so much to say

my final vacation post! seems like forever ago now, that Brando and I embarked on our cross-continent heatwave. it also seems like that's all I've been talking about here for a while! not to worry, there won't be another vacation for a long while... sad face. we were planning on going to Greece but our budget is kind of non-existent anymore.

ANYWAYS. here are my cherished last photos of Marrakesh, after the jump...

magic carpets (?) in the souks // Marrakesh is famous for its orange juice! the market is filled with juice stalls // Moroccan oranges // snake charmers...certainly not people charmers, and the prices they charge for a photo.

Marrakesh is by far the most unique city I've ever been to. our perfectly pleasant, non-english speaking cab driver picked us up at the airport after I was finally able to recall the name of our hostel (oops. and I'm usually so organized with these things.). the drive through the city was crazy in itself; anyone who thinks their city has nutty drivers should experience zig-zagging through streets barely big enough for a car, surrounded by entire families crammed on motor bikes. 

we were greeted at the Riad Marrakesh Rouge by Ali, one of the staff. the hostel was colourful and clean and served amazing free breakfast, but the staff by far takes the cake. they were amazing, so friendly and helpful. they give you maps, make suggestions of what to see and where to eat, make sure you don't get ripped off at the markets, and arrange desert outings for you! 

I cannot say enough good things about this hostel. if you ever go to Marrakesh, you HAVE to stay there. it's as good as any hotel. and it's right in the heart of the medina (old city) next to the big square, which is exactly where you want to be. everything is in walking distance. 

top group of 3: at the Saadian tombs // rest: Bahia + Badi palaces

the palaces were definitely a highlight of the trip, and they're only a short walk from the big square. there were a lot of great times in Marrakesh, but I think Badi Palace, the one with the storks, was my favourite. it was so fascinating, and peaceful. the nice thing about the city is that there are plenty of tourists, but nothing is overcrowded. well, the souks and the markets are, but not with tourists!

we also went to the Saadian tombs, which is pretty self-explanatory; tombs of the Saadian royals. very small, but very pretty. both palaces and the tombs only cost 10 dirham each to visit- which equals about $1.25. totally worth it for the pictures alone!

the thing about Morocco is everything is so cheap when converted. you can get an amazing meal for $5 just about anywhere. and the food is delicious! we didn't try anything overly adventurous- although I believe at one point I ate a pigeon pie- but everything was extremely flavourful and filling. tajine was definitely my favourite; it's an amazing Moroccan stew. I'm partial to the lamb one, but you can get chicken or just vegetable. 

you can buy traditional tajine spice at any of the markets- some people may even try to sell you some through their living room windows as you walk by. Morocco is known for it's rich array of spices, and they're very cheap compared to prices in North America and Europe. you can scoop up saffron for a fraction of the cost!

Brando + myself in the tunnels under Badi palace

the markets and souks in the medina are an experience on their own. I could have spent every day wandering around just looking at all the beautiful things. you almost need to bring an extra suitcase for all the things you'll want to buy! you can outfit a gorgeous home for mere dollars; there are rugs bigger than our apartment hanging on shop walls, exquisite glass lanterns in all sizes, and beautiful hand-crafted furniture. 

shopping in Marrakesh is a mental and physical workout. you have to play a game of cat-and-mouse meshed with a battle of wits just to haggle with the shop keepers, and pushing through the crowds and inevitably getting lost in the souks can be gruelling (and yes- you will get lost. don't worry, locals can spot lost tourists from a mile away and will happily point you in the right direction.) but shopping is totally worth it. you can snag tons of amazing, hand-crafted, original stuff for cheap. 

most common and popular shop items include lanterns, carpets (not guaranteed to be magic), spices (which are displayed in large colourful pyramids), lamps (yes, as in "genie of the"), tea sets, jewellery, and leather. oh. so much. leather. I wanted a bag from every corner. and one girl we met at the hostel snagged some super-cool embroidered leather boots! I was so jealous.

some shopping tips; start haggling at less than half the price the shop keeper originally asks. for example, if a guy wants 300 dirham for a pashmina, tell him you'll give him 100. they will tell you you're crazy and try to make you believe you are being unreasonable, but you are not. locals pay a lot less than tourists for the same goods.

if the shop keeper won't haggle, give your final price then walk away. usually they'll chase you and give you that price. if not, you'll probably find something almost exactly the same around the corner. 

that said, if you fall in love with an item but are tempted to "shop around" first, don't risk it. you'll probably never find the same shop twice. or you'll spend all day trying to get back to it and it will make you sweaty and cranky. 

more photos of the camels in the desert!

