My Marrakech Experience

Before traveling to Marrakech, I had limited, if any, knowledge of this foreign city and therefore no idea of what to expect of Morocco's most popular tourist destination. I did have a hunch that English was not a popular language there, judging from the websites I had come across in preparation for my trip (my hunch proved to be right). Now, when I think of Morocco, I picture beautifully-decorated riads hidden behind inconspicuous doors in dusty alleys, wonderfully chaotic and colourful souks, and snow-capped (yes, snow-capped) peaks in the distance.
Because we had only one day to spend in Marrakech, my friend and I faced a slight dilemma: go on an excursion to the snow-capped peaks in the distance and miss out on some Marrakech attractions and Marrakech activities, or stay in Marrakech and wish we had gone on an adventure to the mountains. We chose option number two and didn't regret it. We hadn't realized there so many things to see and do in Marrakech!
We spent the day touring the Medina (or old fortified city) on foot. The friendly owners of our riad (or guesthouse) had recommended some sights to visit. So we made our way from the Ali ben Youssef Medersa theological college and the nearby ruins and Marrakech Museum, to the Bahia Palace. By the time we reached the Dar si Said Museum, the ornate temples and buildings were getting a little repetitive and have now sort of blended together in my mind. What I do remember, however, is that Marrakech is probably one of the few places where it is colder inside than outside. The weather was exceptional during our stay there - not a cloud in the sky and 25 degrees celcius in the month of February - but inside the ancient constructs, where the sun didn't shine, it was freezing (ok, not exactly freezing, but it was cold)!
On our way back to our riad, we experienced Djemma el Fna at night. Lets just say we were attacked and branded by henna artists, conned into buying mini handmade camels (well, the vendor's determination to sell outweighed my desire not to be ripped off), and all-around exhausted by the time we made it out of there. But I'm glad we experienced the square at night, when comes alive, one of the can't miss free activities in Marrakech.
If you ever go to Morocco, be prepared to be awoken during the night by strange noises. I was not sure whether the noise we were hearing at some obscenely early hour of the morning was being produced by an instrument, animal, or human. We later learned that what we were hearing was the adhan, or Islamic call to prayer, which occurs five times a day. By the time we left, however, these noises became like a comforting background song to the city of Marrakech.
Also, be prepared to eat copious amounts of khobz, or Moroccan bread rolls that appear somewhat squished or flattened. Breakfast was included at our riad, and we ate our khobz and jam every morning in the sunshine upon the rooftop terrace.
If you don't speak Arabic or French, you might have some trouble getting around Marrakech, as Arabic is the official language, and French, as the second language, seems to have pushed English out of the picture.
Here's my last tip: if you live in Europe and are looking for somewhere to escape the dreary days of winter, Marrakech is the ideal destination. It's different (and sunny and hot) enough to make you feel as though you've traveled halfway across the world, but close enough (only a three or four hour flight from London) to go for the weekend.