1 00:00:00,050 --> 00:00:20,339 I will begin by telling you a little bit about my trip to Marrakech Morocco there 2 00:00:20,339 --> 00:00:27,839 are a few ways to get to Marrakech you're able to take a train to the very 3 00:00:27,839 --> 00:00:34,079 very southern part of Spain and then take a ferry over to Morocco another 4 00:00:34,079 --> 00:00:40,740 option is to take a flight that was the option that I chose and very easy to do 5 00:00:40,740 --> 00:00:50,740 do from the Madrid airport. During my stay in Morocco, I stayed in a riad. So what is a riad? 6 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:57,280 A riad is a large traditional house which is built around a central courtyard and often converted 7 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:05,989 into a hotel. It has a beautiful open courtyard that provides natural light and a breeze. One of 8 00:01:05,989 --> 00:01:10,849 the best parts of my trip was visiting the Majorelle Garden. This garden was filled with 9 00:01:10,849 --> 00:01:16,849 beautiful plants, lots of cactuses, and incredible ponds. You wouldn't believe 10 00:01:16,849 --> 00:01:22,310 where it is located just in the center of the city. The entire garden is covered 11 00:01:22,310 --> 00:01:27,670 by walls and when you enter it's hard to believe that you're in Marrakesh, Morocco. 12 00:01:27,670 --> 00:01:35,209 It looks as if you are almost in a jungle. One day I took a day trip to the 13 00:01:35,209 --> 00:01:40,590 Atlas Mountains. The Atlas Mountains extend some 2,500 kilometers across 14 00:01:40,590 --> 00:01:46,230 northwestern Africa. They separate the Atlantic and Mediterranean coastline 15 00:01:46,230 --> 00:01:51,989 from the Sahara Desert. The mountains have a series of different terrain 16 00:01:51,989 --> 00:01:56,829 climates and wildlife. They are dotted with Berber villages and riven with 17 00:01:56,829 --> 00:02:05,969 canyons and ravines. The highest peak is 4,167 meters, Toubkal, which lies with 18 00:02:05,969 --> 00:02:14,680 Morocco's Toubkal National Park. One evening I visited a souk. A souk is an open-air marketplace 19 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:20,900 or commercial corridor in western Asia and North African cities. Often you can find delicious food 20 00:02:20,900 --> 00:02:31,659 and many textiles. Textiles are a major industry in Morocco. While visiting, I was able to visit 21 00:02:31,659 --> 00:02:41,639 a huge rug shop. During my time in the rug shop, the owner would take various rugs and unfold them 22 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:48,080 to determine which one you liked. While doing so, they provided you with delicious hot tea 23 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:56,449 and even showed you how the rugs were made. Moorish architecture is a variation of Islamic 24 00:02:56,449 --> 00:03:03,629 architecture. There are many motifs or repeated patterns in Moorish architecture. During my time, 25 00:03:03,729 --> 00:03:10,090 I visited many places and temples that displayed the intricate work of the Moors. It's fascinating 26 00:03:10,090 --> 00:03:18,099 because you can find Moorish architecture in Spain as well. Marrakesh is boasting with different 27 00:03:18,099 --> 00:03:25,659 flavors and spices. During your visit to the souk, you can find many different spices such as the 28 00:03:25,659 --> 00:03:32,960 ones that are located in the middle picture. Another popular item in Marrakech is tangine. 29 00:03:34,020 --> 00:03:39,699 Tangine is a North African dish which is named after the pot which it is cooked in. 30 00:03:40,460 --> 00:03:46,939 I was able to have beef tangine and chicken tangine. The top picture displays many different 31 00:03:46,939 --> 00:03:55,360 salads that people traditionally eat in Morocco. Some of these contain couscous, cucumbers, rice, 32 00:03:55,659 --> 00:04:03,080 lentils. Marrakesh is a city within Morocco which is located in the most 33 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:09,099 northern part of Africa. To wrap things up I'll tell you a few fun facts about 34 00:04:09,099 --> 00:04:14,659 Morocco. The first is that you need sun-protected all year. This means even 35 00:04:14,659 --> 00:04:19,779 winter time. Another fun fact is that to take pictures of the animals you must 36 00:04:19,779 --> 00:04:26,720 pay. For example, often in the large markets somebody will have a snake or a 37 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:30,800 monkey in which they want you to come and look at but once you come and look 38 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:37,000 at it they trap you and make you pay for coming to look and take pictures. Another 39 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:42,500 fun fact is that many languages are spoken and lastly sweet mint tea is the 40 00:04:42,500 --> 00:04:45,959 national drink of Marrakesh.