A Week Lost in the Medina of Marrakech
Every alley holds a surprise — a hidden riad, a spice merchant with stories older than the city itself, a courtyard garden that stops you cold.
Getting lost in the Marrakech medina is not a problem. It is the point. I learned this on my second day, when I stopped trying to navigate and simply walked, turning wherever the light or the smell of cumin led me.
I found a spice shop run by a man named Hassan who had been selling the same blends his grandfather had mixed. He made me tea — three glasses, as tradition demands — and told me about the different uses of ras el hanout in ways that made me want to cook for the first time in years.
The riad I stayed in was a revelation. From the street it looked like nothing — a plain wooden door in a plain wall. Inside was a courtyard with a fountain, orange trees, and a silence so complete it felt sacred. This is the genius of Moroccan architecture: it turns its back on the world and creates paradise within.
Margaret
I've been traveling the world for over 30 years and still get butterflies before every trip. This blog is my way of sharing the places that moved me, the meals that surprised me, and the hotels where I slept like a queen.
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