Things happen for a reason, we are not smart enough to understand it. This was taught to me by an Indian. I am sure others have said it centuries apart.
Aristotle believed that everything happening to you today has a purpose because it turns you into the person you are becoming. When such things happen, I know something better is around the corner. During the years I have had to cancel many trips: Two trips to Sao Paolo, one trip to Mexico, One trip to France and another to Porto.
Why not go to Marrakech? I had been there twice before, once to do the usual touristy ventures, but had the chance to meet the bookseller of Mogador and the second time was a quick trip to catch a Qatar Airways flight. I did not want to stay in hotel chains or luxury accommodations (what then constitute luxury, a spa attached?
a nice restaurant) but in Morocco, a Riad is in order. In Marrakech many of the century old homes had been taken over by enterprising locals and foreigners and converted into 5 or 6 room places offering guests single and double accomodation. I lucked into the website of RIAD58BLU and immediately felt an attraction and sent off an email to the owner of the place, an Italian expatriate from Parma.
To my surprise I received an immediate reply welcoming me to the Riad and to inform him of any changes in itinerary (yes there was one, I changed the AT flight to an earlier IB flight) I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at the Riad: the friendship of the owner Paolo, very understanding concierge Ishaeil (we are the same family he said, as I am descended from Israel) and the cook and cleaner Khadijah. Each day I ate my share of the moroccan mesmin, from our humble parotta of Cochin originated I am certain.. Claro que si, voy a volver..
Original Blogger URL: https://medicoanthropologist.blogspot.com/2021/11/riad58blu-my-good-luck-with-lodgings-on.html