Marrakech Through My Eyes

Saadian Tombs of Marrakech

In my post about solo travel, I mentioned that I visited Marrakech for my 30th birthday. This post is all about my experience. Feel free to ask questions in the comments section. 

XO, Kaycee

My flight arrived late at night to Marrakech from Madrid. I decided to take a Delta flight to Madrid and then a separate connecting flight on Ryan Air to Marrakesh. This saved me lotsa of money. After a very busy customs experience, I met the driver from my hotel in the lobby. I decided to stay at a Riad which, according to Tripadvisor, had a bed and breakfast feel with luxe decorations and accommodations. My first shock about Marrakesh was how inexpensive the hotels were. Fine by me! We headed into the city.

The Medina was busy and had a very old feel to it. Made sense. I couldn't get over the resemblance the city had to Istanbul. I was so excited because this was a huge reason why I chose Morocco. We exited the car and I followed the driver through super scary, winding tunnels and we finally arrived at the wooden door of Riad Al Rimal. I was greeted with tea and escorted to my room. I immediately fell in love with the opulent artwork and prints. I was also intrigued by the fact the the outside of my door led to an open courtyard and I could see the sky from my door. The entire bathroom was gold and I felt like a queen. Check out the pics below:

The Sitting Area in My Fancy Little Room

Breakfast was served in the morning from 8-11 and consisted of tea and coffee, pancakes, crepes, moroccan bread and fruit. The service, however, was the true highlight. If I wanted to eat on the rooftop, in my room, whatever I wanted, my wish was granted.

I headed out on the first day with my map and conservative clothes. I was warned about this and although I was skeptical, the rumors are true. I advise women, especially those traveling alone, to dress conservatively. Plus, I think you should respect the culture of a place your visiting. I wore harem pants and a t-shirt that covered my shoulders and bootay. Besides my intense fear of getting a farmer's tan, I was good to go. If you decide to stay in the Medina, you will be in the older part of Marrakech. It's made of tunnels with houses and Riads at every turn. Jemaa el Fna is the main square in the Medina where you will find snake charmers, food carts and the souks. There will be lots of ladies offering henna. I was advised to not get mine done here because the ink is not natural. I didn't want to take risks, so I went to Henna Cafe where I got tableside henna while I sipped on tea. It was a bougie henna experience. The only thing I disliked about the Medina was when I was alone as I walked through the tunnels. Luckily, I remained safe, but I want to be honest with you all. Find a buddy if you can and be aware of your surroundings.

Tableside Henna at Henna Cafe 

My Yummy Dinner in Jamaa el Fna Square @ the Famous Stall 32

What I love about Marrakech is that it is so different than most places I have visited. The food, culture, prayer calls and even the language were all so new. This was also the thing that made me a bit lonely on my solo trip. On my first day in Marrakech, I wandered around the souks first, which is where you can buy camel leather goods, spices, clothing, gorgeous jewelry and houseware items. I was nervous about my first bargaining experience as I realized I hadn't quite studied the currency equivalency. I ran back to the Riad to use the Internet and went back out for round two. I got very good at bargaining. I'll write about that later, but here's a hint, start bargaining at 1/4th of their first offer. Check out my sweet purchases!

My jewelry and scarves were worth the trip alone!

The Medina is very easy to get around and after a day you'll get the hang of it. I tried to discreetly use my map and over the course of four days, I saw all of the main monuments. The highlight was Jardin Majorelle which is a gorgeous, tranquil garden that will make you feel at peace with any and everything. I also enjoyed the Saadian Tombs which are pictured below. I realized that many people had a tour guide wherever they went. I guess I missed that memo, but I thught I'd let you know in case you'd be interested. There was also a ritzy part of Marrakech with a Rodeo Drive feel. I didn't stay in this part for very long, but it seemed like the place where most of the tourists were stationed and the ladies were dressed less conservatively. So if you wanna do a freakum dress, wear it here :-)

Photo Op in Jardin Majorelle

During my trip, I enjoyed taking advantage of the spa and hammam treatments. You can get the WORKS for 75 dollars. Although the upscale Les Bains de Marrakech was a treat, the smell of the roses gave me the worst migraine. If you're sensitive to smells, you've been warned. If not, check it out. I went to a couple of other hammams and got insane body scrubs and one of the best massages I've ever had...and your girl has had a lot of massages. I was looking forward to a bathhouse experience with various pools and steam rooms like the one I encountered in Turkey, but it seemed like most places kept it pretty private. Feel free to leave a comment if you found one like this.

