I fall asleep on the plane while still meditating on my new life and on the options which await me. When I woke up and looked out the plane’s small window, all I could see was red sand and little man created oases with small cities. But when I noticed the magnificent city of Marrakesh, all my worries disappeared.

The airport was quite, empty and huge, its grandioseness was telling stories about their culture and modernity, a combination of the richness and simplicity. I was mesmerized, but it did not last long after noticing the taxis, which did not seem the most eco-friendly cars, but it took me to the hotel in the city center. However, as we were passing through the city, I felt like going through different dimensions…

After settling in my hotel room, I had the chance to go on to explore further and try to unveil the secrets. Firstly, dear reader, I have to admit that I was in shock! I felt like I time-traveled to the old times, houses were built at least hundreds of years ago, the locals dressed in traditional Muslim robes, woman and man alike, here time did not pass without tourists. As I observed, the people living in this beating heart were more religious and stuck to the tradition.

The streets between the buildings were small and it was one huge market with millions of perfumes coming and going. The flowery scent from the soap shops and flower shops combined with the sweet dried/fresh fruits made my senses go crazy. By taking two steps you would be taken over by the smell of leather next to the shoe shops, all this was mixed with the strong spices aroma. It was luring to go on and get lost in the smells… But unfortunately, it wasn’t everything, taking two more steps, you could smell the strong suffocating animal waste odor coming from a small alley, where chickens, rabbits, and small animals were sold. So, I decided to take a different street, but after a minute I turned back. I had the chance to experience how locals would throw out in front of their doors the animal intestines for the cats, the odor was suffocating, taking into consideration the heat, and that those parts were left in the sun, it was unbearable.

The day ended and I decided to eat something, however, I got scared about the fact that hygiene was not the top quality at the restaurants from this huge market, but seeing locals there I gave it a try. I have never tasted anything like that before, true aromas were attacking my taste buds, the food was five-star quality.

The next day, I wandered outside of this beating heart, it was a whole different experience. I just took one turn and I entered a totally modern city, with large streets filled with cars. If I looked up I saw more skyscrapers than clouds. The people dressed more western styled, you hardly could tell who was a tourist from this moment on. The prices in restaurants were highly more expensive, but less tasty, it was more fast-foods. However, one thing was overpowering, the cleanness of the streets, it may be dusty and sandy because of the surrounding desserts, but it was clean, no empty pet bottles, or chocolate packaging, not even leaves from the trees or dead flowers. Nothing. Moreover, I could see that in this part of the city selective bins were put out, also if you shopped anything, they put the products in a material like bags, no plastic was used, not even in the mall after shopping for clothes or buying some supplies in the world famous supermarkets, they all gave out that material like bags.

At the end of my trip, I was overwhelmed by powerful feelings. Both parts of the city had positive and negative points, one part sticking to the tradition, and the other parts going with the world taking serious steps to make it better. I was happy to see that they do try. 

At the airport, while waiting I heard my name called by a familiar voice…

 – Stella!