Spa & Depart

Day 4: March 10
The bf and I woke up thinking of the things we needed to do before departing Marrakech. We had our last Moroccan breakfast before going out to the pool to relax. After the sun left us sleepy, we headed back to the room for a nap. I was slightly restless at first, already thinking about all of the things I needed to do when I would be back in London. I hate when my mind is so active, but my body is tired. I eventually fell asleep tucked between the arms of my boyfriend and underneath a cosy blanket. Noon came, and we woke up just in time to pack and meet our late checkout time. We got into a brief argument about the weight of our suitcase, but I shushed him for being grumpy. 


We made our way to the baggage office to hold our luggage while we walked excitedly to the spa. I was anticipating the experience would be great enough to make our list of highlights from the vacation. We were scheduled for a hammam, body scrub, and massage, all in the same room. I went into the changing room labelled “Femmes” and watched babe walk into the men’s changing room opposite. I asked one of the women, what I should take off and leave on, but the difference in language left me with a uncertain conclusion again. I striped down to just my bra and panties and locked up my clothes and purse. I met my boyfriend in the hall way and we were led to a large shower room. It was the hammam we were entering, and we were sprayed down after sitting on a heated bench with individual mats to protect our butts. The women left us to detox in the room and later came to rub stuff on us, but I still have no idea what it was made of. It was brown and gooey, and rubbed on like soap. Relaxing in the room with the substance soaking in, I attempted to teach babe how to meditate. I used to take guided classes, and in my mind I’m quite the guru. After about 20 more minutes, we were led out to have our bodies scrubbed, while lying on a large, smooth block. I was finally asked to take my bra off, which felt liberating. They used a coarse mitt to polish our skin, and free it of dead cells. We finally ended up in the massage room, where two comfy tables were aligned side by side. My bf and I took our designated spots and, the women turned down the lights and rubbed oil on our bodies. It was certainly relaxing and the music was beautiful, but it felt more like a body rub than a massage. I like my massages to be stronger and relieve me of stress. Afterwards, we got up and dressed and went back out to the pool for lunch and lounging before we had to leave. 


When the time came we picked up our bag and jumped in the taxi, before saying goodbye to the city. We had the same cross-eyed, friendly taxi driver that picked us up the first day, so it was fitting for him to see us off. On the three and a half hour flight home, our cocktails helped us unwind after hectically boarding a full easyjet plane. We touched down in London right before midnight. It felt good to be back. 

These are some of the pics I took of the pool under the early morning sun.

Where we had our relaxing spa time. The hammam was gorgeous inside.

Colorful Markets

Day 3: March 9
Bellies full from breakfast, we headed over to the pool in the morning and spent hours having fun. We laid out and lightly baked in the morning sun, dipped into the pool as the temperatures began to rise, and ate lunch on the lounge chairs. By 1pm, we had to get up and get ready to head into town on the shuttle bus. We found the souks easily and knowingly that day, and wandered deeper into the market space maze. We managed to find a quieter and less aggressive area to shop. It was such a great experience in comparison. Babe bought a scarf for his mom, and we saw some of the pretty dyes used to create the colourful pieces of fabric. After getting back out to the main square, we went on a lovely horse and carriage ride for an hour just in time for sunset. I loved passing through old city, where they had many tailors and seamstresses. We ended at the pickup point for the shuttle bus back to our hotel, where we bathed and got ready for the evening. That night, we decided to take it easy and have dinner at the hotel (which ended up being much better than the first night) and a couple of drinks at the hotel lounge. They were setting up for karaoke, which can usually be pretty entertaining, but most people decided to sing sappy French songs, so we decided to take some drinks back to the room and snuggle.   

Exploring Marrakech

Day 2: March 8
We made our way out of our room in time for breakfast, thank goodness. The bf likes to sleep until the middle of the afternoon if he doesn't have to work. I, on the other hand, am always awake by 7 or 8am naturally. I had delicious msemen drizzled in honey, which is kind of like Native American fry bread. There was a woman making omelets outside, and we ate under the umbrella of a table in the sun. It was lovely, and very peaceful. Afterwards, we caught the shuttle bus to the medina. Upon arrival, we hopped out, in search of an ATM and currency exchange bureau. We were bombarded by five locals instead. They asked us what we were looking for, if we wanted a tour on foot, or if we wanted a taxi. It was so overwhelming. We pushed through, shouting “no thanks” over our shoulders. After sorting out money issues at the bank, and navigating by map, we ended up at the souks (which we didn’t realize we had actually reached until the next day). We browsed through for a while and dismissed the disrespectful catcalls (I was in an ankle length dress, mind you) and faux tour guides trying to make money. Babe was convinced we were only in the covered market area and hadn’t actually reached the souks, so in spite of my feet aching, he was on a mission. We were still dazzled by trinkets, detailed carpets, baskets, fruits and spices, and clothes in the mean time. I also managed to find the rose buds that look just like the tea I found in Malaysia, but failed to actually articulate what it was I wanted them for to the man who was selling, and I left empty handed and not knowing if I can use them for tea. We stopped to hydrate and cool down with water and a fruit salad topped with ice cream. Continuing the journey from that point led us far away from tourists and close to a school of giggling preteens. A taxi driver was our saviour. We headed back to the hotel for a shower and a nap.

I set up a mini birthday celebration for my boyfriend that evening. The kitchen baked him a cake and sang happy birthday, before we went in to town. Once we reached a street with a couple of posh restaurants, we got out and walked up to a set of outer doors with bouncers. They welcomed us, and once we got to the main entrance, we were unsure if there was some type of event going on. Staff with trays of champagne and chocolates, and single roses were urging me to take one of each. I couldn’t turn down the champagne and chocolates, and the bf picked up a glass as well. We went in, and the place was gorgeous. There was a live band playing mellow music and beautiful women scattered around the multi-level open area. On one level, there were complimentary hors d'oeuvers. We felt uncomfortable, as if we naughtily crashed an event. So, babe decided to ask someone what was going on. The guy said it was “women’s night” which I’m assuming is ladies night. How exciting! Free champagne, chocolate, flowers, and food for ladies night?! The most you’ll get in most other places is half priced drinks and free entry. Incredible. Although it was tempting to stay all night, we left after a short time to have a meal. We walked along and found a restaurant through decorated, hidden doors. The place was dimly lit, which created a sophisticated ambiance. We had to wait 20 minutes to be seated, and filled the time with drinks at the bar. The hostess eventually sat us at a candle lit table next to another couple. We both ordered traditional Moroccan dishes: I had the chicken tajine, and babe (regrettably) had the beef tajine. My bf hated his meal. It was dry and lacked flavor, but mine was decent. The entertainment somewhat made up for the food. Before we got our meal, the lights went down, and a woman in an embellished outfit and a crown of candles on her head came out to some tantric music. Followed by her was belly dancer, after belly dancer going around the tables and even standing on a couple of them for an elevated performance. It was so mesmerizing. We left after we finished our (overly) expensive meal. Back to the hotel for a Bailey’s nightcap.

Entrance to the venue where ladies night was held

Chocolates for the ladies

Gorgeous lighting at the restaurant

Candle lit lady

Belly dancer (I had to use flash, otherwise it would be impossible to see in a photo)

Chicken Tajine

Restaurant lighting