20 PICTURES THAT WILL INSPIRE YOU TO VISIT MOROCCO

Morocco was one of the first few countries we traveled to when we started backpacking in 2016, and for sure it was the most exotic destination for us. We spent about a month total in Morocco traveling from the big cites, through the mountains to more off the beaten path places. We truly enjoyed our time in Morocco and we can’t wait to go back one day. We hope that these 20 photos will inspire you to visit Morocco. 

Why visit Morocco?

Morocco is a country with a deep culture, a mix of African, Middle Eastern and some European influence. Although Morocco is located only 13km from Europe, it’s culture and environment is totally different.  It’s unique in its ways and has withstood invaders throughout history. To some extent being in Morocco feels like stepping back in time, especially when visiting the old cities like Marrakesh or Fez, where the same buildings have been there for centuries.

Many tourists travel to Morocco because they want to experience the “authentic” culture, and perhaps a bit of mystery, and that is exactly why we decided to travel there too.

Morocco offers many unique experiences that you won’t find anywhere else. During the day you can walk through the markets tasting exotic spices and food, shopping for hand woven rugs, and at night you will sleep in a beautiful riad. A riad is a house with a garden and or central courtyard inside. These homes are often very quiet inside unlike the street just outside the wall. The temperatures are also much cooler than outside on the street. No A/C needed, riads are engineered for hot climates. You can find riads to stay in throughout Morocco, and they are usually chique and trendy. If you are visiting Morocco in the summer, make sure the riad you are staying in has a pool!

Morocco cuisine is absolutely delicious. Tajine, a stew cooked with meat or vegetables, is a staple dish at every Moroccan house, and restaurant. If you get tired of Tajine you can also try some French food, which is very popular in Morocco. Another common food item is the mint tea, which locals call “Moroccan Whiskey”. This tea is often served sweetened with lots of sugar, but you can ask for no sugar, and its tasty and refreshing especially on hot days. The mint tea is offered as a welcome drink at hotels, and even street vendors will invite you for a cup of tea before they conduct any business with you. You never refuse the tea., even if  you have already drank several cups that day.

You should also try visiting a hammam, while you are in Morocco. Hammam’s are pubic bathhouses, separate for women and men, where you can relax and get a body scrub. Many local homes don’t have showers or baths, so instead people go to the hamman to bathe. It’s a popular place for the local women to socialize, since they don’t socialize in public cafes or restaurants like men do.

You can easily relax spending your time in large cities like Marrakesh or if you like adventure, you can hike in the mountains like the Atlas Mountains or Rif. Of course, the biggest reason why tourists come to Morocco is to visit the Sahara desert. Riding on a dromedary and sleeping under the stars on the desert will make you feel like you are in some kind of fairytale movie. There is nothing more romantic than watching the sun set on the Sahara.

 Need help packing for Morocco?

Women’s Packing Essentials for Morocco

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A STROLL THROUGH GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

Even the smoke from the largest active wildfire in the U.S. (at the time) couldn't completely hide the vies of Glacier National Park. We had a lot of fun exploring this awesome place (aside from almost getting eaten by a bear and her cub!)

Three Days of Khmer New Years in Siem Reap

The day was finally upon us. Day one of three days of Khmer New Years celebrations. We had been pampered and prepped for the occasion, which you can read about here, but nothing could truly prepare us for the festivities ahead. 

Khmer New Years is a mix of spiritual enlightenment and good old fashioned party fun. The blazing hot days in the city are quiet as Khmer locals visit temples to pray and tourists go about their normal routines. But as the sun starts to set, everything changes.

Slowly you begin to hear music pumping from giant speakers on every street corner and buckets are filled with water as the city prepares for the oncoming war... a water war that is! 

By nightfall the city has turned in to a giant water gun fight as people walk the street and attempt drive by shootings with oversized super soakers. But it's not just water, there are the clouds of baby powder. We have not found a clear answer as to why, but everyone has a container of baby powder and either dumps it on your head, or smears your cheeks with the soft soothing powder. 

This might sound like an activity that gets out of hand and causes fights and riots on the street but it did nothing of the sort. It was one of the most peaceful and fun events we've ever attended. From the hours of 6pm to 3am you get to be a kid again. 

These festivities go on repeat for three days. Quiet daylight hours, insane water fights and partying at night. The epicenter of this in Siem Reap of course, is Pub Street. Every bar is bursting with water drenched, powder chalked patrons, who are singing, dancing and laughing. Drinks are flowing and music is blasting so there is nothing but fun to be had. 

