Page 7 - Marrakesh & Ourika

To say that our students had an exciting weekend is an understatement!! We left Rabat Friday morning at 9:00 and headed to Marrakesh, and about half way over there the students were in for a treat! They got to ride camels and have Moroccan tea in a tent. They dressed up in traditional Amazigh garb and got to go around the field as a caravan. It was like a scene from a movie. 

We arrived in Marrakesh around 1:30 and headed to lunch at Dar Tagine, a traditional Moroccan restaurant overlooking the famous square, Jemaa el-Fnaa جامع الفناء. This is a square and market place in Marrakesh's medina quarter (old city), used by locals and tourists.

During the day it is predominantly occupied by orange juice stalls, water sellers, henna tattoo artists, snake charmers, horse carriages, and vendors selling trinkets and souvenirs. Later in the day, the entertainment changes: the square becomes more crowded, with traditional Amazigh dancers, story-tellers, magicians, and peddlers of traditional medicines. The square is edged along one side by the Marrakesh souk, a traditional North African market catering both for the common daily needs of the locals, and for the tourist trade. On other sides are hotels and gardens and cafe terraces, and narrow streets lead into the alleys of the medina quarter. Over the 3 day-weekend, students got to go several times to the square to observe, eat, and shop.

We stayed at the beautiful Diwan Hotel and Spa, which the students got to enjoy during their free time.

On Saturday, we took a trip to the picturesque Ourika Valley in the Moroccan High Atlas mountains along the Ourika river. This area is about an hour away from Marrakesh and is essentially populated by Amazigh people, who still live a traditional mountain way of life. We hiked for about two hours and then dined at the gorgeous Dar Zohra, a guesthouse and boutique situated in the middle of the mountains. After lunch, the students sat on the terrace overlooking the mountains and reflected on their day. They really enjoyed this experience, which showed them the vast diversity of Morocco.

On Sunday, the students had a guided tour to the Bahia Palace and the old medina, which is a maze of shops that sell all kinds of products. The Bahia Palace We arrived back in Rabat on Sunday just before midnight to eager host parents and siblings who truly missed their young guests.The Bahia Palace is a well-known historic monument that was constructed in the mid to late 19th century by Si Musa, Grand Vizier of Alaouite Sultal Mohammad ibn Abd Al-Rahman, who named it after his favorite wife Bahia. The tour guide gave the history behind the palace and gave a detailed explanation of the different parts and design of the palace.

We arrived back in Rabat on Sunday just before midnight to eager host parents and siblings who truly missed their young guests.