Who thought we’d be making it to a new continent this semester? Not me. But Friday morning saw an early morning flight all the way to Marrakech, Morocco.
From the airplane above all I could see was a desert that seemed to go on for ever and ever.
A beautiful and much needed wave of heat hit us as upon exiting the airplane, standing in stark contrast to Copenhagen’s deteriorating weather. Not long after, a 30 dirham bus ride from the airport dropped us right in the hustle and bustle of the city center where we made sure to stop for food (in what was definitely a tourist trap) before finding the way to our hostel.
Our accommodation turned out to be a little building tucked away in the pastel walls of Marrakech. And after taking an embarrassingly long time to figure out how to get in, we were welcomed by our host with Morocco’s famous mint tea and an array of sweets.
kkkkkkkkkkk
We spent the first day exploring the streets and enjoyed wandering through the markets. Unfortunately, with my only luggage for the 10 day trip being my school backpack, window shopping was all I could do. However, if I ever go back I’ll be sure to take a bigger bag because the markets were packed full of beautiful items. But luckily, what was lost in goods was gained in food. The prices sure were a nice change from Copenhagen and we could actually afford to eat out!
Pictured above is a section of a massive market dedicated entirely to straw products ranging all the way from clothing items to household decorations.
Saturday was spent exploring the monuments around the city which was full of beautiful museums and Mosques. Our first stop was the Museum of Marrakesh which held an amazing array of artwork displayed through the twists and turns of the maze like building. The walls were decorated with beautiful paintings featuring recurring themes of hands and faces.
Following the Museum of Marrakesh we made our way to the Bahia Palace, and I later found out its name means ‘brilliance’. The gardens surrounding the palace definitely did not fail to live up to the name and the open building plan helped us make the most of the beautiful weather.
Sunday, however, was what we had really been waiting for. It was the day we had booked for the Hammam. Thanks to the great tip from a friend who’d travelled to Morocco during her gap year, we too decided it would be satisfying to be scrubbed until we were the softest we’d ever been. For those who don’t know, Hammans are traditionally a public steam room where people go to be cleaned. However, ours was slightly more private.
After the Hamman we walked to the Jardin Majorelle – a botanical garden created by the French Orientalist artist, Jacques Majorelle. In fact, the garden was so beautiful it was purchased by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé.
“For many years, the Jardin Majorelle has provided me with an endless source of inspiration, and I have often dreamt of its unique colours.”
Yves Saint Laurent
The Pursuit of Hygge 
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