“When we are unhurried and wise, we perceive that only great and worthy things have any permanent and absolute existence, that petty fears and petty pleasures are but the shadow of the reality.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

You might as well remove your watch,
 switch off your phone,
and swallow a patience pill simultaneously while stepping off the airplane 
because life is blissfully unhurried in Marrakech.

In a city where the avenues for travel are not suitable for cars,
manpower becomes a creative enterprise.

The taxi from the airport dropped us and our luggage off at the 'parking lot' 
where a helpful man appears with his bicycle powered Transport cart.
Trustingly, we follow…
until he stops...

in front of a basic wooden door.
More later on the doors of Marrakech,
but at this point I was questioning my choice in lodging.
That is, until the door was opened... 

and we were welcomed inside for our first of many sweet mint teas.
Talaa 12 is a small riad where there are no room keys,
and guests relax throughout…

enjoying the views of the Atlas Mountains…

and the warmth of the attentive staff.
Conveniently located in the midst of it all,
 makes dropping off purchased treasures a breeze.

As each experience settled in, 
skepticism and stress fell away, 
like the layers of dead skin,
 scrubbed away during my hammam.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith, once again, 
introduced us to the perfect spot to begin and end our days 
exploring this amazing city.

Happy Tuesday.