15th day, april 30th 2023

Marrakech

Today, I’m spending the day in Marrakech. I’d visited a few years ago and hired a personal guide who showed me the beautiful city off the usual tourist trail. But this time, I’m here to meet up with Stefan, my friend from Cologne.

Marrakech is Morocco’s third-largest city and probably its most touristy. The political capital is Rabat, while Casablanca, the economic capital, is the biggest city with nearly 4.3 million inhabitants. Morocco has a population of about 37 million.

I booked the shuttle to the city centre where I’ll meet Stefan. We arranged to meet at the Hotel Ali, well known among tourists because it has plenty of cash machines. The bus ride from the campsite to the city takes about 30 minutes. On the way, the driver told me a bit about Marrakech’s football team as we passed the impressive stadium.

Arriving a little early, I took the chance to enjoy a mint tea and a chocolate croissant, as I hadn’t had breakfast yet. Soon after, Stefan arrived, happy to see me here in Morocco. We spent the afternoon wandering through the maze of souks, where I treated myself to a new pair of sandals.

I’m always fascinated by the incredible variety of goods in a souk. The sounds, smells, fragrances, and colours truly transport you to the world of a thousand and one nights!

We finished the evening at Stefan’s favourite restaurant before saying good-bye. I caught the shuttle back at 10 pm as planned, and half an hour later I was back at the campsite, still the only guest.

A thought for my father today, as it marks the anniversary of his passing.