Soothing Aromatherapy At Your Favorite Marrakech Riad

While it is true that the real adventurers never lose enthusiasm towards going places, we can not deny the fact that traveling is a strenuous activity that can rob us out of energy. An exotic destination such as the city of Marrakech in Morocco requires every traveler to be fueled not only with mere passion for travel, but also with a well-nourished mind and body. A simple rest and sleep in a Marrakech Riad are not enough to comfort a traveler’s body drained out of energy and vigor. So, how do you fully restore power for your mind and body while inside a Marrakech Riad? The answer is only a sniff away.

Aromatherapy, according to Encyclopedia Britannica, is a “therapy using essential oils extracted from plant materials to promote physical, emotional, and spiritual health and balance”. The extracted oils, which mostly came from fragrant flowers, are capable of bringing a calming and relaxing feeling that can relieve your body, mind, and soul from the stress and fatigue that any travel activity can bring. Do you know that some Marrakech Riad hammams are home to three rare kinds of essential oils that have many beneficial properties? If not, read on so you will know which essential oil your body needs at the moment:

1. Atlas Cedarwood Essential Oil

The plant that gives out this essential oil can only be found in Morocco, particularly near the Atlas Mountain area, which explains the name. Atlas Cedarwood oil is clear so it mixes well with rose and cypress oils. It has a rich, woody, and long-lasting aroma that makes it a favorite ingredient in high quality perfumes. It is proven to improve the circulation of the blood and can help prevent urinary diseases. People with oily skins can benefit from this essential oil because once applied, it regulates the production of sebum or the oily substance of our skin. Many satisfied Atlas Cedarwood essential oil consumers in Marrakech Riad hammams claim that the oil reduces anxiety and calms the mind.

2. Bay Essential Oil

Spain and Morocco are the top producers of this essential oil extracted from a plant which belongs to the family of Evergreen trees. It is also referred to as Sweet Bay and Laurel. This herb, which used to be a symbol of courage and wisdom during the Roman period, undergoes steam distillation for the extraction of the oil. Bay oil relieves muscle pain, rheumatism and other general body aches. People with thinning hair should take advantage of the special property of Bay oils that promote hair growth. If you are in a Marrakech Riad hammam, ask for the masseurs to give you a massage with this essential oil that comes with the sweet scent of Ylang-Ylang or Juniper extracts. A pleasurable massage using the Bay oil will definitely prepare you for more exciting Marrakech travel adventures.

3. Argan Essential Oil

Southwest Morocco is the only place where you can find Argan, the tree which produces the fruit that gives out the precious Argan oil. If you are a skincare conscious traveler, it is recommended that you request the masseurs in your Marrakech Riad hammam to apply Argan essential oil on your skin because of its regenerative property; meaning it has the ability to reactivate cells that can make your skin look younger and healthy. Erase those unwanted wrinkles by applying a small amount of this vitamin E-rich essential oil on your face. The refreshing smell of Argan oil is also a proven stress-reliever.

You see, a Riad in Marrakech is not only a simple Moroccan accommodation. It can also be a place where you can get a soothing aromatherapy experience.

Know The Geography Of Spain

A detailed map of Spain will come in handy when it’s time to plan your vacation. You can get a quick overview of the geography and topography, and help you orient yourself to the important cities and landmarks within the country. You can also get a feel for where Spain lies in relation to the rest of Europe and the world.

Where in the World?

Spain is at the southwest part of Europe. In comparison, Spain is just over two times the size of the state of Oregon in the US. Besides the mainland, Spain also includes several islands off the coast of Morocco. The islands are the Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Penon de Alhucemas, Islas Chafarinas and Penon de Velez de la Gomera. Understanding the physical layout and area of Spain goes a long way toward understanding the Spanish culture.

Though Spain borders several countries (France, Gibraltar, Portugal and Morocco), it still has a considerable amount of coastline (nearly 5000 km). Beaches are a significant draw for vacationers. Another reason it’s so popular is because of the mild climate. Spain enjoys good weather nearly year-round. The most temperate area is along the coastline, with the more extreme temperature changes occurring inland.

At its lowest point, Spain is at sea level. The country’s highest point is a peak in the Canary Islands. The Pico de Teide reaches 3718 m.

Important Cities in Spain

The Strait of Gibraltar lies at the southern tip of Spain. This is the route from the Mediterranean Sea to the North Atlantic Ocean. This is a popular passing area for merchants and trade.

The Alicante region, located in the southeast region of Spain, is a popular tourist attraction for visitors from Europe. It offers a wide variety of activities, from historical ruins to modern conveniences.

