morocco.

This is not a how-to about how to get around Morocco.

In fact, I will not claim, even after spending a week there, that I know much about it. (Except that it is beautiful.)

What I do know is that going to an all-inclusive beach resort with kids is wonderful...and going to a beach resort with a kids club is even more wonderful! Just sayin'.

Honestly, Morocco was never on my travel bucket list, but we knew during this past spring break that we wanted to head to a warm beach locale.  So we scouted out all the options within a five hour flight from the Netherlands (by "we" I mean my husband) and settled on Morocco.  The idea of flying into Casablanca sounded romantic, and he chose an all-inclusive resort that seemed to fit all our needs.

Sure we would be all in one hotel room, including the baby...but it would be worth it, right!?

three kids, two adults, one hotel room - no problem!

Yes, it actually was totally fine.  Baby Whit got plenty of naps, and was able to fall asleep in a pack-n-play in the tiny dark hallway in our room.

It was our first time on the continent of Africa, which in itself was pretty exciting!  The views from our hotel were pure heaven.  It was this gorgeous desert oasis, meticulously landscaped with desert flora.  The beach was super windy and the ocean waves were big and a bit much for our kids, but we did experience a fabulous sunset one night, with the beach all to ourselves.

Every day was spent pretty much the same way.  I find that with so many kids you gotta have a routine...at least that is how our fam functions best.  We got up and went to the buffet for breakfast (which somehow never got old.)   The kids then played at the kids club for an hour or so while I went to the gym and Paul and Whitman took a morning nap.  Then we would all go to the pool for a while, or the beach.  Whitman and I would then go back to the room and rest while Paul and the kids would keep hanging out.  Eventually we would all meet up for a super late poolside lunch - always ordering the same thing (sliders, quesadillas, maybe a margarita for mama) Finally, bellies full, we would all go back to the room to relax, playing cards, simply resting from the sunshine, until dinner.

The kids loved the buffet, which had every type of cuisine imaginable and many, many, many dessert options, which is pretty much their favorite thing in life.

The employees of the resort were extremely friendly.  especially with the kids.  At first it was kind of disconcerting how affectionate they would be, picking up our babes and kissing them on the cheek.  A couple of times I had to politely ask them not to take selfies with our kids!  Finally, someone asked Paul if it made us uncomfortable how much attention they were getting, and Paul politely tried to explain that it kinda did.  (Also, we both just wanted a bit of personal space after a while.  Sometimes three members of the waitstaff would be at our table, all trying to play with our kids!  Just let us have dinner, ya'll!)  Then the employee explained to Paul that it was a normal part of Moroccan culture to be very affectionate with children, even kids of strangers, and especially babies.  So we tried to be understanding, yet politely enforce boundaries.

One morning we hired a driver (since we had no car) and let the kids play in the kids club for the morning so we could take a day trip into the nearby city of El Jadida.  I really wanted to go to an open air marketplace and buy some goods, and perhaps experience just a taste of the typical culture in Morocco (versus the giant, grandiose bubble that was our resort.)

So Paul and I and Baby Whit (who wasn't a fan of baby club) spent a couple hours strolling and buying a few things to remember our time there.  Super lovely and probably exactly what you'd imagine a Moroccan market area to be like!  We went pretty early in the day so it wasn't very busy yet.  I'm sure it would get a bit crazy by afternoon, so I'm glad we got there when we did.

Another night Paul and I had a romantic date night (well, with Baby Whit, who we pushed around in the stroller until he fell asleep) and had dinner at one of the resort restaurants.  We went with the authentic Moroccan one.  So good!  It was super dark in there, though, and you sat on these low tables with benches and lots of pillows.  They gave you flashlights to be able to see the menu!

Here are some views of that night, and the rest of our time in Morocco...

moroccan dinner date.

little blondie, big ocean

my morning cappuccino.

the landscaping was something out of my dreams.

in the center of all the buildings was this pool 

Baby Whit couldn't crawl yet...so that made things a bit easier.

Paul and the kiddos in the surf.

the sea is good for everyone's soul.

she is a wave chaser.

my morning walk from the fitness center to the beach.

hello ocean!

my beachy girl.

desert plant heaven.

my shell finder.

I didn't swim in the ocean on this trip at all...but Whit and I enjoyed it anyway!

when we first arrived - tired from travel but loving it so far!

what most pics of all three look like.

my lunch.  every.single.day.

"This place is fancy!" 

sis + bro - morning snuggles

Finola's only request the whole trip was to see the sunset.  we made a whole night of it!

yes please on an afternoon margarita by the pool.

mama selfie - poolside.

sometimes the third child gets left to his own devices.  thankfully he couldn't crawl away at that point.

Don't worry, there was always an older sibling running by...and a parent with an eye out.

El Jadida seaport.

playing hearts.  basically what we did each late afternoon post-lunch.

she made a heart-shaped pizza to share.  like a best friends necklace...but better!

super dark selfie at our date night dinner!  

standing up on a rooftop looking out at the El Jadida seaport.

on the way to the airport to go home.  baby Whit was wore out from this vacay.

giant fiddle leaf figs in the courtyard.

Just check out that reflection.

one day Fin and I went down the waterslide about fifty times.

each morning I would see horses on the beach.

the light of the fading sun was so beautiful.

this girl has no fear and probably went down that waterslide about 400 times.

coffee with heart.

you know, just contemplating life + nature.

post-workout ocean foot soak.

okay, I'll live in this house.

view from our room was okay.

heading to the airport to go home.  daddy covered in kids.

the cutest little date crasher.

we love each other.

love this plant-filled walkway in el jadida.

sorry, but not sorry, for all the sunset pics.  

Overall, I loved our week in Morocco.  It was a much-needed time of rest for all of us.