Call Me Princess Jasmine - El Jadida

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Today Tori, Josipa, and I left Casablanca and the cohort to travel to our host city. We took a train from Casablanca to El Jadida (where our host teacher lives) and along the way were able to see more of the Moroccan countryside. I was surprised by how rocky the terrain is from Casablanca to El Jadida. I guess I was expecting more sand and desert looking environments, but I learned Morocco has a diverse variety of habitats and environments, from hot dry desert, to cold snowy mountains, and everything in between. Most of the traditional desert environments are located in the southern parts of Morocco such as Laayoune.  

Once we arrived in El Jadida we met our amazing host teacher Hakkar Abdelmottalib or Mottalib for short. Mottalib lives in El Jadida, but actually teaches in Safi which is over 2 hours away. I found it odd that he had such a long commute, but he said he only worked 2 days a week so it wasn’t too bad. Apparently, this is common for teachers in Morocco. 

We checked into the most beautiful, luxurious, and unbelievable Riad Dar El Malaika. The riad is several hundred years old and located in the city's old medina. The walls and ceilings had intricate hand carved designs and almost all floors were marble. The riad used to be the house of one of the wealthiest families in the city several years ago before being converted into a hotel. My room was almost entirely pink and purple including curtains, bedsheets, and furniture. The room also featured a private bedroom and bathroom that looked like something Princess Jasmine would stay in. It was by far the nicest place I have ever stayed! Tori and Josipa sprung for the Presidential Suite which was almost 2000 square feet and larger than my house. Both suites came with private balconies overlooking the courtyard and garden. 

After getting settled, we departed the riad with Mottalib and had lunch with his beautiful family before heading to the ancient town of Azemmour. The city is located along the longest river in Morocco, Oum Er-Rbia River, and was a Portuguese trading post in the early 1500s. We visited an artisan market and purchased some local goodies from the artists. I was able to get several gifts for friends and family, as well as a handmade wool blanket with beautiful designs common in the Atlas Mountain region of Morocco.