"Like all great travellers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen." ~ Benjamin Disraeli

It's been awhile.

We have been out and about 

placing stars next to locations mentioned in...

As life continues to fill every second with adventure,

and I reflect back on where I left off…

in Marrakech…

 the part about having seen more than I remember rings true.

My shutterbug obsession helps to push aside more recent memories 

in order to get back into the groove.

Meanwhile,

one of the best decisions we made regarding our time in Marrakech 

was having a local guide draw us into the life of the city and country.

Fortunately,

a friend's recommendation led us to Abdul, 

with Marrakech Guided Tours,

and seeing Marrakech through the eyes of Abdul 

has left me captivated with his city.

Facebook is a great way to keep up with him.

As we meandered up and down the pathways…

of 'The Red City'…

Abdul took us on a journey through the neighborhoods of people 

who have penetrated the culture over the centuries.

Near the Jewish quarter,

surrounded by eight acres of gardens,

the Bahia Palace…

in all its grandeur…

 spends its days filled with tourists…

unless of course, the Royal family comes to town... 

and fills the rooms with festivities.

Seeing where Abdul went to preschool…

was, for me,

a highlight.

Look at those precious faces.

Of course,

the foodie loved our next stop at the community baker…

where women drop off their loaves of bread in the morning…

to be baked and picked up...

later in the day.

In the planning stages, 

Abdul asked where we wanted to focus our time 

and without much input from us, 

each stop captured our interests as if Abdul had known us forever. 

 His passion for responsible tourism 

immersed us into life in Marrakech in a meaningful way.

Our one request for the day 

was to visit the best carpet guy in town.

Ren Man will attest to Youssef's expertise because before we knew it…

 one carpet was heading to Texas…

 and two others were on their way to Scotland.

After a full day in Marrakech,

we were looking forward to our day trip with Abdul to the coastal town of Essaouira.

But,

that is for another day.