The city of 1001 nights lies deserted

Crowded streets, throngs of people, La place Jemaa el fna packed with people, tourists, traders and jesters, a scent of spices and mint in the warm air is the hallmark of Marrakech. The city of 1001 nights, always alive 24 hours a day, is now completely shut down. On Friday 20 March 2020, the country declared a state of emergency due to COVID-19 with a curfew for everyone between 18.00-05.00. It is permitted to go shopping, to the pharmacy or to the doctor if you have written permission. There are police driving around the streets and returning people home and making sure that the rules are followed. If you do not comply with the rules, you can be punished with fines and, in the worst case, up to three months in prison. All those who can work from home do so, and many have been sent home from work or have lost their jobs altogether. All the local artisans who make a living selling their wares in the Medina have lost their income – the Medina is empty and closed down. For cities like Marrakech that live off tourism, it is catastrophic. Many hotels and Riads (bed & breakfasts) have gone bankrupt. It's really sad! Although many countries around the world have begun to open up and have lifted curfews, Morocco has extended the curfew until July 10, making Morocco one of the only countries that still has a curfew. At the time of writing (updated on 11 June) Morocco has 8,533 infected, 7,570 recovered and 211 registered dead.

Photos courtesy of photographer Caroline Darcourt

Sunday 23 May was the end of a month of Ramadan; a Ramadan Moroccans will remember forever! A Ramadan in solitude and without the possibility of going to the mosque. A party. Eid-al-fitr, which could not be celebrated in the normal way with the whole family and all the friends, but which had to take place at home behind closed doors and over video conference!

During the entire period of lockdown and Ramadan, I have had close contact with my suppliers and had long video conversations about new product development for Tibladin.dk. I am glad that I have such a good relationship with my suppliers and have been able to support them with good orders during this difficult time!

Photos courtesy of photographer Caroline Darcourt

I was supposed to be in Marrakech at Easter and visit my suppliers, but unfortunately this was not possible. So far we have been told that Morocco has closed the borders until September 1st. However, you can still travel to Morocco, but then have to quarantine for 14 days before you can move around freely, so there is not much to it! I'm still hoping it will be before September 1st. I have to be the first to jump on a plane.

I have really found out how used I have been to having the freedom to travel a lot, and how dependent I really am on getting a change of air and putting myself in a different context than the daily rhythm at home in Denmark. Traveling helps me to think creatively, to be grateful for what I have, and traveling gives me lots of energy.

Marrakech is calling me so strongly now and even my children, who were getting tired of traveling to Morocco so often, miss what they call their second home terribly.

The first thing I have to do when I get to Marrakech: Accommodation at a delicious Riad a little outside the city, such as at Jnan Loft, Villa Kristy or a third. I think it's nice to be out of town for a bit, so I can retreat a bit after some hectic days, which I'm sure I'm going to have. I will drink a nice mint tea and eat Moroccan pancakes with honey in the sun, while planning visits to my suppliers.

The Medina: I have to go to the Medina and see if everything is back to normal. The images of empty streets and a closed Medina are etched on my retina. I must see that there is again a jumble of people and traders and that there is a good atmosphere at Place Jemaa El fna.

Lunch: In between my busy stops at my suppliers in search of just the right things for Tibladin, I will go up to Riad Zwim-Zwin and have a delicious lunch on their roof terrace and look out over the city. A tagine is a must and my favorite is the one with chicken, confit lemon and olives - yum.

For the absolutely perfect evening atmosphere : To really get into the Moroccan atmosphere and 1001 nights of adventure, I love coming to Palace Dar Soukkar. It is an overwhelming experience. The decor is opulent Moroccan, not really my style, but nice and perfect for the mood. The food is good and there is a show all evening with belly dancers and Moroccan music.