Digital nomad kids – Hello! This is Peter adding to our digital nomad blog. I’m one of the 4 digital nomad kids in the Raybone digital nomad family. I had the pleasure of going to Marrakesh for a couple of days with a few friends before being joined by several more and heading south to Taghazout for a week of surfing.
I have to say, Marrakesh was chaotic in a charming and exciting way and has been one of my favourite experiences as a digital nomad kid. We stayed in a perfectly located hostel just a few minutes’ walk from Djemma el-Fna – the main market place. That loosely translates as “assembly of the dead” because it was the site of public executions in 1050… An interesting yet macabre fact; I promise the rest of the blog will be a bit more cheery!
The main square had so much going on, you could spend hours taking in the sights and smells, and that’s even before you venture into the Souks that endlessly branch away from the square; street theatre, dances, people approaching you with snakes and chameleons, great smelling food, freshly squeezed orange juice. I got into a habit of meeting the same vendor each morning for a glass of juice and I loved forging that little routine to start my days off in a great way. The whole square buzzes with activity from morning until evening. There are several fantastic restaurants overlooking the square and sitting down to enjoy the different vibes of the area at various times of day was one of my favourite memories of the trip. One of my more memorable memories (not necessarily in a good way!) of the trip involved accepting a dare from one of my friends to try a bit of sheep brain from one of the food stalls in the square… All I can say is, if one of your friends dares you to do the same, politely decline and opt for some fresh pomegranate or a tagine instead!
We spent most of our time aimlessly meandering around the souks, talking to the locals, having mint tea and just trying to take in the city. A couple of the feature stops on our adventure included Jardin Marjorelle (a beautiful oasis designed by Yves St Laurent), the Medina (the oldest section of the souks), the Saadian tombs (beautifully intricate tombs discovered in 1917 and restored), el Badi Palace (a spectacularly symmetrical ruined palace) and much more. After the hustle and bustle of exploring the city we wanted a bit of traditional relaxation so opted to visit a hammam – a traditional bathhouse. We didn’t exactly know what to expect but I left feeling the cleanest I ever felt. Although it set my tan back by a day or so! The language barrier made the whole thing more fun and bewildering so interpreting instructions became a game of charades. After getting changed we were directed into a steamy room and asked to lie face down. We got sloshed with a bucket of warm water, lathered in a black soap scrub, extensively exfoliated, coated with a ghassoul (a mineral rich clay), then sloshed and treated to an argan oil massage. I’d definitely recommend it!
Committing to the Digital Nomad lifestyle & being one of the digital nomad kids has allowed me to come to Marrakesh and engulf myself in the city and its culture. It’s allowed me to truly experience the places I go without the worry of wasting valuable time I get in between university semesters or worrying about the costs of the trip. The laptop lifestyle provided me with financial and time freedom, allowing me to go to the places and countries I like allowing me to live my best life by balancing my passions.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post, don’t forget to go and check out our previous post about Lara in Patagonia!
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We hope to see you next week!
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