Local Color: Pink

Marrakech is also known as the “Rose City.” Photo: iStockphoto

Local Color is a new blog series that takes a closer look at colorful places around the world.

The color pink originally got its name from a type of flower called a “pink,” today more commonly known as a carnation. Though the word now belongs almost exclusively to the color, flowers are still some of the most beautiful pinks in nature. The upcoming Orchid Show in Singapore is a lovely place to appreciate the floral origins of this fabulous color. The weeklong festival from July 7 to July 15 will feature more than 300 varieties of orchids in dazzling shades from deep magenta to a pale blush. Visitors can walk amongst elaborate fantasy landscapes showcasing some of Southeast Asia’s most magnificent specimens and purchase rare bulbs and seeds to propagate their own pink orchids at home.

Marrakech, Morocco is enchantingly known as the “Rose City” for the many buildings that are painted pink. Though the color is beautiful, the buildings are painted pink as a practical way to reflect the harsh sun andutilize the abundant red mud from the surrounding area. Marrakech is home to many traditional Berber markets, known as souks, where local artisans sell pottery, copperware, clothing, and a multitude of other items.  A visit to one of the local souks is a great opportunity to appreciate and possibly purchase some of Morocco’s colorful crafts.

Lake Hillier is a bubble-gum pink lake in the middle of a lush forest in Western Australia. No one is quite sure what makes the lake permanently pink, although the working theory is that it’s the result of a dye produced by algae growing in the water. It’s completely safe to swim in Lake Hillier, and from the shore the water appears to be more subtle than the Pepto-Bismol color you see when viewing the lake from overhead. There are two other pink lakes in Western Australia, but Lake Hillier is the most spectacular and the most accessible.Inspired to travel? Let Orbitz be your guide!

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