 I should also mention that our visit fell at the end of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting. we didn't realize this when we arrived, so it was an interesting surprise. everyone was fasting all day, so no one ate or drank or smoked (big deal in Morocco) till the sun went down. it didn't affect tourists much overall. but things were a lot less hectic when we first got there- everyone was tired and hungry I assume!- and then in the middle of the week there was a big party in the square, and after that the locals were out in full force! it was actually kind of fun. one of the lovely workers at the hostel was so excited to have his end-of-Ramadan meal that he caught me and Brandon as we were leaving our room and insisted we share it with him. it was so nice! he was so genuinely happy to share with us. 

prayer times at the mosques are apparently incredible to witness as well. I say apparently because we kept missing it, but we always heard the call to prayer when we were hanging out on the roof top. if you're out and about during the call to prayer you get to see everyone drop what they are doing and run to the nearest mosque immediately. it's a mad rush. 

we wanted to visit the Koutoubian mosque, which is the big one in jemaa el fna, but didn't get the time to explore the gardens. they're supposed to be really pretty. we didn't even get pictures of the mosque because my camera died just as we were walking up to it! this photo is all I have...

Koutoubian mosque across the big square, jemaa el fna // shadows of Marrakesh // pretty architecture is everywhere // hookah smoking on the roof, where there is always peppermint tea! // you have to sneak pictures of the monkeys or it will cost you a mint

there are so many things to do in Marrakesh, and we missed out on a couple goodies. there are the Majorelle gardens, which were funded or restored by Yves St. Laurent. we didn't go in because compared to the other attractions, it was pretty pricey. then there's the famous grand hotel where Winston Churchill often stayed, and celebrities like Brad Pitt frequently visit. there's the tanneries, where the leather is "made," and the many mosques and tombs and gardens around the city. don't believe the guidebook when it says you will only need three or four days in Marrakesh- you can easily fill a week or more, especially if it's debilitatingly hot in the afternoons! 

strawberry turtle! // commonwealth pals! // below: the winding souks at night

there's just so much I want to say about Marrakesh, but there's no way I could cover it all and do it justice. it's such an experience. it's frantic and chaotic and beautiful and lively and inexpensive. the people are funny and friendly, and the architecture is stunning.

I want to blurt out random advice, like avoid the monkey trainers because they throw the monkeys on you and make you pay WAY too much. same with the snake charmers. and always take peppermint tea when it's offered to you. which it will be. a lot. and if people offer to lead you somewhere as a "guide," if they say it's free, it's not. 

there's just so much to tell you! but you'll just have to go. 

one of the best parts was meeting all those friendly faces at our hostel! there was such a communal vibe, and everybody just hung out together at night, talking and smoking hookah (the fruit kind...). 

on mine and Brandon's last night there almost all of us at the hostel went out to dinner together in the night market. funnily enough, we were all from parts of the commonwealth! it was the little joke of the evening. 

definitely a trip I will never forget, and I would definitely go again. soon.

desert rose

so our third day in Marrakesh was a black hole of discomfort and unusual bodily functions. and no, I don't mean the honeymoon kind. I was sick. obviously that is not a part of the trip I wish to share in detail with you all, but it is worth mentioning because it FOILED MY PLAN.

Brando and I were signed on to do an overnight trek in the Sahara desert- I know, awesome. we would join our fellow travellers in a mini-roadtrip, during which we would stop by the site of a movie scene from Gladiator (one of my all-time favourite movies, might I add), followed by a journey by camel caravan into the Saharan dunes where we would sleep under the desert stars.

sounds fantastic, yes?

that's why I was so bummed we had to miss it. BUT all was not lost. when I was feeling better the next day, one of the guys who worked at the hostel arranged a cab for me and Brando to go to the outskirts of the city for a little camel ride of our own. so I got my desert experience after all. yay!

(along the way our guide made these little flowers out of balm branches! and gave us fruit he picked. no ides what it was, but it was yummy.)

tunic- monsoon // leggings- new look // shoes- toms

how cute is the baby camel?? camels are so cool. they're tall and indifferent and make funny noises.

I'm obsessed with my toms, btw. there's an autumn-y tweed pair that I am dying to buy. 

aaaand with that I'm off to watch the season premiere of Glee! because apparently I'm one of those people now. but if I ever start referring to myself as a "gleek" you have my permission to send me hate mail. 

love love!

playing: throw away your television- red hot chilli peppers

gone to the birds

sometimes my little, uneventful life seems so busy.

