a whole new world

Our final stop in our journey around the Mediterranean was to Marrakech in Morocco.  We had saved this place for last and for good reason.  Both Alexis and I knew that this city would be completely unique from our other travel experiences throughout the last four months.  Our flight from Barcelona departed late on Thursday evening, but we arrived at the airport at least four hours early because our anticipation got the best of us.  We were going to Africa.

When our flight was finally ready to board, we queued alongside the other passengers who were dressed in their adventurer/trekker/gypsy garb.  As we watched the European continent disappear through the small window of the Vueling jet, I knew that I was in for the adventure of a lifetime.

When we arrived in Marrakech, Alexis and I were both tired and eager to get to our Moroccan riad where we would be staying for the duration of the trip.  As walked outside the airport looking to hail a cab, but we did not have to search for long.  Before we knew it, we were surrounded by a swarm of taxi drivers with their petits taxis offering us a ride into town.  We had read in our guidebooks to bargain with them, but we quickly learned that, at midnight, this was probably not the best idea.  I finally negotiated with a driver in French, and, before we knew it, we were speeding through the streets of Marrakech.  Our riad was located in the medina, the old part of town.  From what we had read as well, the streets here were nearly impossible to navigate with the knowledge of a local so, when our cab driver dropped us off, we followed a man who offered to guide us to the hostel.  As we meandered through the narrow streets, it became very clear that we were no longer in Europe from the dirt road, crumbling building walls, and hoards of men speaking Arabic.  We began to quicken our pace, wishing at the very least that we had made this journey during daylight hours.

Eventually, we arrived at the door of our riad, and our guide looked at us expectantly.  We each dropped him a euro so that he would go away, and we entered inside.  If I had not been so tired, I probably would have taken the time to marvel at the quintessential Islamic architecture that surrounded me, but, instead, I drifted quickly off to sleep, knowing that this was only the beginning of a great adventure.

Day 1 - As usual, Alexis and I awoke early to start our day.  After dressing ourselves in our matching skirts from Barcelona, we headed to the rooftop terrace to enjoy a traditional Moroccan breakfast and mint tea.

We then headed back out into the street, which seemed much less daunting now that the sun was out.  We walked down our narrow passageway of a street and eventually emerged in the Djema el-Fna, the main square in Marrakech.  It was early now so vendors were only just beginning to set up, but we knew that, at night, this place was a bevy of sights, scents, and sounds.

After taking in the square, we walked toward the minaret of the Koutoubia mosque.  It was from this tower that the people of Marrakech were called to prayer five times a day.

We then headed to the Tombs of the Saadian Kings, the gravesite of Moroccan kings that dated to the sixteenth century.

After visiting some tourist sites, we wandered back to the main square to explore the legendary souks, the markets that sold a wealth of Moroccan treasures and trinkets.  I wanted to buy everything - from Aladdin-like lamps to purses that any Free People girl would be jealous of - but I managed to pull myself away with only a pair of parachute pants.  We then spent the remainder of the afternoon interacting with the locals.  Alexis and I managed to escape with henna tattoos for a bargain price, and we also were welcomed into a souk to enjoy some fresh - if overly sweetened - mint tea.

When we finally returned out into the square, the sun was setting, and the vendors were clearly almost ready for their nightly extravaganza to begin.  To sample what they had to offer, we sat down under one of the tents where we were treated like queens by the young men who operated the stand.

By the end of our first day, I had already fallen in love with the magic of Marrakech.  We were already beginning to feel like locals.

bohemian rhapsody

For some reason, of all of the places that I visited throughout my final trip, I was most uncertain about Barcelona.  I had never been to Spain before so I had no idea what to expect.  I was nervous about the language barrier as well and also about the city's notorious reputation as a party capital.  Was I going to like it here?  As Alexis and I sat on the bus from the airport to the city centre, the only thing I can remember thinking is it is very clean.  I would soon come to realize, throughout my time in Barcelona, that this city was not only so much more but actually so much like me.

I first began to feel at home when I laid eyes on the famous La Boqueria market and its' many colourful stands of fresh fruit and vegetables.

It also helped that we had near perfect weather during our travels.  Although it was slightly breezy, we could not help but spend some time on the beach taking in a wholly different Mediterranean than what we experienced in Nice.

Barcelona also stunned me with its' absolutely incredible architecture.  On our first day, we explored the city by foot, wandering through the historic Barri Gothic quarter.  If the sun had not been shining brightly overhead, I would have felt like I was in the medieval streets of Paris.

