![cones of spices](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0195/5905/5424/files/cones-of-spices-1024x683.jpg)
Last month, I had the extreme pleasure of traveling to Marrakech with my very good friend, Marcella Echavarria. Marcella, the brand strategist behind our current obsession,
Norhla Textiles, is a globetrotter, professional photographer and writer, social entrepreneur, trend forecaster, and expert in all things sustainable in design.
![MI1A9709](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0195/5905/5424/files/MI1A9709-1024x683.jpg)
It didn't take long for us to take to the souks for some exploration. Needless to say, I was in heaven at the rug souk in the heart of the medina. The villagers bring their wares down to the souk for auction each day at 5 PM, a wonderful sight to see and a great place to learn about their crafts.
![L'Art du Bain](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0195/5905/5424/files/LArt-du-Bain-1024x1024.jpg)
A more serene stop is at L'Art du Bain, a great place to stop and pick up high quality soaps and other body care products. I adore their sugar scrub scented with vetiver!
![Kat in the souk with lamps](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0195/5905/5424/files/Kat-in-the-souk-with-lamps-683x1024.jpg)
Marcella has a keen eye for seeking out the highest quality crafts. With her at the helm, I was on a mission to find some antique tribal jewelry in the medina. I found exactly what I was looking for in a pair of these 18th Century Berber adornments made with rare Meditteranean coral.
![IMG_2341](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0195/5905/5424/files/IMG_2341-e1449091801662-1024x1024.jpg)
Of course, no transaction is complete without sharing a cup of mint tea!
![tea time](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0195/5905/5424/files/tea-time-1024x683.jpg)
Near Dar Bacha in the medina are some great finds for modern Moroccan design, including Topolina for simple and wearable designs using vintage fabrics found in Africa.
![Marcella at Topolina](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0195/5905/5424/files/Marcella-at-Topolina-1024x1024.jpg)
Marcella taking a break after shopping and before we head to the Majorelles Garden in the Ville Nouvelles.
![majorelle balcony](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0195/5905/5424/files/majorelle-balcony-1024x1024.jpg)
The beautiful Majorelles Gardens were built in the 1920s and later became the Moroccan home of Yves St. Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge.
![Kat Medarssa in front of plasterwork and tiles](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0195/5905/5424/files/Kat-Medarssa-in-front-of-plasterwork-and-tiles-1024x683.jpg)
I can't leave Marrakech without a visit to the Ben Yousseff Medersa, a Koranic school built in the 16th Century. It is a beautifully serene place with the most gorgeous tile, plasterwork and cedar woodwork.
![medarssa arch](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0195/5905/5424/files/medarssa-arch-1024x683.jpg)
For the utmost in tranquility and hospitality, I love to stay at the
Riad Tchaikana, below, in the heart of the medina and close to the medarsa.
![La Tchaikana doorway](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0195/5905/5424/files/La-Tchaikana-doorway-1024x1024.jpg)
Photos by Marcella Echavarria and Katharine L'Heureux