I really enjoy excursions and I booked a really cool one through Moraq Quad. I went four wheeling in the desert with my hair whipping around as I took in the scenery of the Atlas Mountains. We stopped at a Berber Village and I met families who lived there. If you do this tour, ask to meet the familes and hang out. Afterwards, I rode a camel in the Palmarie. To be honest, other than the photo op, I could've passed on that part. I highly recommend the ATV tour. To book, check out this link for their Tripadvisor page and send them your reservation via Whats App. Weird, but it gets the job done.

My New Berber Village Friends

ATV Time!

I met a few people along the way, but my nonexistent French or Arabic skills made it really difficult to communicate. If I had it to do over again, I would possibly stay in a hostel the first night or pre-book a group activity. Although the experience was mostly great, there were some things about Marrakech that I did not like as a solo female traveler. Please know that the following things may happen although overall, people were generally kind and helpful:

-You may get cat called and commented on while walking. I noticed this happened less when I wore pants and more when I wore a long skirt. Since I live in Harlem this wasn't big for me, but if you're not used to it, it could be bothersome. I did get propositioned a couple of times...

-People will stare at you, especially if you eat alone in a restaurant. Awk.Ward.

-There are places that look like they should have a sign that says, "For Men Only." Almost every cafe that had outdoor seating had zero women. This may stir up the feminist in you. Just letting you know.

-Going out at night solo is tough for the ladies. I so badly wanted to see Marrakech nightlife, but it didn't feel that safe, mainly due to the dark tunnels I would have to pass through to get to my Riad. This is coming from a pretty fearless chick. Definitely just use your best judgement.

I would LOVE to visit Marrakech again, but I'd prefer to do so with company. I also look forward to taking a camping trip one day in the Sahara Desert. If you're adventurous and you're looking for a brand new experience, Marrakech is a great destination. Just remember, it may different for the ladies, but it's still a worthwhile trip. 

Camel Selfie

TUNNELS!

The Purposeful Layover: 22 Hours in Istanbul

One of my favorite travel memories is my 22 hour stint in Istanbul. I will admit that I entered the experience as green and naive as one could be. It was my first time to a traditional, Muslim country and I promise you that I treated it like a road trip to South Florida. 

I found a New Years’ Eve flight for a great price on Kayak through Turkish Airlines to Paris and Amsterdam. There were layovers in Istanbul ranging from 3 to 22 hours. I decided to book my return trip with the 22 hour layover so that I could explore a bit. I didn't realize at the time that this trip would change my life.

I spoke to a coworker about his recent visit to Turkey and I didn't take his vagabond ways into account when he told me, "Just go to the Galata Bridge and everything will be right there." When I arrived to Istanbul, my floral backpack and I headed to the taxi area.  After some sign language and pointing due to the language barrier, the taxi driver headed to the Galata Bridge. This was my first time ever traveling alone in another country so I was giddy. I became a 5 year old with my face pressed against the window, looking at all of the gorgeous architecture as we headed to the bridge. The driver pulled up and I gave him what he asked for. I think I was supposed to haggle. Oh well! I was pumped, remember?

I walked around a bit and a few men were standing by the water offering boat rides on a cheesy looking yacht. I spoke with them for a bit, still using some fun hand signals, and then boarded the boat. I want to note that I stood out like a sore thumb in Turkey. I didn't see one black person the entire time I was there. Although this has been uncomfortable at times in other places, people stared in awe and admiration and treated me like a celebrity. I.Was.Fine.With.It. So in true celebrity fashion, I was invited to the captain's area to steer the boat and drink mint tea with the crew. (Note: I wouldn’t necessarily advise this to everyone. Be sure to always use your intuition and stay safe. Also, I steered for like 5 minutes so don't think I was doing anything to fancy.) I steered towards the Asian side of Istanbul as they told me about their beloved country. I learned about the gorgeous temples, cost of living, the economy...pretty much everything one could be told in an hour. When we returned to the bridge, we exchanged Facebook info and they pointed me in the direction of the hammam I'd read about called Cemberlitas. I started to walk because it seemed close. When I looked around, I realized there were a lot more men than woman as it was getting darker. I walked up a narrow street and a man was standing outside of a restaurant. He stopped me and asked me a few questions and proceeded to tell me that he was originally from Turkey, but had moved to New York when he was a child. He now owned a restaurant in Istanbul. He advised me to take a taxi because it was not safe to walk so far at night by myself. Point taken. I hopped in the next one I saw.

