Morocco – Page 2 – Oh, the Places We See . . .

Glamping in Erg Chebbi or How We Rode Camels in the Sahara

If you’d told us six months ago that we’d be riding camels in the Sahara, we would have replied, “You’ve got the wrong people for that.” After all, we had done just that at the Knoxville Zoo atop a mangy, reluctant beast who shuffled around a dirt ring with us and our…

by Oh, the Places We See

The Hollywood of Morocco: Ouarzazate

Touring Morocco isn’t just seeing mosques in the cities and sand dunes in the Sahara. A day spent in Ouarzazate, the gateway to the desert to the east of Marrakech, will have you walking where Lawrence of Arabia was filmed and wondering what else you’ve seen that was probably made in Morocco. Even our hotel, Ksar […]

by Oh, the Places We See

Beautiful dilemmas: Rug shopping in Marrakech

You see them from rooftop restaurants . . . and you pass them by on your way in and out of the medina . . . but there’s nothing like a couple of hours being courted by salesmen in a Marrakech rug shop! From the minute you step in the door, you’re bombarded with colors, […]

by Oh, the Places We See

Best Foot Forward: Woodworking in Marrakech and Fes

Nothing stops you in your tracks while wandering in and around Marrakech like this sight: a man turning wood with nothing more than a sharp blade and his feet! Yes, you may wince a bit looking at these pictures. We certainly did. Moroccan woodturners are pros, though. And with skilled hands and strategic balance, they […]

by Oh, the Places We See

Memories of Marrakech: Shoe Fetish

There’s nothing dark and mysterious in the medina of Marrakech, especially if you’re in the apparel section. Shoe stalls literally screamed color. Cramming hand-made leather slippers onto the walls of tiny nooks must take patience and skill, but every shoe stall was packed to overflowing. From pom-poms to fancy stitches to pointy toes, the shoes […]

by Oh, the Places We See

Memories of Marrakech: Getting around.

We’re people watchers (especially when we travel), fascinated by how people work, worship, and live in countries other than our own. And in Marrakech, how people move from one place to another was in stark contrast to how we get around in the U.S. Rarely did we see cars in lanes (lines on the street […]

by Oh, the Places We See

Memories of Marrakech: Mats at Koutoubia

Since we love the brevity and pop of Instagram, we’ve decided to share — in short bursts of photography — a few images that have stayed with us after a visit to the colorful, exotic city of Marrakech in a series titled Memories of Marrakech. Here’s the first one: The Mats at Koutoubia Mosque. […]

by Oh, the Places We See

For a night in Marrakech: Riad Les Yeux Bleus

Although I’ve heard from many people traveling to Marrakech that it’s difficult to book a night at Riad Les Yeux Bleus, but please give it a shot as early as you can. Near all the action of the city yet in a very quiet place, Riad Les Yeux Bleus is tucked away in the […]

by Oh, the Places We See

Party on the Plaza: Morocco’s Jemaa el-Fnaa

If you enjoyed seeing the Marrakech medina — that dizzy meld of colorful goods in tiny shops — then you’ll love passing through the giant plaza to get there. But caution: you’ll stop and stare. A lot. The name, Jemaa el-Fnaa (sometimes spelled Djemma el F’na) means “assembly of the dead,” since it’s been the site […]

by Oh, the Places We See

Morocco’s Cat Fetish

Furry felines flourish in Morocco. And maybe they have for years. Not sure about the history of it all, but everywhere we went, there was another cat — or two or three or so. One guide told our group in Marrakech that Moroccans like cats better than dogs. “They are clean animals. You know how […]