Late Night Magic in the Medina

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This is the kind of night where my biggest struggle will be finding the right words, bending nouns and adjectives that truly do no justice to the magic that is experienced when one simply dives into a moment in time.

It’s a new friend’s birthday and she’s traveling and we wanted to make sure it was a special night. With many options we decided on dinner and live music at a riad in the Médina. The taxi driver dropped us off in front of an alley where he could drive us no further, and told us to walk straight 5 minutes.

We did, and I saw instantly why people get lost here and why getting lost here is the only way to experience the sights, the sounds, the colors, the culture. Every corner looks like the corner you just came from. We walked straight and eventually found what we were looking for (as well as what we didn’t know we were looking for).

I have no words yet for what happened next, but alas, I will try… The perfect combination of people, surrounded by traditional Moroccan foods, tiles in such delicate patterns and colors, music and belly dancing and suddenly my friend is dancing with the performers and we are drinking wine and singing happy birthday. And we are in awe…. the warm glows, the gold trims, the pillows, the elder owner, the kind servers who sing with us and light a candle for our friend to make wish. The joy. The joy. The joy.

We walked home this night. The sky was clear and velvet with Orion in full view. The air sweet and spicy with scents of food and life… precious life. Vendors with fresh fruit and trinkets for sale. Circles of locals talking and playing music permeated the air. We were simply passing through. There is no better way to experience this place than a leisurely stroll at night.

The knowledge that these are the nights that cannot be planned or predicted… Take your rules and throw them in the sea. Live. Simply live. And see what will be.

Two days into Marrakesh, Morocco.
And I am only making ripples on the surface.