I was getting hungry so the taxi driver dropped me to an area close to the hammam that had lots of restaurants and shops. After making a detour to buy an obligatory Hookah, I wandered over to a gorgeous, well-lit alley with tons of restaurants. As I settled into my seat in the outdoor area, I noticed people staring again. I welcomed it as long as they didn't touch my hair. The staff was very friendly and my waiter offered to show me a few sites after I finished eating. We ventured around and took lots of pics as he told me about his experience growing up in Istanbul. He was incredibly nice and not pushy at all. A perfect companion for my mini-tour. He escorted me to the hammam and we parted ways and exchanged Facebook names. This happened a lot.

Holy Hammam! I hadn't done my research about this either. I walked in and paid my money and all of a sudden I was led to a room and they told me to strip down to everything except for the bikini bottoms they provided. I was in an adventurous mood, so it was all good. After I locked up my belongings, the ladies led me to a huge room with stone everywhere and half naked women bustling around. They told me to lay down on a towel that was placed on a platform. Hard to picture, I know. See the link below for details. Then they scrubbed me down and ohhhhh man it was amazing. It was like a massage/body scrub combo and so cheap. I also took advantage of the steam rooms to the pools and left feeling amazing. It was around 9pm and I still had time to kill so I headed back to the restaurant alley area.

The rest of the night consisted of a Hookah bar where the owner proposed to me on the spot, meeting cool people from Turkey and all over the world, and my spending last hours with the airport officials as they made me Turkish coffee and we chatted via Google translator. I want to note that I did encounter quite a few men who were hard to shake off. Like, really hard to shake off. I was kind, but firm with them. I will also note that a black American woman was seen as exotic to them, so another person could go and have a completely different experience. I left Turkey feeling brave, open-minded, curious and strong. It also opened my eyes to seeking out destinations other than the popular, westernized places.

So the next time you have a layover, make it an experience. XO!

Places Mentioned in Post:

Cemberlita Hammam-http://www.cemberlitashamami.com/

Restaurant Alley- http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g293974-d3337059-r151823798-Divane_Restaurant_Cafe-Istanbul.html

Galata Bridge- http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293974-d296540-Reviews-Galata_Bridge-Istanbul.html

Steering and looking cheesy on the boat :-D

The Turkish coffee my new friends made for me!

How I Travel Abroad at Least Once a Year…On a Budget ;-)

So I’m back from my #Almost30 #Solotrip (those were my hashtags on the Gram :-)). I’m contemplating where to go next so I thought I’d walk you through how I prepare for my annual trip.

Step 1: From Ground Zero, there’s nowhere to go but up. I’ve got bills to pay and I live in the most expensive city EVER so it’s time to get my bearings before I start searching on Kayak. At this point I start thinking about who I may want to invite (if anyone!)

Step 2: After I know that I am in the clear, I start putting a reasonable amount into a separate, middle account each pay period. If you can afford it, $200-$400 per month is ideal. This will cover your airline ticket, food and activities.

Step 3: After I save about $800, I start looking for flights. I have found the cheapest flights from February to Early April and Mid-September to Early November to most places. I put all kinds of places into Kayak.com with flexible dates and wait to see what happens.

Step 4: Book your ticket. Give yourself 4 additional months to keep saving the amount you initially designated. The purchased ticket will keep you on the Saving Train to be sure that you can afford to have a good time. Amp up the amount if you can!

Step 5: Book your hotel/hostel/couch. I really like Booking.com because you can cancel most places without a fee, BUT make sure you cross-reference with other sites like Tripadvisor for additional reviews. Check out the actual traveler photos.

Step 6: Book excursions and activities. Tripadvisor is CLUTCH for this.

Step 7: Get on that plane and have the best time ever!

Granada Spain, 2013

Traveling Solo is Awesome...Right?

Can you picture it now? Breathing in the air, skipping through the city’s main plaza and scooping up a baguette as you head to take on the town for the day. In theory, it sounds wonderful and I know my trip looks amazing on The ‘Gram, but I have to be honest y'all...solo travel isn’t for everyone. I’ll start from where the idea of my "Almost 30" trip began.