Madrid, Spain’s capital, is near the center of Spain, near the Tagus River, which flows to the North Atlantic Ocean via Portugal. Seville is in the southwestern part of Spain. It’s famous for it’s tributes to Spanish culture through art and culture. It’s also an important financial center in Spain. Barcelona and Cartagena are also popular tourist spots.

The cities of Gijon and Santander are located near the Bay of Biscay, on the northern coast of Spain. Other northern coastal cities include A Coruna and Vigo. As Spain is nearly completely surrounded by water, it’s no surprise that fishing and salt harvesting are big business here.

Cheap African Vacations

The words Cheap Africa Vacations don’t really make sense, so why did you search under these three words?

If you think about it logically, the word ‘cheap’ has come to mean poor quality, when really what you want is quality that is inexpensive!!

The question now is, do you know anything that is cheap, but is good quality, so don’t think you can get Cheap Africa vacations that are also high quality!!

The next point is Africa – you need to be more specific – after all Africa is a very large continent, with huge differences in scenery, climate, and cultures, so where in Africa do you rally want to take a cheap vacation?

Consider this – Africa takes in Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, all different in themselves, but vastly different to Botswana, Tanzania, Zambia, Kenya, which are themselves different to South Africa.

We must add to this list, the offshore islands of Zanzibar, and perhaps The Seychelles, and Mauritius, although it would be easy to argue they belong to The Indian Ocean, and wouldn’t qualify as somewhere to go for a Cheap Africa Vacation.

Finally from the three words Cheap Africa Vacations, we must take the word ‘Vacation’.

What does a vacation mean to you, because the success or failure of your hard earned break depends entirely on your family unit all being happy with the same kind of vacation.

You may think a safari would be amazing, but how do you feel about tents, creepy crawlies? Do you want to spend time looking at ancient treasures and tombs?

Are you basically a bone idle beach bum, at your happiest with a good book and a cool refreshing glass? How about the noise, and smell and adventure of the ‘souk’ with lots of hassle and excitement? Is sophistication necessary for enjoyment?

Be in no doubt the continent of Africa offers a great variety of vacation opportunities.

From Egypt on the northeastern coast to the game reserves of Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa, there is something for everybody. The most popular tourist areas are those bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the northeastern coast, such as Tunisia, and Morocco, then the islands of the Seychelles.

An area of increasing popularity in South Africa is a wine tour. At the opposite end of the continent several thousand miles away, Egypt is home to countless antiquities. A visit to Africa should be made with great care, as it is too large to tackle in one trip. You need to focus on a region and allow enough time to adequately see that area of the continent.

Grote toeristische Resorts In Marokko

For now, Morocco remains relatively untouched by mass tourism, however there are some spots on the tourist map that are particularly well served for visitors.

Agadir: Morocco’s Number 1 Tourist Resort

Situated towards the south of Morocco on the Atlantic coast, Agadir boasts 9 Km of superb white sandy beach and all the amenities of a modern seaside resort.

Agadir boasts 300 days of hot sunshine, which is also especially prominent in winter months. Here you can find many five star hotels and a huge supply of hotel beds, reputedly a quarter of the total in Morocco.

Initially, there seems little sign of the rich history and tradition to be found in other Moroccan cities, although if you search it out, you will find it within the depths of the town. This is largely due to an unprecedented earthquake that shook Agadir in 1961. It has now been re-modelled as a popular package holiday destination, as well as a major fishing port.

Once dubbed the Miami of Morocco, Agadir offers a wide range of activities – along the beach, camel rides, parascending, scooters and speed boats, as well as horse riding, tennis and an 18-hole golf course.

Nightlife in Agadir is typically European in style, being the number one tourist resort in Morocco. Moroccans see this as fantastic, compared to the lack of night clubs in most Moroccan towns. Most dicos and clubs form part of hotels, but normally welcome outside guests. Unfortunately, Moroccan girls do not usually frequent night clubs unless they are out working.

Agadir offers the latest laser light show technology in many of its clubs. Casinos at Club Valtur and the Sheraton Starwoods Hotel are very popular. Caf

What To Look Out For When You Re Buying Travel Books

Surely everyone loves a good travel book but sometimes they can be disappointing, more often, say, than a recipe or handcraft book. There are ways to avoid missing the bus.

Before forking out dollars for a travel book, ask yourself the following: am I in love with the idea of this book or the book itself? Take for example a book entitled “Gorgeous Morocco”. Are you in love with the idea of glorious Morocco or the book you are holding in your hand? To establish this you need to ask: what is the purpose of buying this book?

If you are planning a trip to Morocco and it’s nuts-and-bolts information you are seeking, then it is no good buying the incoherent ramblings of a traveling school teacher in the 1950's. It’s also no good being attracted by the photographs, because photos do lie and hardly constitute hard information. If you are simply keen on reading and learning about Morocco in general, then a book written from any angle will do, unless it is something completely off-beam, like a book written in the 1920's by a missionary, called “How I Converted Four Heathens In Morocco”.

