Beyond the studios.

Having spent our first afternoon exploring Atlas Studios, Mike and I split the rest of our time in Ouarzazate at the pool and exploring the Taourirt Kasbah. (There is a UNESCO ksar, Ait Benhaddou, just outside of Ouarzazate, but this is not it. We weren’t organized enough to get ourselves out there.)

The Taourirt Kasbah dominates one end of town and is equally impressive inside and out. Of course, that’s just my opinion. Several people on TripAdvisor were disappointed that the rooms are unfurnished. Honestly, that’s very typical. I was once told by a guide that in the Muslim tradition, furniture and belongings of previous rulers/families are removed and destroyed. That’s why most fortresses open to the public are unfurnished. I tried doing a little research to verify that claim, but couldn’t find anything. Thinking over all of the fortresses I’ve visited in UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Jordan, and Morocco, only a couple had items in the rooms (Sheik Zayed’s former home in Al, Ain, for example.) I’m curious if anyone else has found this to be true.

The kasbah is indeed a labyrinth inside and you won’t learn much without a guide. We weren’t in much of a guide mood that day, so we opted to wander the rooms on our own. Here’s a taste of what the kasbah is like, courtesy of a tourism company:

“The Kasbahs inside Taourirt are best described as a cobweb village of sun-kissed buildings elaborated with multi-level towers and turrets rising out of closely packed ksours (one family Kasbahs), ramparts with geometrical drawings and a series of alleys and gateways. 

I could not have said it better myself.

Of course, there were some cute kittens around too.

Here’s a little bonus of my disappearing pants!

Ouarzazate was a great weekend getaway.

xo, jill

Well, maybe more like Burbank?

Even when you live in a top tourist destination like Marrakech, it’s nice to get out and about and see something new. Back in  May, Mike and I needed to get out of town so we hopped a bus headed to Ouarzazate. I’ve since been told that taking a coach  to Ouarzazate is not the safest choice, and I have to agree. A good chunk of the trip involves driving through windy roads without guardrails through the Atlas Mountains. I spent a lot of time trying to evade motion sickness and not looking out the window. It was a long way down. So, should you embark on a trip to Ouarzazate, I highly recommend hiring a driver or driving yourself. Once in town, your own private mode of transport will be much appreciated as well. The fabled bus running between town and the studios (I’ll get to that in a minute) never materialized while we were there.

Another way to visit Ouarzazate is as part of a Sahara Desert excursion. Ouarzazate is known as the Door to the Desert so most desert excursions stop here on their way to the dunes. I believe these stops usually involve a meal, a walk around town, and quick museum stop. Some may also include a trip to a nearby kasbah. Mike and I felt like we’d had plenty of amazing desert experiences in Rub Al Khali, so we prioritized other experiences while in Morocco. I still feel ok with that choice, but I do sometimes wish we’d had an extra few days to sneak out there. (Most trips involve a 12 hour day in the car which also made the excursion less appealing. Plus, riding camels is something I refuse to do again.)

Because we were not en route to the desert, Mike and I focused on Ouarzazate’s other nickname, the Hollywood of Morocco. Quite a few films have been shot here including Lawrence of Arabia, Babel, The Mummy, and Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. There are two film studios in town and we elected to take a tour at the larger one: Atlas Studios. While it was fun to visit a film studio, the tour itself was a bit comical. Our guide was not too interested in his job. Although you’d expect to spend some time gawking at the sets, our guide was quick with the yallah-s. Spoken with his inflection, it definitely meant, “Hurry up!!!”

The commentary on the tour made us chuckle as well. It was a lot of:

Guide: Here, they filmed the English Patient.

Visitors: Really? Wow!

G: But not the famous movie, the tv show.

V: Oh…ok.

G: Here, they filmed Ben Hur.

V: Oooohhh…

G: But not the famous one. The 2010 Canadian mini-series.

V: …

There were also a few closed sets that were in use. When someone would ask what was filming there, the guide would reply, “Oh, some American movie.” as if we wouldn’t be interested. I’ll have to keep my eyes open over the next few years to see if I can spot any familiar scenes.

I had no idea before arriving in Morocco that it has such a strong relationship to Hollywood. While we were living there quite a few celebrities were nearby filming, including Nicole Kidman who reportedly looked into enrolling her children in my school. Also, one of my students had Tom Cruise’s people over scouting her house as a possible film location. I’ll have to actually watch the next Mission Impossible to see if it made the cut. In addition, one of the teachers at my school is also a well respected working actor in the Moroccan film industry. Exciting stuff.

xo, jill

Irresistible.

Back in April, Mike and I boarded a bus with friends for another trip to Essaouira. It’s hard to stay away from that little seaside town. (This was my fourth and final visit.) We tried to do things a bit differently this time and stayed outside of the medina. Our hotel was newer and across the street from the beach. It was a much quieter hotel room but I still recommend a riad in the medina for a first visit.

