#585 Marrakesh Express

On another gorgeous Moroccan day, we travel about 150 miles south and inland from Casablanca to Marrakesh.  We travel by bus, not by train, but that does not keep us from trying to remember the words to the Crosby, Stills and Nash classic Marrakesh Express.

Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express
They're taking me to Marrakesh
All aboard the train, all aboard the train

Marrakesh, the Red City, is known for its ubiquitous terra cotta-colored buildings.  Highlights of the day include the uniform terra-cotta-ness, the Majorelle Garden, the souks, and the Jemaa el-Fnaa square.

The Majorelle Garden is a botanical garden filled with Kelly's favorite things: bamboo and ferns.  It was designed by a French artist and later owned by Yves Saint Laurent.

We wander the winding pathways of the souks, or traditional Berber open-air markets, with a small group of students looking for just the right Moroccan gift for families back home.

 

And we end our search with a glass of leafy green Moroccan tea at the the famous Jemaa el-Fnaa square filled with cobra charmers, gymnasts, and persistent hawkers. When we return home, we will watch Alfred Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much - with scenes of this square.

 

We leave magical Marrakesh at sunset, heading back toward our MV Explorer home and contemplating life. 

Yours in repeating CSN's words "looking at the world through the sunset in your eyes,"
Mary