There's No Place Like the Luxurious La Mamounia

La Petite Traveler

by Katharine Bohlmann

Marrakech sounded exotic and I was up for an adventure, so it was my idea that my Mom and I visit this famous city in Morocco after our trip to the South of France, but when we landed it was hot, dry and desert-like, made worse as we were there at the end of July!

Upon the suggestion of a friend, my Mom had booked us into a riad. A riad is a small hotel that usually has only a handful of rooms and an open center courtyard. They are very typical all over Morocco. Our driver dropped us at the end of a long narrow street and told us we would have to walk up with our bags because cars were not permitted on this road. We tugged our bags up this long narrow alleyway until we found the big brown door. There was no name on the door and I could tell my Mom was getting nervous about the accommodations.

We were greeted by a front desk manager who showed us to our room. The room was very stylish but it was hot, hot, hot and had no air conditioning. There was no telephone in the room, no pool, and, believe it or not, but there was not one other guest. Marrakech was in the middle of a heat wave and we were scheduled to be there for the next four days. Mom and I looked at each other and we knew this was not going to work.

My Mom set out to find the manager and in her very best French, tried to explain the riad was not exactly "kid friendly." I then remembered seeing a big hotel on the cab ride in called La Mamounia (www.lamamounia.com), so we decided to take our chances and see if we could get a room. When we got to the hotel, my Mom explained what had happened and they were more than happy to accommodate us. This hotel had a huge swimming pool, several restaurants, room service, and a grand lobby. I knew I would be happy here even if it was 120 degrees outside.

The hotel has a rich history and many famous people, such as Sir Winston Churchill, have stayed there. It was a welcome retreat and a great base camp for us, as the city of Marrakech certainly met my desire for the exotic. After long mornings of touring the city, it was always nice to come back and flop into the refreshing swimming pool.

The next few days were filled with lots of adventures. We hired a guide who showed us some of the major attractions. One of the main sites is the Koutoubia Mosque. I could not go in it because I am not Muslim, but it is large and hard to miss. The major action takes place in the Djemaa el- Fina Square. It is filled with lots of people, food vendors, musicians, and snake charmers. While crossing the square, we were approached by a snake charmer who placed a snake around my neck. He also had monkeys so he put one on my arm. How wild was that? Around the square is the souk, the famous shopping stalls where you can buy tassels, spices, rugs, copperware, and all types of leather goods. The souk is really large, and I was glad we had a guide to help lead us through the passageways. And, one morning, we woke up early and took a horse and carriage ride through town. It was a great way to see the city waking up and watching the locals doing their morning chores.

Our afternoons were hot and spent in the pool or under a large umbrella. In the evenings, we dined on couscous, spicy chicken dishes, and I was also able to have chicken fingers and French fries with Heinz ketchup! Dessert for me was cinnamon ice cream!

One of the coolest things I did was go on a camel ride. Camels are quite large, smelly and they spit. My Mom and I shared a camel. Getting on is pretty easy, and we rode around the desert having the time of our lives!!! Getting off the camel can be a bit tricky. The camel bends down very fast and his legs fold under and it feels like coming down a rollercoaster.

There is something very unique about Marrakech. I really enjoyed seeing this part of Northern Africa. It is exotic and very different from any other place I've been. There are many beautiful gardens and homes to visit and some amazing shopping in the souk. The locals speak French and the croissants in the morning are great, too. It was a special trip for me and I have many magical memories of this journey.

Katharine Bohlmann is ten years old and is currently in the 5th grade. She lives in Pacific Palisades with her dad and Santa Monica with her mom. In her free time she likes to watch Gilmore Girls, shop, and travel.

Glossary:

Riad: re – ahd. Koutoubia Mosque: coo – tu – be- an masque. La Mamounia: La Ma- moon- ya