Last November, I travelled to Morocco for a week-long holiday - it was in fact the second time I'd been to the country, and I was curious to see how, if anything, had changed. The first time I was in Morocco was for a short 3 day trip to Marrakech in 2010, and the dust, dirt and brown / orange clay was still a vivid memory in my mind. Not just the clay, but the sheer frenetic pace of the medina, particularly in the main square of Djemma el-Fna, which seemed to rival only in Hong Kong for its energy late into the night and wee hours of the morning. I did have a few goals for the trip, however - to see the Majorelle Gardens and Bahia Palace again, to visit the La Mamounia hotel, which was undergoing renovation when I was there last, and to see the desert (if I wasn't going to get a new country, at least I could come within 50 miles of a new one!)
First things first, however, was a day in Casablanca, where ironically the movie itself was never filmed, as far as I can tell. Although there is a Rick's Cafe, but it seemed far too stuffy and formal for my liking. Truth be told, there isn't a lot to see in Casablanca from a tourist's point of view, but I did enjoy walking through the medina - unlike Marrakech's, it is slightly more functional and modern and not dotted with tens of vendors selling the same wares. It was purely residential and concrete but just as disorienting. After a short walk along the seaside, we arrived at the immense - and it is literally immense - Hassan II Mosque, the largest in Morocco, and 13th largest in the world. Although we couldn't go in, even from the outside it was hard to be impressed by the sheer scale and size of the structure.
The next morning, we woke up early - if you're only spending a day in Casablanca for transit and going onward via train, I recommend staying near Casa Voyageurs out of pure convenience - for our 3-hour train ride to Marrakech. Having never taken the train before, I admit being a bit apprehensive, but even in second class, we had a small cabin that we shared with various travellers throughout the journey, and safety was never a concern. Going through the country via train was a new experience, and it was interesting to see how the landscape shifted and changed.
Upon arriving in Marrakech and making our way through the medina to our marvelous riad, the Riad Melhoun, I was quickly reminded why I loved the place so much the first time. Yes, it's sensory overload, but all in a good way - there is such an infectious energy to the place, where everyone just seems happy and overjoyed to be there. Sure, some of these are tourists who are glad that stepping out of their comfort zone isn't as bad as they thought, but Morocco in general is such a friendly place. And the riads are simply the best thing anyone has in hospitality has ever invented. When you go to Morocco, you must, absolutely must, stay in a riad. And truthfully, you may never want to leave. Their design is just so beautiful, and the staff are so incredibly hospitable, and it's just so darn cheap.
In terms of what there is to see in Marrakech, well, there is plenty. Given that it was a sunny day, we took our chances and made our way to the Majorelle Gardens, which were designed in part by Yves Saint Laurent. There is a blueness to the place that cannot truly be appreciated until you first step inside the grounds, but suffice to say you would never have thought that such a place could exist in the desert in Morocco. It is simply gorgeous. Just walking around the grounds, staring up at the gargantuan palm trees, and taking in the oasis in the desert for a few hours is an excellent way to kick off (or conclude) your trip to Marrakech.
Another highlight of Marrakech for me is the Bahia Palace, which offers some of the most stunning and colorful mosaics I've ever seen. Even the second time around, just walking from one courtyard to another and anticipating what special designs or colors I would see next was incredibly special. After 2 full days in Marrakech, we decided to venture out of the city, and through our riad arranged a 3 day tour to the Sahara desert, with stops in between. First stop, Ait Benhaddou and Ouazarzate, where many a movie has been filmed, including the likes of Gladiator and Spartacus.
The ancient city is impressive upon first sight, and the scale of the place again doesn't really hit you until you walk for what seems like forever to get to the top of the hill to get a 360 degree view of the Atlas Mountains and desert all around you. A huge bonus for travelling in November? You get to see snow in Morocco! That night, we arrived near the Todra Gorge, and spent a night in what is undoubtedly the coldest hotel room I've ever slept in. 6 thick, wool blankets, plus all my winter clothes, plus wearing long pants, a fleece and a Heattech shirt from Uniqlo, were just enough to help me pass the night without freezing to death. The next day, after walking through the Todra Gorge - personally, I am biased because I've been to Jordan and walked through the valley to Petra, so I wasn't that impressed, but others in our group certainly were - we drove for what seemed like hours to finally get to the edge of the Sahara desert. Guess what, Morocco is huge! I would only realize just how huge the next day, but more on that later.
Riding on a camel through the Sahara desert is truly a bucket list experience. Forget the fears about MERS for a second (or longer, I guess, since we rode the camel for an hour, and it seemed like an eternity), or the sore bum you will have for days afterwards, and the sore inner thighs, and basically the entire sore lower body. It's so worth it. Riding on a camel as the sun sets, watching the sand change color from a brilliant bright yellow to a glowing orange, and just really feeling yourself being taken back to time to what life was like centuries ago, having ridden a bus for 5 hours and thinking to yourself just a day ago I was trapped in a souk with a million other people, to this. That is what makes Morocco really special. The camp itself wasn't much to speak, but the sky. It is a sky you will never forget - stars upon stars upon shooting stars upon planets lighting up every single inch of the night sky, and it is truly awesome. And if you don't want to hike up a 200 foot tall sand dune for 30 minutes in the dark like we did, that's totally fine. The view is just as amazing from your tent. Which, despite being outdoors, is still warmer than the hotel we stayed at the night before. 
After waking up at 5 am to catch the sunrise - which somehow, didn't happen till 7 - we walked back to the "entrance" to the desert, and caught the bus back to Marrakech. 11 hours in a small bus with 17 other people could be worse, but at least you get to catch up on sleep. Because, lest you forget, you woke up at 5 am to wait 2 hours for the sunrise. And because you didn't really sleep for much of the trip anyway, since Morocco is a place to experience at all hours of the day and night because everything is always moving, always changing, always smiling, and waiting till the next time you come back.
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