I didn't find the time to do my second Marrakesh post yesterday, but I was determined to do it today! however it is now very late indeed so there won't be much writing to accompany the photos as my brain seems to think it needs to be sleeping...

don't worry, there are a zillion more photos and better descriptions to come. this is mostly an outfit post, with lots of storks...

going to Badi Palace! // the entrance // giant stork nest

our second day of Marrakesh adventures brought us to the amazing Badi Palace. while it is a palace, it's nothing like Bahia, which you saw in this post; Badi is the remnants of what was once called "the incomparable palace." now it's basically ruins inhabited by the city's stork population. it is really cool.

in the courtyard // stork gatekeeper // courtyard again, better view // the pool // ditto // etc., etc... // a fearless duck- this is not zoomed in at all.

there are underground tunnels you can explore, and steps to the top of the wall where you're at eye-level with the storks. their nests are huge, and there are SO MANY. there are ducks too, and we also made a kitty friend. she (I say she, but I don't know- it seemed to have an indeterminable feminine quality...) was so friendly and cute and followed us around for a long time. we were carrying our water in a plastic bag, so that's probably what she was after (cats love bags), but we still thought it was cute.

kitty comes to visit // a new friend :) // relaxing by the pool... // stork lane // me + the birds // Marrakesh, from slightly above! // rare photo together ♥

the view was really great too. probably the only place in the medina where you can kind of see a cityscape. (fyi- "medina" is just what they call the old part of town). it looks the way I'd always pictured it; earthy red, rooftop terraces, the occasional palm tree... plus a few satellite dishes!

dress- vintage fr. missing pieces on etsy // bag- shop in the souks! // sandals- h&m 

don't you just love this bag?! I didn't do much shopping on the trip, but a Moroccan leather bag was a must-have. I saw this one the first time we were in the souks and just had to have it! luckily we managed to find the shop again- no small feat when it's impossible not to get lost every ten steps. anyway, it has coins from different countries on it, and the centre stone contains rose petals. awesome, right??

right!

ok time for me to go to bed. 

goodnight! 

playing: battlefield- Jordin Sparks

a whole new world

after Barcelona Brando and I took the party to Marrakesh, Morocco. it's somewhere I've always wanted to go; exotic and beautiful and totally different from anywhere else I've ever been. kind of like being in Aladdin... a lot like that, actually. that's what makes it so awesome. I kept picturing that scene where Jasmine sneaks out of the palace and goes to the marketplace, and the vendors are like "sugar dates! sugar dates and fiiigs! sugar dates and PISTACHIOS!!!"

near the square // getting lost in the souks // me + a chameleon! // kitty. they're everywhere in the old city // orange tree // Brando in the window

we spent the first day exploring the markets and souks around jemaa el fna ("the big square"), which was a culture shock in itself. I've been to Africa before, but it was nothing like this. everyone's a salesman, haha. and a tricky one. the souks are overwhelming- if you even slow down to look at a shop someone bombards you with greetings and invitations to "come look, good price, just to look." they're also really crowded and full of beautiful and interesting things. everything is so colourful, from the glass lanterns and the jewellery, to the pyramid mounds of spices. 

one guy who was particularly nice to us had two pet chameleons hanging out in his shop! he let us hold them. I bought some solid perfume from him- amber and rose. that's another thing; the souks are full of intense aromas. 

Brando + both chameleons! // the rest are from Bahia Palace

we also made our way to Palace Bahia, which is still used as a royal residence sometimes. it's beautifully and ornately decorated in Moroccan tiles and carvings. everything was so pretty and detailed!

all inside Bahia Palace

it was hot enough to melt yer face off. the rest of the trip we realized the common- and most logical- thing to do was go back and chill at the riad (hostel) during the hottest part of the day. which was a nice vacation in itself; we met lots of lovely fellow travellers and everyone hung out together in the afternoons. we also met the four awesome turtles that lived at the riad and roamed about freely on the roof terrace! the is the little guy...

me + the "wee one" // snacking on something...so cute! // from the palace // on the street near our riad // I am so in love with this dress from monsoon!

after the sun goes down it's the perfect temperature for exploring. and conveniently, the night market is just as exciting as the day! 

gorgeous lanterns in the souks // the night market

many more photos from Marrakesh to come later! such a fascinating place. 

♥

playing: leave you in the morning- Chris Kirby