After a wonderful first few days in the desert and middle of Morocco, we ventured to Marrakech.
Our first day in Marrakech was full of the unexpected.
We didn’t do any grand sightseeing. We didn’t ride camels into the desert or get swept into a whirlwind tour of souks and palaces. What we did do was stay close to our little Ryad, play Taboo and Mad Libs, tackle a bit of schoolwork, and set out on a scavenger hunt through the maze-like streets of the Medina in search of nail clippers, wipes, and hair conditioner. My bag had still not arrived from our flight from Rome and I was living with less than essentials.
That small mission turned into one of the most vivid cultural experiences we’ve had so far.
According to Happy A, Marrakech had “so many people and so many people.” Accurate. It was loud, packed, vibrant, and honestly overwhelming at times. Happy L was captivated by the street performers doing flips and balancing acts that would’ve impressed even the toughest talent show judges. “They should be in a talent show, not on the street,” she said.
We saw a lot: monkeys on chains, a boa’s skin stretched across a display, a tiger pelt, and a peacock in a cage. We wound through narrow alleys past vendors calling out in multiple languages. Some moments were magical, some uncomfortable. There was a man selling bags whose legs trembled as he sat on the ground—his bags had hearts on them, and Happy A whispered that she felt sad for him.
These aren’t the moments that make it into guidebooks or Instagram highlight reels. But they’re the ones we’ll remember. The ones that made us pause.
And yet, amidst the swirl of sensory input, there was the sweetness of us. The board games. The Mad Libs. The schoolwork done cross-legged on a hotel bed. The way Happy A tried to get us to guess “Pretty Woman” by saying, “Mama”—which cracked us up. Or the declaration that we are descendants of Aladdin and Jasmine (I’ll allow it).
There’s a magic to Marrakech, but it doesn’t always shimmer in the ways you expect. It’s in the contrasts. In the colors and chaos. In the discomfort and the wonder. And most of all, in the shared experience—being here together, eyes wide open, taking it all in.
Day one: overwhelming. And wonderful.