Our main mission was to help Ritchie show her cousin around which seemed to entail a lot of shopping. We also managed to squeeze in a nap on the beach, Thai food, and all the main sights. It was another lovely beachside weekend spent with friends.

Of course, being that we were in Essaouria, all of my photos ended up looking like this:

Possibly my favorite cat photo ever.

Jail Cat

This guy pretty much refused all my efforts to focus. Oh well.

The cats are cute but I do regret not getting any photos of our group!

xo, jill

PS My first Baby Kitties of Essaouira post is here!

She’s a magnet.

I couldn’t let my sister leave without experiencing Essaouira. I really think it’s a Moroccan classic, especially if you can’t make it to Fez or Tangier. It offers a look at old Morocco that is different from Marrakech. Plus, traveling around Morocco can be a little crazy. Essaouira feels like a well-deserved break.

I must say, walking the souks and alleys with my sister was much different than strolling around with Mike. I guess I didn’t realize how good Mike’s presence was for keeping the men away. My sister was bringing them in left and right. I felt a new found respect for women visiting Essaouira alone or in pairs. It’s a lot of work to just walk down the street. Although, attention single ladies interested in a Moroccan husband. Essaouira is the place! You will not believe how many women Mike and I met over the past year who met their partners in Essaouira. (I think it’s the water!)

Of course, no trip to Essaouira would be complete without sharing a few cat photos. I mean, really. It’s a combination of delight and torture.

Jana took most of the fun photos. Here’s a collage of photos from her phone.

After the fun at the beach it was time to hurry home. We had a flight to London to catch the next day!

xo, jill

PS Other posts on Essaouira here and here. Oh, and here!

The cascades.

When I realized so many friends and family members were interested in visiting Marrakech, I decided to save one tourist attraction to experience new with each person. I figured that otherwise I’d be sick of seeing the same old sights over and over. No one wants to explore with a fatigued sightseeing buddy.

When my sister visited in March, I took a personal day so we could check out Ouzoud Falls. The falls are about two hours away from Marrakech and make a nice day trip from the city. To make arrangements easier, we joined up with a tour group and headed to the falls in a mini-bus. Once we arrived, we hired a guide who led us on a hike from the top of the falls, down across the water, and back up the other side. On the way back up, we stopped for a tagine lunch and tea with a gorgeous view.

I know it’s blurry but I love this photo. 

“Berber Titanic” – Berber jokes never get old…except when they do.

Trips to the falls are easy to find. Every tour operator in Marrakech offers some sort of tour there. The best months to view the falls are March to June.

xo, jill

A peaceful respite.

Well, there are a variety of reasons why I haven’t posted anything new for the past several weeks. First, life was just busy. Closing up a school year and packing up your life take time! Then, my priorities went to reconnecting with my family as is natural after a long absence. Finally, well, the amount of photos I have from the past few months is just overwhelming. A few of our weekend trips produced several hundreds of photographs! Yikes. I haven’t known where to begin. Luckily, I noticed an album of photos that had already been pared down.

These photos are from a trip to the Majorelle Garden all the way back in January. The garden is just a few blocks from where we were living. Mike and I often watched hot and sweaty tourists walking there while squinting at their maps from our breakfast table. When my friend Liz paid me a visit, I decided to join her and finally check it out for myself. I must say, it is a delight.

Entering the Majorelle Garden means walking into a peaceful shaded sanctuary. You are immediately transported away from the loud, hectic, and smelly streets of Marrakech. (Seriously, smelly. You have to walk past several horses to get to the entrance and heat + horse urine is intense.) It’s easy to forget that beyond the bamboo, bougainvillea, and high wall is a busy street (and our local grocery store!).

Although fairly small, the garden offers plenty to look at and enjoy. For plant lovers, it’s impossible to visit the garden and not experience extreme succulent envy. If flowers are more your thing and you’d like to see the bougainvillea in full bloom, October and April are the best months to visit. And if for some reason you find yourself at the garden but aren’t much into plants or flowers, the Berber Museum (25dhs) and Yves Saint Laurent exhibit (free) are worthwhile as well. I highly recommend paying a little extra to get the joint garden + museum ticket. I loved looking at the different Berber textiles, dresses, and jewelry (and I’m not a jewelry person whatsoever).

If you’re wondering why there would be an Yves Saint Laurent exhibit at the Majorelle Garden, it’s because without YSL and his partner, Pierre Bergé, the garden would now be an ugly hotel complex. YSL and Bergé “discovered” the gardens during a visit to Marrakech in the 1960s. It was the enchanting work of Jacques Majorelle, who had invested 40 years into developing the garden. Later, in 1980, YSL and Bergé learned the garden was to be demolished to make way for a new hotel. The couple bought the land instead. I think I speak on behalf of all the hot and sweaty tourists (and locals) when I say, “Thank you, kind sirs!”.

xo, jill

P.S. Just a note: Majorelle Garden is very popular. Arriving earlier in the day might help you avoid the large coach tours.