Quite the destination: Marrakech
If you are looking to experience somewhere different, then look no further than Marrakech, Morocco for your destination. GoNOMAD.com’s own senior editor, Kent E. St. John, describes the city as a step back in time.
“The floor shows in the Fna (a place where thousands gather for dinner every night) are a jumble of snake charmers, storytellers and acrobats. If you’re in need of a spare tooth or care to rid yourself of one giving you trouble, head for the man in a blue cap; the doctor is in. His office is a table set up amidst throngs of revelers.”
Celebrities, rock, stars, and famous people of sorts, visit Morocco frequently. Given that the average famous person’s life is so dramatic, it is for people nice to go a place as eccentric as themselves, where hardly anyone will care about their status.
John writes “I had no doubt that when I exited my flight on Royal Air Moroc, a few steps behind Laurence Fishburne in Casablanca, that he was headed to Marrakech. Sitting at a table in a sleek restaurant called Compoir a few nights later sat Susan Sarandon, looking gorgeous.”
Besides finding yourself surrounded with celebrities and exotic animals, a trip to Morocco can be a bit of a culture shock. For instance, while in America it is possible to find items on mark-down, be prepared to bargain for your goods in Morrocco. “Never take the first price on something you want; it just isn’t done and takes the fun out of the salesperson’s day, literally. That doesn’t mean that a pack of gum should be bargained for. They start high, you bid low, then work your way up to the middle. Be civilized. It is a custom and, once you get used to it, fun.”
There is also a lot of culture and history to see in Marrakech. Visit the Gueliz Quarter, once known as Ville Nouvelle, when the area was ruled by the French. The quarter is an interesting place to walk around and sit and have a cup of coffee in a cafe.
Marrakech has lots of interesting things and places to explore; a 6.5 hour plane ride on Royal Air Maroc and you will see for yourself!
Source: Kent E. St. John www.GoNOMAD.com
