I have recently returned from Morocco where I visited my niece and her family. I went with her Mother as I admit I was scared. I don’t like to fly and have never left North America. Morocco is situated in North West Africa on the coast between Algeria, Mauritania and Western Sahara. Morocco also borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.

“La Palmeraie de Marrakech 709” by Viault is licensed under CC Attribution-Share Alike

We flew into Casablanca; it’s nothing like the movie. We waited in the passport line for 2 hours, but they let us in, which I thought was a good sign. My niece and her husband were waiting for us. It was another 2 hours to Marrakech where they live. There was lots of farming going on, with olive groves and some palm trees. It is very different from here, but mesmerizing to look out over vast lands dotted with houses here and there in the distance, sheep and goat herds with their shepherds and dogs.

Marrakech was great. My niece and family live in a multiple generation household. They live on the 3rd floor of her mother-in-law’s house. In the morning they open the windows and birds come into the living room. They are looking for crumbs and stuff. I was startled the first time I saw one on the carpet, but then I started to enjoy their visits.

The food in Marrakech is fantastic. I basically ate my way through my vacation. They do a lot of Tagines, mostly with chicken and olives, chicken and prunes, chicken and oranges or lemons. All good! The bread was really good; they make it fresh every day. I particularly liked M’smen Bread. This is usually served in the morning. It is flat bread with lots of layers. With honey and butter, yum!!

Good at tea time is Moroccan Beghrir a Spongy Semolina Honeycomb Pancake. This one was good with jam and butter. I think you can see why I said the theme of my vacation was Food and lots of it. I was amazed at the amount of food you get at a meal, way more than I could eat and I did try as it was so good.

We drove to Fez which was founded in 789 CE. It was amazing to walk through the narrow streets and see doors with knockers way above my head, our guide said the knockers were there for people on horseback or camels. The iron studded doors were amazing. Because the streets are so built up the doors to the houses are actually below street level.

I had wanted to see the Mediterranean Sea so we went to Tétouan in northern Morocco which is near it. I waded in the sea and found lots of sea shells to bring back with me. The water was warm with varying wave sizes. It was nice to wander up and down the beach.

It was interesting and eye opening to be in another culture, exotic and mysterious, just the thing to expand your horizons. I would recommend a visit to Morocco or any place you have never been.