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Morocco and Portugal 2023
  • Darren and Janet

Morocco and Portugal 2023

A 63-day adventure by Darren and Janet Read more
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  • Trip start
    February 21, 2023
    Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    1

    Singapore transit

    February 21, 2023 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    We started with a daytime flight to Singapore, then 9 hours in transit before we head to Munich.

    Fortunately Changi Airport has enough attractions and facilities to keep you amused for that long, including a butterfly garden and sunflower garden.Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Marienplatz
    1Art installation, outside law courts1Frauenkirche (Cathedral of our Lady), 149411Was a founding father statue, now a shrine to Michael Jackson

    Mooching in Munchen

    February 22, 2023 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    After a smooth 13 hour flight, we arrived in Munich at 7am to a temperature of -2. We caught the train to the city and were lucky that our hotel room was ready, so we dropped the bags and headed for a day's walking around Munich.

    We spent most of the day in the old town, following a trail of caches through town. Lunch was classic tourist - overpriced alfresco in the main square (Marienplatz), consisting of wurst and sauerkraut. But what a setting!

    We went for a short walk in the local area before tea at our hotel.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Neuschwanstein Castle, from Marienbruke
    3Oberammergau street, with a touch of snowLinderhof Palace1Marienbruke, from Neuschwanstein Castle2Hohenschwangau villiage and castle, from Neuschwanstein CastleCheese donuts to keep us going!1

    Royal Castles

    February 23, 2023 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    Today was a full day tour of two of the royal castles of Bavaria, located close to the Austrian border, about 90 minutes from Munich.

    Linderhof Palace is the smaller castle, the only one of King Ludwig II’s castles which he lived to see completed. He liked to be alone and built the castle with no provision for guests. He also liked to dine alone and out of sight of his servants, so had installed a table that was lowered through the floor with a crank mechanism so it could be set in the room below, and raised when ready, ensuring no interaction with his servants. The table is still in working order, the only one of its kind in the world.

    After Linderhof we visited Oberammergau, home of the famous Passion Play, held every 10 years since 1634.

    We had a stand-up wurst lunch, before we visited Neuschwanstein Castle. It's often referred as a "fairy-tale castle" and was the model for the castle on the Walt Disney logo. Every room is elaborately decorated and filled with ornate furniture. Built on a rocky outcrop overlooking a valley, the best view of the castle is from Marienbruke, a bridge spanning the gorge behind the castle.

    Tours of the castle start every 5 minutes, with a maximum of 65 people per tour. Tickets must be purchased in advance, as it's a 45 minute walk from the ticket office to the castle entrance... and if you miss your allotted timeslot, you can't join another tour, and no refunds are given.

    After a long day and much walking, we arrived back in Munich at 7pm and grabbed some takeaway on the way back to our hotel.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Olympic Park
    Dachau, former barracks area and watchtower1Dachau memorial sculpture inspired by emaciated bodies of prisoners in barbed wire fencesOlympic Tower and BMW Building, view from Olympic MountainDachau, entrance gatesCache atop Olympic Mountain, closedCache atop Olympic Mountain, openCache atop Olympic Mountain, close-up3Dinner at Munchner Stubn

    Dachau, and Olympic Park

    February 24, 2023 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    After a hearty breakfast we caught the local train and bus to Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site, approximately 16km north of Munich.

    Dachau was the longest operating concentration camp, established by Hitler in 1933 to house political prisoners. It was designed to accommodate 2,600 inmates, but when it was liberated in 1945, 32,000 prisoners were present.

    There's very few original buildings now standing, the notable exception being the crematorium. Mass killings didn't occur at Dachau, but overwork, overcrowding and poor diet led to high levels of illness and death.

    After lunch we returned to the central train station, then caught a tram to Olympic Park, site of the 1972 Olympic Games. We got good views of the area from the top of Olympic Mountain, one of the highest points in Munich with 360 degree views of the city. Our visit was cut short when it started raining, but not before we found one of the best caches we've ever seen, built into the geodetic reference marker on top of the hill.

    Dinner was at a traditional Bavarian restaurant, pork knuckle and beer beef goulash 😋    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    3Cobbled street with medieval half timbered houses
    Walking inside the city wallsHans-Sachs Fountain1Schayler Tower, 15th century city fortification3

    Walking Nuremberg in a flurry of snow

    February 25, 2023 in Germany ⋅ 🌧 2 °C

    We checked out of the hotel early today ready for our 9.18am fast train to Nuremberg. It's a popular route, with 50 trains a day making the 160km journey.

    We arrived in Nuremberg at 10.25am, and was surprised at how few people were on the streets. Turns out shops don't open until 11am on Saturday, so the streets were almost deserted.

    We spent the day walking around the old town, inside and along the city walls, a medieval defense constructed between 11th and 16th centuries. Approximately 4km of the original 5km are still standing.

    The old town is full of beautiful buildings, churches and squares - looking around you would never know that 90% of the old town was destroyed in one day by Allied bombers in 1945.

    It snowed off and on for most of the day, so we stopped a number of times for coffee, snacks and a long lunch!    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Congress Hall, outside
    Main grandstand, Zeppelin FieldView of Zeppelin Field from top of grandstand (Oliver standing on speaker's podium)Congress Hall from Zeppelin Field1Photo on site of Nazi Party rallyCongress Hall, inside

    Rally Grounds

    February 26, 2023 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 2 °C

    More snow and bitterly cold wind this morning, so we rugged up and caught the train to the former Nazi Party Rally Grounds, aka Zeppelin Field (named after the landing of one of Count Zeppelin's airships there in 1909).

