Wednesday in Marrakech
From the air, you can start to appreciate you’re entering the desert. Instead of complex highways, concrete buildings, or large farms, there is miles and miles of glimmering dust, dirt, and sand. Here and there are clumps of palm trees with mud houses nearby. Getting out of the plane, the heat hits you and you know you’ve arrived. I joined the group of tourists taking pictures in front of the large three story building that was the airport.
Entering the building and into Passport Control, I noticed the beautiful white tiling with geometric patterns and the very obvious (if not alien) Arabic writing on all the signs. Thankfully it was translated into both French and English. After I got my bag, I made my way into the main Arrival/Departure area which was on par with any large airport I had ever been in. I sat for a while and had some cookies. I needed a chance to collect my thoughts and calm down a little.
After all, I was in AFRICA!!! MY first time on this continent and in this country. All this excitement might cause me to miss some details and make mistakes. After I collected myself, I went to the ATM and then headed to information to ask about the bus. For 30 Dhm, I could get to Jem El Fna (the main square) and avoid arguing with a taxi driver.
When I left the airport, I felt like I had been here before. The heat was dry and strong, and everything had that thin coat of dust that you find in places like this. I was back in Delhi, minus the smell. The bus ride was fast and I was in Jem El Fna staring at my phone and trying to figure out where to go. There were dozens of horse carriages waiting to take tourists for a ride. Donkey carts pulled trash down the streets while motorcycles and cars zoomed by, barely acknowledging the traffic rules.
Entering the square, there was a boy standing behind a wood box covered with cloth. On top, he had ceramic cups and was selling glasses of water he poured out of a dusty plastic bottle. I’m not sure why, but that scene set the tone for me. Normally when a kid sells drinks, mom, dad, or grandma is not far behind, watching over and providing support. Not here. This boy was an entrepreneur.