Apparently there are similar New Years events that go on throughout SE Asia which we can't comment on but all we can tell you is that Cambodians really know how to throw a New Years celebration.

Due to the insanity and wetness of this event, we were hesitant to take our cameras out so we only have a few pictures. All we can say is if you're looking for something amazing to do for new years, forget Times Square and January 1st.                                                                                  Mid April in Cambodia is where it's at!

RICKSHAW ROADTRIP

The Tipsy Gypsies decided to buy, paint, repair and drive an old auto rickshaw over 1200km from Kochi, Kerala to Malvan Maharashtra. Unfortunately we didn't film as much as liked, (we were too busy driving and fixing things!) but here are a few shots from our adventure along the way.

Burnt Out...

It's been 8 months on the road. And I (Nate), am spent. I knew this was going to happen at some point, I just didn't know when. The first question I always asked long term travelers before leaving was, "don't you get tired of it?". 

Well, I can answer now with confidence, yes, you do.

The grass is always greener on the other side right? You're stuck at your desk job and all you do is dream of sandy beaches and adventure. Well I've had plenty of sandy beaches and at this moment, all I crave is routine. Predictability. MY bed, a LIVING ROOM, and OH MY GOD, an American supermarket with all the goodness and variety it has to offer.

I knew it wasn't going to be easy before we left but I didn't know exactly how hard it could get. I'm seriously one click away from an Expedia ticket home right now. My wife Marta is a natural extrovert. Adventure comes to her easily. She is the sole reason we have had so many amazing experiences along this trip and for that I'm grateful. But it also exhausts me! I crave mundane!

But this is part of it right? Pushing your boundaries. Stepping outside your comfort zone. It allows you to discover a side of yourself you never knew existed. Before, when I wasn't comfortable or didn't know what to do I could always go home. I was always a natural home-body, a couch potato. Now, I have no home and it's through this process that I'm forced into new experiences, new opportunities that I would never have sought out otherwise.  

As I sit here writing, with a second browser tab open and exhaustedly DREADING the purchase of our next tickets to _______, it is with those tickets that I also know new inspiration, new stories, new friends and a new me will arrive. And THIS... is the reason why I'm not coming home yet. 

A trip to the Sahara desert

A camel trip is probably one of the main reasons why you should visit Morocco. Camel trekking and an overnight stay, combined with stargazing in the Sahara desert will leave you with one of the most memorable experiences of your life and perhaps with some painful blisters on your butt too. Here is what you need to know before you go.

Where are the camels?

Most of the camel trips start in Merzouga. Depending on your itinerary, most likely you will be traveling to Merzouga from Marrachesch. There are plenty of travel agencies that can arrange the camel trip for you from Marrakech, but if you want to save money, we recommend that you take a CTM bus from the city. The bus ride is about 8h-10h,  but is very comfortable. If you have the time you can also stop in Todra Gorge for a night or two and do some trekking there and continue on to Merzouga from there.

First of all these animals are not camels. They actually are call a dromedary. The difference is that the dromedary have one hump, unlike camels, which have two lovely humps.  

Trekking

The most surprising thing about out camel ride was that all the camels are tide together by a rope and they walk in line following a guide. If you have never been on a horse and you are afraid, this is probably great news for you. For those who expect a more wild ride you might be a bit disappointed in the ride itself. The ride was fairly comfortable, but we were happy to get down after 2-3 h. 

What NOT to wear on a dromedary (camel) trip?

There is just one very important piece of clothing that you should NEVER  wear on a dromedary/camel trip. It's a thong. OMG, don't ever make the same mistake, unless you want to experience blisters in places that you never thought you could get.

Have you heard of the phenomenon called sahara butt? probably not. It's when you wear clothes that rub in the crevices of your body e.g your butt. Yeah, just don't wear any clothes that will crunch up in you butt. We are going to leave this here but trust us!!

How to avoid the sahara butt?

1. Wear comfortable underwear and don't wear any clothes that will crunch up (in you butt).

2. Wear long pants, your legs won't chafe !! 

3. Loose clothes are great! You won't sweat and it will protect you from the sun plus you will be comfortable. 

Also Important:  Do not forget your sunglasses, head scarf, sunblock and SPF lipstick!

I wore a traditional Berber dress called Gandora

Night at the Desert

After a few hours of trekking you will arrive to your camp. You will be fed, with most likely Tagine, and if you are lucky enough you might be entertained with traditional berber music. Berber people have an amazing culture and spirit. 

