I have just returned from Morocco and to say I have holiday
blues would be putting it quite nicely to be honest. This was my third time visiting Morocco and
it was definitely an experience. Each time I've visited this beautiful country,
I have had a complete different encounter. Morocco always gives me a sense of
culture that I miss when I'm not able to go back home (Sierra Leone). Our
cultures are somewhat different but also very similar being that it’s an Islamic
country. I think the main thing I love about Morocco is listening to the calling
of prayer throughout the day, it’s absolutely beautiful and calming. I was so
happy to see that we were staying very close to a mosque during our stay.
Morocco is packed with beautiful scenery everywhere you go,
from buildings to stunning gardens with the most picturesque flowers. I noticed
that the pictures I took were not fully capturing the beauty of the country.
I
guess they say, sometimes all you need in life are good memories.
During our stay we tried to explore as much as possible; we
visited the stunning Bahia Palace, Ourika Valley, where I had my first traditional Moroccan dish of the trip - A chicken Tagine with Vegetables. We trekked up the mountains to see the waterfalls, went quad biking, walked
around the main square which is called Jemaa el-Fnaa, Marrakesh probably has the most delicious fresh Orange Juice I have ever tasted and for only 4 Durham a glass, you can't go wrong.
On day 3 we had the
most amazing spa day at the 5* Cesar Resort & Spa and later went clubbing at 555
Marrakech. I've never been clubbing in Morocco so I was pleasantly surprised,
the night was filled with good vibes and it was free entry and free drinks for ladies all
night so we were even happier.
We travelled on local buses a few times
and the local people would either laugh or just stared at us the entire
journey, at first it was extremely uncomfortable but after the second bus ride
we got used to it. On one of the journeys, a Moroccan lady decided to shout “HARAM”
as we were getting off the bus and a few others joined her. She was referring
to the way we were dressed, even though we all had on either trousers or long
maxi dresses, maybe it was because our shoulders were not fully covered but we
blissfully ignored and walked on because I guess it is disrespectful in their
culture to expose such areas of the body. We had a little chat about it amongst ourselves and
went about our day.
I personally would definitely recommend you add Marrakech to your Travel Wishlist, especially if you love a spot of haggling in the markets and do not mind being stopped every now and then to check out "shops cheaper than Primark" hahaa. Oh and if you're scared of cats, they're everywhere lol. With all that being said I do not have one negative thing to say about the country.
SIDE NOTE - Because I keep it all the way real !
Although I would never let
anyone ever ruin a holiday for me, my patience was definitely tested throughout the
trip, with a group of 5 different personalities I'm sure it was bound to happen . There wasn't a day that went
by without a little argument or shady comment. I can’t lie though it wasn't all
negative with these girls, but I have
personally learned a valuable lesson in terms of travelling with a group of girls that I've just met. Thank God my girl Vanessa came on holiday with us, who kept me sane.
On a brighter note, Vanessa and I have decided to start a YouTube Channel
together and I'm so happy because we vlogged our Moroccan adventure, which was very eventful and will give you more of a glance our daily adventures, the Moroccan culture and breathtaking scenery. A vlog will be up soon and I am
so excited, I have always wanted to vlog my travels so this will be the first
of many.
Follow me on Instagram @zinatarablog for some more pictures of my trip to Morocco.
My next adventure is
Dubai & Abu Dhabi next month so be sure to look out for that.
Speak soon
Zina Tara xxx
