Milestones from Marrakech to Madrid
Hello from 38,000 feet in the sky! I’m currently writing from somewhere high above the Atlantic, on a 12-hour flight from Madrid to Lima. With a solid nap behind me and a few hours still to go, it feels like the perfect opportunity to look back on the past week. After Uzbekistan, we traveled to Marrakech, Morocco, where we hit two milestones: our 10th country of the trip and our first time setting foot in Africa. But the real reason we were in Marrakech was to celebrate a special milestone for someone else - the wedding of my family friend, Tim, to his wife, Elvira.
The entire weekend was filled with joy, energy, and thoughtfulness, set against the backdrop of a serene Moroccan resort. We had such a fun time celebrating the newlyweds and meeting their friends from around the world, including a couple fellow career-break travelers. My parents and brother, Lindsey, also flew in for the festivities, making it feel like a family reunion as much as a wedding. They also came bearing a few essentials - our wedding outfits and some much-needed resupplies, like my go-to Trader Joe’s sunscreen. It was a much appreciated refueling stop for us after being on the road for over two months.
Speaking of hitting that two-month mark, we’ve reached the point where friends have started asking, “So… are you tired yet?” Honestly, I thought I would be by now. On previous trips, I’d usually start missing my own bed after a week or two. But so far, it’s been surprisingly sustainable. Most mornings, we wake around 8 or 9. Hanqing usually sketches out a loose plan with a few key stops or sights, and we adjust as we go. In nature-heavy spots, we rent a car and drive between hikes, viewpoints, and small towns. In cities, we explore on foot or by public transport. Somehow, even with all the hiking we’ve done, we usually end up logging more steps in cities just from all the roaming.
Lunch and dinner are usually decided on the go depending on when and where we get hungry, unless there’s a restaurant we’ve really wanted to try, in which case we’ll make a reservation. We typically head back to our hotel or Airbnb after dinner. My evenings are usually spent writing or editing photos, while Hanqing researches the next day’s plans, books upcoming travel, and tracks our budget. To be honest, I thought I’d have a lot more downtime to read or finally catch up on all the TV shows on my never-ending watch list, but being out from morning until evening doesn’t leave much room for that. We do occasionally take it slower when we feel like we need to recharge (on one of those days I binge-watched half a season of The Pitt - incredible show), but for the most part I’ve saved my reading and TV time for flights like this one. Overall, it’s a nice rhythm that keeps us busy without burning us out.
We arrived in Marrakech a couple of days before the wedding and stayed at a riad, or a traditional Moroccan guesthouse built around a peaceful central courtyard. It was the perfect base for exploring the medina, the city’s bustling historic marketplace. We’ve visited our fair share of markets this trip, but so far nothing has compared to the energy and scale of the Marrakech medina. Spanning seven square kilometers, it’s a complete maze of narrow alleys, lined with shops selling leather bags, babouches, glass lamps, spices, and rugs. A local guide told us that even after living in Marrakech his entire life, he still doesn’t know the full layout, only how to get to his favorite stalls. As we navigated the labyrinth, mopeds zipped past, cats darted between stalls, and the air was thick with the scent of spices, incense, and exhaust. Despite the chaos, the shopkeepers were refreshingly low-pressure and friendly. By night, the main square transformed into a carnival of food stalls, music, and street performers. It was lively and chaotic in the best way.
The next day, we visited Jardin Majorelle, a lush botanical garden famous for its electric “Majorelle Blue” buildings and tropical greenery. The contrast with the medina couldn’t have been starker - it was calm, colorful, and serene. Designed by French painter Jacques Majorelle and later restored by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé, the garden felt like a living painting: cobalt walls, yellow accents, and an explosion of palms and cacti. At the YSL Museum next door, we learned how Marrakech became one of Saint Laurent’s greatest inspirations, with its colors and patterns weaving their way into his designs.
After an incredible weekend of wedding festivities, we flew to Spain with my brother Lindsey and his roommate Chris for a quick two-day stop in Madrid. The city reminded me a bit of DC, with grand boulevards and stately buildings balanced by walkable neighborhoods full of cafés, bars, and boutiques. We did some shopping, stuffed ourselves with tapas and churros, and spent an afternoon at the Thyssen Museum admiring some of Picasso’s works. My favorite moment was walking through Retiro Park, a massive green space in the center of the city decorated with fountains, flowerbeds, and trees shaped like giant heads of broccoli. It was peaceful and beautifully maintained - a true oasis in the middle of a bustling city.
While I wish we had a few more days to explore Madrid, we’re planning to return next year so we’ll save the rest for later. For now, we’re off to South America!
Talk soon,
Tanya
