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.
Where do I stay? I did not want to stay in hotel chains or luxury accommodations (what then constitute luxury, a spa attached? swimming pool ? 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. Sr. Paolo Lombatti. 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..
