First time to Africa and first impressions of a very different culture.
Even as the airplane was landing in this desert landscape, you could already tell things were different.
The old city was blending in with the colors of the sand.
Our drive through the chaos to the riad couldn’t have been a more perfect start. I have never experienced a place that came even close to this. When you get picked up at the airport and get dropped in the center of the Medina, you have to adjust. The smells, the pace, the people, the animals, the sounds, it was exactly what I wanted to see.
We were led through a labyrinth of tall pastel walls protecting you from the heat of the day. All I could think about was how we were ever going to find our way around here. Children were playing, cats were sleeping, mopeds and bikes were flying by. Keep in mind that some of these walkways are four maybe five feet wide.
We were quick to learn the tricks, and maneuver our way around this old city. I couldn’t believe how second nature it became after a few days.
And I'm very proud to say we didn't get lost once, we didn't get pickpocketed, and we weren't taken out by any mopeds.
