My whirlwind trip to Madrid and Marrakesh

by Lynn Rossi
(West Palm Beach, Fl, USA)

Feeling stressed and pressured by everything, I booked a trip to Spain and Morocco on Tuesday and left Wednesday. The last minute booking saved me half fare and hotel starting the trip off well. I stayed at the Madrid tower, the most modern hotel in Spain. Pretty centrally located i walked around and got a feel for the city that evening.

The next day i spent the whole day at the Prado Museum which changed my life. To stand in front of works of art that date back to the 1500's was a surreal experience. The next couple of days I walked around the city and went into every establishment. The shopping was as incredible as the new sights of the window displays. I popped in and out of tapas bars and tried goat cheese with carmelized onions with a small plate of olives to go with a local beer. The dried-cured ham called Jamon and the fresh baked breads were all i needed to head out and shop for shoes.

While shopping I admired the baroque architecture and realized how much history was there. I took a couple of days and went to Marrakesh where i stayed in a palace. Upon entering the Djemaa el Fna square it was sensory overload. The foreign sights, smells, and sounds made it difficult to decide where to go and what to do first. Should i eat, or shop, or observe. I decided to shop the souks which are market stalls in a labyrinth of streets. I lingered long in each one and then was surprised how the market came even more alive at nightfall. Food markets opened up and it was hard to choose among foods and preparations I'd never seen before. All in all this was the best vacation ever.