[Dec. 2025] We returned to Marrakesh, Morocco.
It happened to be New Year’s Eve.
Since Morocco has a different calendar, there were no local events, but we wanted to do something memorable.
On a whim, I asked our driver, Youssuf, if there were any places where we could buy alcohol, even though there were only a limited number of restaurants that served it.
To my surprise, he said they sold it at the supermarket!
Why didn’t he tell us sooner…?
He also mentioned that Moroccans buy alcohol at supermarkets and drink it at home.
It turned out that Youssuf himself rarely drank alcohol and that was why he did not think it was important or interesting for us.
So, on the way back, we stopped at Carrefour, which sells alcohol.
It’s a large supermarket, and they sell not only alcohol, but also ham made from pork, which is forbidden in Islam.
We bought a bottle of Prosecco and some ham and cheese and returned to our accommodation.
At the accommodation, we asked the staff to put it in the refrigerator.
This staff member, when other people were around, said, “We shouldn’t touch the alcohol,” and urged us to carry it to the refrigerator ourselves.
But as soon as no one was around, he put the Prosecco in the refrigerator without any hesitation.
Moroccans are people with two faces: outward-facing and inward-facing.
It was still too early, so we went for a walk around Marrakesh.
We went to the area around the minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque, the most prominent landmark.
This minaret, including the decorative parts, is said to be 77 metres tall, and our guide from the previous day said there is a rule that buildings taller than this cannot be constructed.
This mosque was completed around 1158, and this minaret is said to have served as a model for minarets both within and outside of Morocco.
Now, as dusk fell, we returned to our accommodation for a feast.
The staff member we spoke to earlier not only lent us space in the rooftop breakfast room, but also brought us olives and fruits in addition to what we had bought.
I had thought that this inn, Riad Jolie, had small rooms and the staff weren’t great, but at least this staff member was extremely kind.
He was very happy with the 50 dirham (approximately 4.70 euros) tip.
So, although it was still too early for the countdown, we popped open a Prosecco and enjoyed a small but pleasant moment.
It was a memorable New Year’s Eve.
