Recent Morocco

So as you may have already read  my first visit to Morocco was a particularly en lighting experience and I have to say the second time was no different.  Although the main object of my trip was for work purposes I was lucky enough to catch the Gnaoua annual music festival in Essouira. It was quite a hectic affair though, a mixture of tribal, reggae,and jazz music, huge crowds, summer heat, many pick-pockets prowling round, hustle and bustle, people from all around the world having fun.  What stuck the most though was the fact that there were Moroccan street kids EVERYWHERE mixed into the crowds inhaling glue. It was quite surreal, imagine the music pumping, the hot weather and these the white plastic bags lined with glue expanding and contracting like jellyfish in these children’s mouths,  some looked as young as 7 with just a glazed look on their face, dribbling and foaming at the mouth,  and when they’d subconsciously get too close to people and they’d get forcefully shoved away they wouldn’t even notice, they’d just keep the same glazed look.  Knowing this could cause them brain damage  and that they obviously didn’t have any proper guidance was  heartbreaking, I wanted to cry. Guess that’s real life though. Still if that doesn’t make you want to do something about it I don’t know what will.

Now moving on to Marrakesh, I think I finally found a city that tires me out! Such a buzzing place. Strolling round the markets  trying to find gems among the rubbish, I’m wondering  why there are so many old men chanting weird sounding things with a hunchback, squint in one eye, a hand out for money and the other hand shakily holding a walking stick!?  Literally all doing the same thing, coincidence!? I say forget the London look get the Marrakesh look!  I got to experience some of the high life too though, I came across a very stylish hotel called Bab with a lovely restaurant and skybar, they had a trendy young crowd ( I love to people watch) and their deserts seriously rock! I had nougat ice cream served with crunchy hazelnut praline and tangy cooked warm cherries! It was definitely one to remember.

What a fantastic county though from the warm people (once you sieve through the bad apples) to the rich cuisine, to the treasures you find in the markets, to the fact that you can do so much from camping in the desert to skiing in the mountains, I know I’ll never get bored of this place but one thing is for sure I’m still afraid of being on my own here at any time!