We said good-bye yesterday to our long-time friend (and veteran of several Experiences) and the new lovely additions to our family of Gastronomad friends after an epic week during The Venice Prosecco Experience, then were heartbroken to find out about the devastating earthquake that struck Morocco Friday.
We reached out immediately to dozens of our Moroccan friends throughout the different regions of Morocco and were relieved to learn that every single one of them and each member of their families is safe and sound.
We thank you and appreciate all the thoughtful texts and emails many of you sent us sharing your concern.
As most of you know, we host The Morocco Caravan Experience once or twice per year and the next one is happening in a month — October 9 - 22, 2023.
We also reached out to our friends due to attend next month's Experience. We gave them the option to postpone or proceed as planned. They unanimously decided to continue with The Morocco Caravan Experience as planned. We feel so lucky and grateful for all the remarkable people who join us on these singular culinary adventures and who are always ready to embrace it all with such a brilliant sense of adventure.
The Morocco Caravan Experience is a journey through not only the country of Morocco, but through time. Many of the ancient places, villages, medinas and buildings we visit were undamaged in the quake.
Unfortunately, one of the properties we were planning to stay at in Marrakech (a beautiful and stunning centuries-old riad) suffered some damage, although fortunately no one got injured. The "back up" accommodation we would have used also suffered damage, with some cracked walls. We’ve seen many videos and pictures from Marrakech that friends have shared with us and, though the damage seems messy at first glance, mostly doesn’t seem structural. But we wouldn't stay at any property that’s not perfectly safe.
It's not clear yet whether or not the properties will be repaired in time for our sojourn. Engineers still need to conduct inspections and provide a report on the findings. In any event, we’re ready to find alternate options, which we’re confident we can do with the help of our wonderful local friends.
That said, Marrakech suffered significantly in general. Many houses completely collapsed. Alleyways are filled with rubble. And some of the ancient medina walls crumbled. But the most severely affected areas include the mountain villages Southwest of Marrakech in the High Atlas Mountains, where many lives were lost because of the relative fragility of traditional earthen buildings so close to the epicenter.
Moroccans are resilient and hard-working people. Although this catastrophic event is costing thousands of lives, even as they mourn their loved ones, Moroccans are united in this challenging time and are resolved to rebuild their lives and persevere. It’s possible this is going to take years to overcome, so help is needed.
I know this can all be unsettling for many of us. But life goes on. If anything, this is a good reminder that we each have a responsibility to do our part the best way we can. Living life and enjoying the experience of living, even within challenging circumstances, is part of our common humanity during our short time on this beautiful planet.
Life happens. And it never waits for everything to be perfect or for us to retire or achieve milestones or goals, for that matter. We have to embrace the good and the bad together, find the silver lining and make the most of all we can in this moment.
The Gastronomad Experience is designed to be a meaningful way to explore other lands, learn about how others live and, especially, immerse ourselves in the cultures we encounter. As we try to capture the authentic heart and soul of each place, we focus not only on the beauty and deliciousness of it all, but also the true reality of our surroundings.
The impact of the earthquake will be very much a part of what we'll have the somber privilege to encounter in Morocco as we gather around the table, break bread with locals and enjoy once-in-a-lifetime magical moments in our celebration of life and human connection.
Mike and I will be heading to Morocco soon. And we can hardly wait to embrace our friends there, stand with them in solidarity and also enjoy and celebrate the privilege of living. And we’ll be ready to wholeheartedly welcome our guests for The Morocco Caravan Experience and together embrace the joy, the beauty and the sadness all at once with respect, humility and empathy.
We’ll also be filling our luggage with needed personal items and scarce necessities to donate upon arrival in Marrakech.
In the meantime, some of you have asked how you can help. If you’d like to make donations, here are five reliable organizations that we recommend:
Please share these links with your friends. And thank you for your kindness and for being part of our family of Gastronomad friends.
With love,
Amira and Mike