 Two years ago, I visited my friend Jillian in Spain. The first thing you should know about me (since we're just now getting acquainted via internet) is that if you invite me to visit you somewhere abroad I.WILL.COME. I met Jill in Valencia after exploring Madrid for a day by myself. I surprisingly liked Madrid alone, but what I enjoyed even more was the major girlfriend bonding, pans of paella, late-night churros and partying into the morning at the Falle Festival with Jill. We also talked a lot about what we wanted to do with our lives on that trip. The late-twenties crisis was looming over our heads and as we chatted about jobs, love, and our future, Jill revealed her amazing bucket list.

 Visually it was simple; written in her iPhone notes above her packing list. To me, it was nothing short of amazing. It included outlandish, yet possible ideas and some simple ones too. I was so inspired that as we sat at a cafe in Granada, watching the sun set over the Alhambra (sounds romantical right?), I made one of my own. Besides wanting to be an "important " extra on Law and Order and perform just one song at the infamous Village Underground (I may have stolen that one from Jill), I added "Travel Abroad Solo for at least a week" to my bucket list.

If you know me well, then you know that I am wildly adventurous and extremely extroverted. My life is not complete without "doing something." Solo travel was a personal challenge for me to spend time with myself and reflect. For some, fear of getting lost or not knowing the language would freak them out. My anxiety about going solo came from the idea of not being able to have my daily talk with my besties and my mom. Pitiful, I know. If you want to better understand my intense extroversion, check out this buzzfeed link that perfectly captures my life through GIFs: http://www.buzzfeed.com/jessicamisener/frustrating-things-about-being-an-extrovert

This year I am turning 30 so I felt like it would be the ideal time to take my trip. I love looking up flights on Kayak for fun so I started playing around with dates. It seemed that October and early November were the cheapest options. Ever since the time I spent 24 hours in Istanbul, I have yearned for that spiritual, mysterious, culturally rich experience again. A friend of mine had recently visited Morocco  and after gathering some info, I decided Marrakesh would be my destination. But wait...tickets were mad expensive. So instead, I booked a roundtrip flight to Madrid and then a separate flight from Madrid to Marrakech. The ticket was just $145 from Madrid! I love a good deal.

I'll speak of my specific experiences in each city in another post, but I want to get back to the idea of solo travel. When you are heading to another country and you don't speak the language or know the culture well, it is bold and brave. Yes, I'm giving myself a gold star for this one. I truly enjoyed the idea of creating my own agenda and being self-indulgent. I woke up when I wanted to and I planned activities based on my own interests. The highlights of my trip were taking a Quad Ride through the desert towards the Atlas Mountains and a Paella Cooking Class in Madrid. Everything that I did required my full attention because I could only share each moment with myself. (Especially since the only French words I know are "Oui! and "Merci!")

 There is, however, a downside to solo travel. At night, Marrakech gets a little rowdy and for women, it isn't exactly the safest place. I’m a New Yorker and I definitely had a few moments when I told myself "Kaycee, take a cab instead" or "Kaycee, go back to the hotel". That part sucked. I wanted to be out in those streets, partying it up! Another struggle was the language barrier. I know a little bit of Spanish, but in Morocco, everyone speaks French and Arabic. I did not consider how lonely this could make me feel, but in a way it was a good challenge to force me to spend quality time with myself. Lastly, there was that little devil called technology. Thanks to the modernization of everything, everywhere, I had wi-fi in all restaurants and in my hotel. When I wasn't out exploring, I found myself checking out Insta and texting my closest circle of friends and family way too often. I hated that I did this, but I won't beat myself up. I'm an extrovert, remember?

I realized during my trip that while I love my job and I am very happy with where I am in my personal life, I really wanted to travel solo as my last "hurrah" before 30. As life often happens, the most perfect moment occurred on my last day in Madrid. I booked a cooking class and met a couple in their early 40's. The woman was a nurse and had done the Peace Corps, traveled a ton and she and her husband had two young daughters, ages 4 and 5. The fact that they were on a hubby/wifey trip and having a blast was exciting to me. They took a to-go sangria from the class so they were definitely my kind of people. Besides being awesome and giving me hope, they told me that they were planning a trip with another family to Morocco...with their kids! I know it sounds bad, but I've always thought that kids and “real life” would be the end of Fun Kaycee. I thought that she'd get lost somewhere in the midst of changing diapers and balancing checkbooks. Through my solo experience I realized that 30 is just the beginning of a new decade and it will be as awesome as I decide to make it. So who wants to go on the next trip with me?! LOL!