Tag Archives: Marrakech

Travel

Travelling with Toddlers

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This Christmas we were treated by my grandparents to a holiday in Marrakech, originally a holiday for 15 of us, only 13 ended up making it there as my grandparents who had planned it all were too ill to come 🙁 It made for a different Christmas tinged with sadness in the sun.

Celebrating Christmas abroad and in the sun isn’t that new to us as we lived abroad for a few years, if I’m honest I’m not a huge fan of it. I miss all the English traditions – the decorations, the festive food, the cold Christmas weather, the films, the chocolates, my church, mulled wine…you know what I mean. Somehow for me Christmas is more like Christmas in the UK. Not that I’m complaining…..really!

 

Dietitian UK: Flying into Marrakech
Dietitian UK: Flying into Marrakech

Travelling with a toddler means thinking things through in a whole different way, especially when staying in a hotel. We’ve been fortunate enough to take our now 2 year old to Brussels, Sri-Lanka and now Morocco already so she is a seasoned traveller;)  Here are my top tips for toddler travel:

1. If dinner time is late then plan in naps and take snacks.

2. Always travel everywhere with snacks, my top ones this holiday are freeze dried fruit, bread sticks, rice cakes, raisins.

3. Find out if your hotel has a mini bar fridge, then stock it up! Ours has cheese, yoghurts, milk and … Baileys 😉

4. We usually use washable nappies, I’m so pleased we brought disposables for this holiday.

5. Take washing powder and be prepared to hand wash a few items.

6. Pack little treats that you can given out when needed – crayons, notepads, pots of playdoh etc…

7. Ask on the plane for a goody bag, my small one loves unwrapping it all.

8. If you have a tablet/ipod/equivalent load it up with games, puzzles and music. Invaluable.

9. Take a favourite toy to help them settle in.

10. Embrace the toddler fun, try to see things on their level so it’s fun for all.

Anyone got anymore tips?

Other, Travel

Marrakech Market Love

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Marrakech. It’s sunny and full of Souks. I could literally spend hours wandering around the streets, brousing the beautiful goods on offer, and when I say beautiful, I mean beautiful. Think colourful woven shawls, rugs, leather and material bags of every colour you know, leather shoes with sparkles and bling, jewellery that calls your name, shiny silver teapots and painted glasses, lamps, lamps and more lamps. Oh my. This could be a dangerous place to holiday!

Dietitian UK: Marrakech Lanterns of beauty
Dietitian UK: Marrakech Lanterns of beauty

Those streets really make me smile, but the bit that makes my heart sing the most is of course the food stalls. Spices, herbs, mint tea sellers, nuts and dried fruit. Why are our UK markets not this colourful and exciting on a daily basis? We could learn a lot from other cultures who actually buy their food from the market, I’d say this is the “super” market way of doing things.

Dietitian UK: Marrakech Nutaliciousness.

Dietiitan UK: Marrakech Olives on the Market
Dietiitan UK: Marrakech Nuts and Olives on the Market

 

Coming out of the market there were at least 5 stalls selling freshly squeezed orange juice for 4 dhs, that’s 33 pence a cup. Wowsers. What a way to recover from the hustle and bustle, sensory overload and shopping 😉

Our first time around the Souks we paid for a guide and this was brilliant, we would have got lost otherwise – Google maps is unlikely to cover this area 😉 The Souks are divided into different areas: leather, lamps, bags, shoes etc… so much to choose from.

What do you like to do on holiday? For me it’s about enjoying the local food, soaking up the atmosphere and relaxing in good company.

Other, Travel

Oranges – bitter or sweet? A tidbit from Marrakech.

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I’m in Marrakech right now, it’s a feast for the sense full of Souks alive with sights, smells and food to get your salivary glands going 😉

On the way to the Souks we walked through a beautiful park, full of Orange trees.

 

Dietitian UK: Orange Tree
Dietitian UK: Orange Tree

Being me I suggested we pick a few for our lunch, but was informed these orange trees have bitter oranges. How can you tell that I hear you cry?

The leaves….

 

Dietitian UK: Bitter Orange Leaf
Dietitian UK: Bitter Orange Leaf

If there is a double leaf as in this picture then it is a bitter orange tree. See the tiny little leaf right near the top of the stem? These oranges are exported to the UK for marmalade making.  Pretty cool fact huh. I love how nature has it’s own perfect code.