Have you ever thought about what you were singing when you sang the chorus to that song and then pretended to know the verse? Well, I never did…until today when I was actually at a Casbah (read:fortress; the one below is Bab Agnaou, the royal fortress.) for the first time.

Today was Day One in Marrakech. We arrived late last night and were met by a guide and driver. They took us inside the walls of the old city and then guided us by foot through the winding streets and alleys of the medina to our Riad, which are homes, with courtyards, that have been converted into hotels. The charm and authenticity of Riad Ilayka was apparent from moment one.

 

Upon arrival we were offered fruit juice and some cookies. Now, for those who haven’t been to Morocco, it isn’t unlike a visit to Mexico in that you are told not to drink the water or anything that can’t be peeled or isn’t cooked. So, the hypochondriac in me is determined not to come close to crossing this line and ending up sidelined for the rest of the week! I warned Sarah before we arrived that I would essentially be the Charlotte of the Sex and the City movie’s trip to Mexico…minus the Poughkeepsie :). HOWEVER, how can you turn down the kindness and generosity of this first offering of juice and cookies?!? It was a crapshoot (literally), but we decided to take our chances…

Breakfast was served at the hotel, and we were pleased to find these mini tagines of jam with a bunch of bread and pastries, as well as both a chocolate and carrot yogurt.

 

We were then met by our guide, Latif, to start our day in the old city. We visited the Koutoubia Mosque, Saadian Tombs, the Casbah, Bahia Palace, the old Jewish Synagogue, an herbalist , and a carpet co-op, before heading outside the walls to the new part of town for lunch and a visit to the Majorelle Gardens, which were purchased and kept up by Yves Sant Laurent starting in 1980.

The gorgeous tile and design at all of these sites are absolutely stunning!

    

Right inside the Casbah we found the herbalist who is known (according to Latif) to have the best Argan Oil products in the city. We went inside for a very educational experience and left with our first purchases in Morocco (and neck massages!). I loved the old apothecary look and the natural remedies for just about everything!

 

At the carpet co-op, we were treated to some Moroccon kindness, otherwise known as tea, and a full blown presentation of this co-ops many offerings. After seeing carpets pile one on top of another to the point of confusion, we decided we needed a day to think about it. What do you think of the two I’m considering below??

This busy morning helped us work up an appetite for our first traditional Moroccan Tagines. Both were so delicious we were using our bread to sop up as much of the stewy sauces as we could!!

 

 

After lunch it was off to the Gardens, a tropical paradise full of this crazy cobalt blue named after the artist who created these gardens, Jacques Majorelle.

It was a full day in Marrakech, followed by a tasting menu dinner at the very fun La Salama, where your own fez is waiting for you at the table. Traditional Moroccan salads, different tagines, cous cous, and then mint tea and pastries galore. We didn’t come close to finishing it all, but we went for it!