Tipsy Gypsies Tip:  We recommend that you bring some liquor to the desert. Berber people like alcohol, and as long as you share your goods with them, they will too.

Berber people were traditionally nomads. Don't assume that the nomadic lifestyle and simple life make these people ignorant . Both of our guides were smart students who spoke fluently in at least 4 languages. They were also are humble and very talented musicians They told us they didn't like big cities and decided to live a simple life and follow their passion, music.

Tipsy Gypsies Tip:  We talked with our guides and asked them for some funny stories from the desert. They told us that sometimes tourists get too drunk and behave rude. Some tourist decide to wander off the camp to the dunes and can't find their way back. Drunk tourist might be only 5 minutes away from the camp, but the dunes all look very similar. The guides are always vigilant and they know where you are and will rescue you (after some time) of course. So unless you know how to guide yourself with the starts, you might have to spend some lonely hours rethinking your behavior and actions. We think that is a fair lesson.

Sunrise

You can't miss the sunrise in the desert. It's spectacular! If you only stay one night you will most likely head back to the hotel early in the morning. You will eat breakfast at the hotel and you can use the shower and pool for couple of hours. 

Saying goodbye to this view was hard, but we will be back for more!!

Meet the Ganoua tribe

On your way out from Merzouga we stopped by Khamlia village. Khamilia village is inhabited by the Ganoua or Gnawa people, who originally were slaves from Africa.  Nowdays, the Gnawa people are shepherds and dromedary/camel herders and their music is world famous. At the village we experienced the traditional music and dance of the Ganoua tribe performed by a group called "Groupe des Bamabras" . They were truly amazing and welcoming. If you want to learn more about their history check out www.khamlia.com

Simply Sintra

What if we told you that there is a magical place with lavish green hills covered in flowers and dotted with countless old palaces and castles? This place really exist in Portugal and it is called Sintra. This is not a fairy tale and you should check it out yourself. So keep saving your vacation days and for now you can see beautiful Sintra here!

Sintra is a small touristy town near Lisbon. Going to Sintra from Lisbon by train only takes 50 min and it is an easy day trip.  There is a lot to see in Sintra, so you have to decide how packed  you want your day/days to be. The Tipsy Gypsies visited Sintra two days in a row and this is what we saw:

The Moorish Castle

This medieval castle constructed by the Moors dates back to the 8th and 9th Century. The castle is situated on top of a hill and it served as a defensive fort for the surrounding agricultural population. It is mostly ruins nowadays, but you can imagine what it was like during the days of old. The castle has amazing walls that look like tiny replicas of the "Great Wall of China".

Pena Palace

Pena Palace built in the Middle ages was originally a quiet monastery occupied by a few monks. The monastery was destroyed in the 18th century, first by lightning and then by an earthquake before crumbling into ruins. It was King Ferdinand II, who finally decided to purchase the monastery and turned it into what it is today, a magnificent palace. 

The interior of the Pena Palace is extremely well preserved and you should definitely see it. Each room has the beautifully intricate ceilings and arches. 

...and below are some details of the furnishings. 

Once you are done with Pena Palace you should walk around the nearby park. One of our favorites was the mini "castle" floating on a lake full of fish and ducks. 

Quinta de la Regaleira

This is a very romantic site with a majestic palace, impressive gardens where you can find hidden grottoes, wells and benches to rest. The whole estate is full of symbols related to alchemy, Masonry and Knights Templar. 

The chapel is another beautiful architectural statement worth visiting in the park. The interior is very well preserved with frescos and paintings that adorn the walls. The stained glass windows are best to see when the sun is setting and the colorful lights change the mood of the interior. Even though this is a Roman Catholic chapel this place is full of non religious symbols like pentagrams and "the all seeing eye". These symbols mean that people can be spiritual and enlightened at the same time.

The best part of the Quinta da Regaleira is you can spend hours walking around the huge property, learning about the symbols and finding hidden tunnels. You really feel like a happy child running around playing. 

One of the most popular and fascinating places to visit in the park is the Initiation Well. This well is 27 meters deep and it was build in the form of a spiral staircase with small landings. The number of steps is connected to Tarot mysticism.  Like everything else in the park this well for designed for ceremonies like Tarot and never served as a water well. 

There is another smaller well on the Quinta de la Regaleira estate which is worth visiting. This the "Unfinished Well". 

The Tipsy Gypsies loved Sintra and we hope we convinced to you visit this magical place. Let us know if you have any questions!