A Moroccan Morning

I can't start with my Moroccan Morning without acknowledging what I had to go through to get here! I traveled for 2 entire days to get to where I am now. 36 hours, 4 plane rides (with delays,) a few hours napping under the Eiffel Tower, and an hour drive later I find myself high, high up in the Atlas mountains at the Kasbah Tamadot. 

Lets start with the drive to the Kasbah Tamadot. The drive was slow. I clearly hadn't left my American habits at home because I wanted to tell the driver to put the pedal to the metal. However, as soon as we got to the mountains I didn't think it was possible to go slow enough. I felt like I was being taken to Hogwarts, School or Witchcraft and Wizardry, or something similar. I was on a long and very windy, road that I would consider to be one lane. I could barely see anything but was well aware that there was a very steep cliff with no railing just a few feet from my car. At a distance I could see some light,which I assumed was the hotel but it looked like it was hanging off the tallest cliff.  What I loved so much about the drive was being able to see the endless snowcapped mountains glowing from the moonlight. I arrived at this very humble but stunning resort and just knew that come morning, I was going to be blown away. 

The kasbah Tamadot is wildly romantic. My reservation clearly shows one person, myself. However, I was escorted through the most romantic hallways, strewn with candles. The door to my room opens and guess what...more candles! There were rose petals and lit candles strategically placed all over one of the most gorgeous rooms I have ever seen. I appreciated the line of rose petals leading to my bed. I was so tired that had they been there I probably would not have found the bed on my own. As for the rose petals scattered all over my bed, well I just pushed those aside but loved that they left a lingering aroma. 

Now back to my Moroccan morning: How many of us check the view from the window immediately after entering your hotel room for the first time? I always do. However, I didn't bother checking the view when I first checked in because it was dark. Come morning as I was brushing my teeth, I wandered over to the window thinking "I am probably in what they consider a standard room with a standard view." The reality was that this view was of those views that make you forget what home looks like. At that moment, standing on my balcony I had completely escaped to this Moroccan moment. There were mountains, valleys, rivers, and mules, yes I could see and hear mules. The only thing I didn't see were people. 

During this Moroccan Moment I put down the pain relievers because my muscles and joints no longer ached from traveling. Because of one Moroccan morning and a glimpse of something that I had never seen before, I felt completely rejuvenized, almost as if it didn't take me 36 hours to get here.