However, the city's most stunning architectural example must be Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia.  We had to take the underground to get to this modern-style church, but the journey was certainly worth the effort.  

As I entered the basilica and stared up towards its' powerful vaulted ceilings, I remember thinking to myself why has no art history professor ever told me about this? 

When I learned the natural elements that inspired Gaudi's works as well, I loved this place even more.  When we finally emerged from the cathedral and its' museums though, we were both happy to be back in the sun.  We ended our day in the Parc Ciutadella, sitting in the grass amongst the locals.

As I enjoyed the sun begin to set in the distance, I looked around at the many others who had also come to the park to savour the last hours of daylight.  We also seemed so perfectly bohemian yet Spanish nonetheless.  For a moment, I forgot that I was sitting on the grass in an urban Barcelona park, and I felt as though I was back in the Plaza of the Americas in Gainesville gathered in a circle of my philosophical-college-hipster friends.  Yes, I was at home.

moi je joue

Our second day in the Cote d'Azur called for rain so we decided to stay close to our base in Nice.  In the morning, we looked out the window to see cloudy skies so we decided to put on our layers and go for a walk in the old town.  Vieille Nice is famous for its' morning flower and produce market, and, when we glimpsed the stalls of vendors down the cobbled streets, it was easy to understand why.  Everywhere we looked, we could see beautiful rows of roses, tulips, marigolds, and daffodils.

I also admired the stands fully stocked with local French produce - a welcome change from the pizza, pasta, and gelato shops that decorated the streets of Rome.

After selecting some juicy grapefruit, we walked down to the water so that we could stroll alongside the ocean.  Even though the sky remained partially clouded-over, the water still glistened a beautiful turquoise colour. 

After enjoying our walk, Alexis and I found ourselves a bench where we could people-watch and soak up the pleasant breeze.  As we sat, the sun emerged high in the sky, and the clouds parted completely from our view.  We began to realize that there was certainly no chance of rain today after all.  Alexis and I glanced at each other, but we both knew that we were thinking the same thing.  Without a word, we bolted back to the hostel to grab our bathing suits, and we headed down to the beach.  

We felt like the luckiest girls in the world on this most perfect afternoon.

After spending some hours in the sun, we hiked up to the Parc du Chateau so that we could look out upon all of Nice.  We could not imagine a more beautiful way to watch the sun set.  

Afterwards, we returned home to begin planning our trip to Barcelona the next day.  As excited as I was, I was certainly disappointed to say au revoir to the Cote d'Azur.  I am positive that I will return though.  If I can not be Grace Kelly, I can at least be Brigitte Bardot.  

trying to be like Grace Kelly

Every girl dreams of being a princess.  I dream of being Grace Kelly.  So when my plane touched down in Nice, France, I fully intended to live out this dream.  Although it was a bit of a process to get there, Alexis and I finally arrived at Villa Saint-Exupery, our hostel for the duration of our stay in the Cote d'Azur.   With just the name of our accommodation, I was already in love with the south of France, for it reminded me of my days reading Le Petit Prince as a high school French student.

In order to profiter from our time in France, we rose early on Saturday morning to leave on a day long tour to Eze Village and Monaco.  Our first stop was in Eze, a medieval walled city that overlooks the Mediterranean Sea.  Alexis and I enjoyed climbing up the hill to the fortress so that we could gaze out at the beautiful water.  It was quite windy once we reached the top though.

We also wandered through the stone caverns, stopping occasionally to drop into the cute boutiques that sold interesting crafts, accessories, and homeware.

When we descended down the hill again, I stopped at a boulangerie to buy my first of many authentic French baguettes of the trip.

From here, we hopped back on the bus to continue our journey to Monaco.  When I caught my first glimpse of the principality, I knew that I liked this place.  I simply could not help but feel like royalty as I soaked in the sites of the casino and the Cafe de Paris.  

We then walked toward the pier so that we could admire all of the lovely ships and yachts docked at the shore.  

By this time, the sun had also risen high in the sky, so Alexis took some time to soak up some rays and people watch.

Before returning to our base in Nice, we also walked through the streets of Monte Carlo, gazing into the windows of the many art galleries and designer boutiques - Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton, and more. As we walked again toward the bus station, I thought to myself, I could seriously live here forever.  On a gorgeous day like today, this was probably not an original thought, but I still cannot seem to get Monaco out of my mind.  Perhaps, one day, my prince will come, and he will carry me away to his castle overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.  I think that I would make a very good Grace Kelly.