If it’s useful travel information you are after, ask yourself: is this book up to date and properly researched? If you are holding a book called “Mainland Greece”, for instance, do a quick test. Think of a town in mainland Greece you know, such as Thrace, and see how quickly it takes to locate the section on Thrace and how useful the information is concerning accommodation, transport, restaurants, attractions, etc.

Easy-to-navigate handbooks with great indexes are just the ticket. They should be compact, so you can fit them in your hand luggage and cheap enough that if you lose them you don’t mind. The rule of thumb is that a few illustrative photographs are good – they show serious intent on the part of author and publisher to inform you – but too many photographs diminish the quality and quantity of the usable information. There should be concise historical nuggets and handy insider travel tips. There should also be complementary online resources listed for up-to-the-minute information.

If it’s not practical information you are after, but you want to feed your travel dreams and inform yourselves about countries through the ages then ask: who wrote this book? There has been a “colonization” of countries through travel writing. I mean that certain writers in English writing have become inextricably linked with writings about certain countries. They are quite simply the last word on the subject.

Lawrence Durrell and Henry Miller colonized Greece. Lawrence of Arabia colonized Arabia, Robert Lacey colonized Saudi Arabia. William Dalrymple colonized Byzantium and Delhi. The Durrells colonized Corfu. Bill Bryson colonized Australia and rural America. Lisa St. Aubin de Ter

Travel To Morocco Mavens Of The Maghreb

Morocco is the essence of North African charm and the land of commingling horizons. Glittering Saharan deserts of the south and east quickly become snow-capped mountains of the Atlas range, followed by the rolling green heartland, which drops down to the sparkling Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines. Travel to Morocco and wrap yourself in the warmth of the enduring Berber, Arab and African people and 10,000 years of their most fascinating history; a history that could only occur where the spheres of Africa and Europe meet intimately and unavoidably upon the Strait of Gibraltar.

Charmed as a Snake

One distinctive layer of Morocco is its great imperial Islamic cities. The central medina (old town) of each city is typically still walled in and houses the most ancient part of these treasured towns, including a minaret-tipped mosque. Open-air markets, snake-charmers, music performers and caf

Morocco Vacations

Morocco is a place where sand embraces the sea and snow. The charismatic beauty of the place is such that it lures visitors from around the world. The southern coast of Morocco converges in the Western Sahara whereas its northern sides are enveloped by the bedazzling snow capped Atlas Mountains. The Atlas Mountains not just add to the scenic splendor of the place but also safeguard it against its hostile neighbor, Algeria. The area between the mountains and Morocco’s Atlantic coast is covered with fertile plains. Beautiful gorges venturing into the sand and stony wastes of Sahara desert can be witnessed at the edge of the Anti Atlas.

Morocco cities are places worth visiting. Perhaps the oldest city of this place is Fes. Fes is also known as the heart of morocco. The medina of Fes el-Bali or Old Fes is one of the largest living medieval cities in the world today. The magnificent gates and walls here add to the grandeur of the place. The Moroccan city of Marrakesh is known for its rich culture and heritage. Marrakesh is the former capital of morocco. Today the city is famous for its vibrant markets and festivals. To keep its visitors especially children busy the city presents a plethora of activities by magicians, snake charmers, acrobats etc. Spring and autumn seasons are ideal to explore this wonderful city. The city of Rabat displays a perfect confluence of historical events and contemporary developments. The ambience of this city is Islamic as well as European in nature.

Other pulls of morocco include Ait Benhaddou, the most exotic and best-preserved kasbahs in the entire Atlas area. It is one amongst the coveted place for film shootings. The beautiful Central Medina is a huge square in the medina that is the backdrop for one of the world’s greatest spectacles. From open-air food stalls to storytellers, snake charmers and musicians here you will find every source of entertainment. Be it any time of the year the Hasan II Mosque, the world’s third biggest religious monument is seldom left unvisited. The exterior of the mosque bears a French design while its interior is dedicated to the Moroccan style. If you want to see the largest and the well-kept Roman ruins in morocco then Volubilis is the place you need to hit. The origins of Volubilis can be traced back to 2nd and 3rd centuries AD though excavations reveal that Carthaginian traders discovered the site.

The month of May is swarming with Muslims because of the Mousseum of sid Mohammed Ma al-Ainin festival. This is an occasion to see the ‘blue people’ i.e Tuareg nomads of Sahara. Also popularly known is the National folklore Festival of Marrakesh. It is a ten-day event that is attended by dancers, musician and other entertainers from all the corners of the city. November is the month of celebration of Independence Day in Morocco.