsummer - deserted souks, relaxed merchants and shady parks
Sous-Massa National Park - beautiful beaches far from mass tourism
Seffa, Kefta, Tagine - the culinary variety is extremely diverse and always delicious
Surfing on the Moroccan Atlantic coast - we are growing with the challenges
Why go to Morocco in July when the heatwave is already sweeping across Europe? Well, to meet dear friends and have a good time together.
For the first few days we booked a Riad in the middle of Marrakech. Upon arrival, the 45 degrees there almost knock us out... It's like walking into a hair dryer. Thank god, our riad has air-conditioned bedrooms and a pool.
Despite the temperatures, of course we don't want to miss the highlights of the city. Micha and I were there in March when we crossed the Sahara, but we are far from having seen everything and many things can be experienced for a second time. This definitely includes the souks. However, the otherwise bustling streets are now almost deserted. There are hardly any tourists and even the merchants seem very sluggish from the heat. Negotiating is pretty cheap for us because of the lack of other customers.
Micha and I are also visiting the Bahia Palace once again. The former prime minister's imposing home is also a lot less frequented. We enjoy it and stroll leisurely through the shady gardens. There are many of these green oases in Marrakech, most of them hidden in the Riads (Editorials note: Riad means nothing but a garden, by the way), but others are also public. We visit the well-known Jardin Majorelle, the garden of Yves Saint Laurent, outside the medina. The fashion designer lived there for many years and opened the imposing garden to the public after his death. Exotic plants, huge cacti and colorful flowers leave you amazed.
A slightly smaller caliber is the Secret Garden in the middle of the medina. This was created a few years ago by a non-profit organization. The scent of the herbs is beguiling, everywhere there is a smell of mint, lavender and other spices. Fruits, cacti, etc. grow in between. A café invites you to linger.
But now it's time to enjoy our own Riad. Embedded by banana trees is our (mini 😊) pool. Finally some cooldown - woohooo!
After three days in Marrakech, we are drawn to the sea. We booked a beautiful villa with a (large 😊) pool on the edge of the Sous-Massa National Park. Perfect for hot days. The climate feels more pleasant on the coast. The temperatures are about 10 degrees lower than in Marrakech and there is a nice breeze. The nature reserve around the national park was created mainly because of the bird life. White storks, various types of herons and even pink flamingos live here. During a short morning hike we can observe them up close. In the evening we ride dromedaries into the dunes and enjoy the typical mint tea there. Did you know that it is also called Moroccan whiskey? Upon arrival and on every occasion, tea is served first, a very nice ritual. We are even invited to tea in the personal cave of Abdullahah, our dromedary guide. Editorial note: The beach of Sidi R'bat is on the edge of cliffs and every native resident has the right to build a cave there, that means to carve it into the rock. Natural air conditioning and a good view guaranteed 😊
The culinary variety is fantastic in Morocco. In our villa in Sous Massa we even have our own cook. Mina prepares a terrific breakfast for us every morning. Breakfast is said to be the most important meal in Morocco and it is very rich. Freshly baked bread, omelets, Moroccan pancakes served with yoghurt and all kinds of sweet spreads. And of course freshly squeezed orange juice not to be missed. The evening meals, however, top it all. That's why Mina spends most of the day in the kitchen. There is a lot of fresh fish, either in the oven or from the tagine. Tagine is a cone-shaped clay vessel in which all sorts of things are prepared. The vessel is placed on a flame or embers, so the meat, vegetables etc. are braised gently and evenly). Also we loved lamb kefta (meatballs) and seffa, a sweet chicken dish with toasted nuts, raisins, cinnamon and powdered sugar. And Micha's sweet stomach felt very comfortable with lemon cake, pear crumble etc.
The sandy beach in Sidi R'bat is long and wide, hardly any tourists. Perfect for walks and playing boule. And for Micha and me, of course, for surfing - as a precaution we packed our wetsuits. In fact, you can surf on the beach and, according to our landlord, there is also a surf school where you can rent equipment. As we walk along the beach and ask about it, we meet Boba, the surf instructor. He has stored some surfboards in his cave on the beach and we arrange to meet up for the next day. Plan ahead to meet, however, is not that easy. The best time to surf is always now. So why plan? Grab your surfboard and enjoy the waves. Boba watches us from the beach and gives valuable feedback. He grew up in Sidi R'bat and has been surfing since he was 16 years old. Although he has seen many surf spots in the world, this is where he loves it most.
And in Taghazout, where Micha and I are afterwards for three days more, things are similar. All very spontaneous, but it works. One day, as there aren't any waves on the house beach of our accommodation, the manager drives us to a better surf spot with the rented boards. Although the best season for surfing in Morocco tends to be autumn, we still took some good rides with us... And of course made some progress again. We have already ridden the first green waves. Even though the progress is slow and arduous, it's still great fun.
And that's why we decide without further ado that our surfboard, which we couldn't sell returning from Portugal, will be shipped to South America! Let's see what Uruguay & Co. has to offer for surf spots. Stay tuned 😊