    From 1933 the area was used by the Nazis Party for their annual party rally, with up to 200,000 attendees. During World War II it remained largely intact. On April 22 1945, the US Army held its victory parade at the main grandstand, and after the ceremony the swastika atop the building was blown up. In 1967 the pillar galleries were demolished because they were unsafe. The shortened grandstand remains, with the area still used for an annual motor racing event and cultural events.

    Across the lake from Zeppelin Field is Congress Hall. This huge building was to provide undercover seating for 50,000 people, and would have been almost twice the size of the Colosseum in Rome. The outside looks complete, but the interior is an unfinished shell, 39m in height. Construction work was abandoned in World War II and it remains unfinished today.

    We walked back to the city via a number of caches and had dinner at a local restaurant.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    2Rainbow pencil ceiling display, containing 32,400 pencils
    St Rochus Church and cemeterySt Rochus cemetery, Pachelbel's grave in the foreground2Faber-Castell factory3The gate is as close as we got to the Faber-Castell museum

    Pencils and Plague

    February 27, 2023 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 3 °C

    We began the day with a trip to the Faber Castell pencil factory, in the hope they had a tour running. Unfortunately they didn't, and their museum was also closed today, so we had to settle for a visit to the shop and a walk around the grounds and surrounding woods.

    On the way back to the city we passed the Nicolaus Copernicus Planetarium (also closed on Mondays 🙄), but had more luck at St Rochus Cemetery. The cemetery was created to bury the victims of the plague of 1517–18. To avoid spreading the disease, city authorities decided to build the cemetery some distance from the city, so St. Rochus is located outside the old city wall. It's an unusual cemetery where most of the graves are low, stone coffin shapes. Among the notable burials are Franz Schmidt (the city executioner who left a diary detailing the 361 executions he performed during his 45 year career), and composer Johann Pachelbel (Canon in D)

    In the late afternoon we popped into the supermarket for supplies, had another walk around the city, and had dinner in our room.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    1Here comes our train!
    Patronising one of the many bread shops1Beautiful Fountain, Market Square3Frankfurt Main Station, food vans in the foregroundSpinning the ring. Beautiful FountainThe last remaining section of Frankfurt city wall

    Nuremberg to Frankfurt

    February 28, 2023 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    After breakfast we had a couple of hours up our sleeve before our train to Frankfurt, so we left the bags at the hotel and went for another walk along the city's historical mile.

    We ended up in the main market square at Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain), a 19m tall fountain in the shape of a Gothic spire. It was built in 1385 and has two brass rings embedded in the fence said to bring good luck to those who spin them.

    We purchased some local gingerbread and pastries for the journey and made our way to the train station.

    The 2 hour trip to Frankfurt was comfortable and smooth, with the train less than a quarter full.

    We grabbed a pork steak sandwich from the food vans near the station and walked the 2km journey to our accomodation via a number of caches.

    Our accommodation is only metres from the last remaining section of the Staufenmauer, the city wall originally constructed in 1180.

    As we are staying in a self-contained apartment, dinner was dine-in, after a visit to the supermarket to purchase supplies.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    2Old Town Square
    Frankfurt skyline from one of the many bridgesSachsenhausen DistrictOld Town Square, town hall on right2Nameplates at Old Jewish CemeteryTechnology Museum display

    Bridges of Frankfurt

    March 1, 2023 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    We spent the day crisscrossing the Main River, first visiting the old Jewish Cemetery on the way to the Sachsenhausen district, famous for its apple wine bars and half timbered buildings.

    We crossed back to the north and had lunch overlooking Römerberg, the old town square, site of royal coronations, Nazi book burnings and more recently Christmas markets. The distinct town hall buildings have been the seat of city administration since the 15th century.

    Our afternoon walk took us back to the south bank, and a quick visit to the technology museum (mainly for afternoon tea in their cafe), before heading home via the Kleinmarkthalle, a fresh food market, similar to the Adelaide Central Market.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    TanneryTanneryThe entrance to our riadFirst view of Morocco3Inside riad courtyard, our room is the lower window on the left

    Frankfurt to Marrakech

    March 2, 2023 in Morocco

    After catching the underground to the airport, we flew out of Frankfurt at 11am for a 3.5 hour flight to Marrakech.

    Our first sight of Morocco was a patchwork of brown and green fields from the plane window, with snow covered mountains in the distance - not quite what we were expecting!

    After finding an ATM, and buying a local SIM card, the next challenge was getting a taxi. We'd read about the problems at the airport with taxi drivers charging inflated prices, so much so that the government has mandated the price to the city at 70 dirham (about $10)... and even put a sign up to that effect. Seems word hasn't got to the drivers yet, as prices on offer ranged up to 350 dirham! When we said we'd pay the advertised price, the taxi organiser found us a driver, but he took another fare with us... so at least he got 140 for that trip 🙂

    Our accommodation is a traditional riad (courtyard house/hotel), very close to the main square, so our taxi dropped us on the outskirts of the city centre, and we walked the rest of the way through the busy lanes.

    We went for a late afternoon walk and took an impromptu tour through the tannery. It was quite a sight and smell - and I can safely say it's not high on my list to do again 🙄

    Dinner was at a local restaurant as the call to prayer was sounding, before a quiet night in the courtyard of our riad, avoiding the occasional shower of rain.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    2ATM queue, Jamaal El Fna SquareJamaal el Fna Square, duskCache signing, with the shopkeeperConstruction supplies delivered by truck, transported to site by donkey carts2Horse drawn tourist rides outside Koutoubia Mosque

    Marrakech meandering

    March 3, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    From our riad in the centre of town, we decided to walk the north of the city today. We headed through the maze of alleys to the main square, Jamaa el Fna, firstly in search of an ATM. It was a popular choice, as the queue at the main bank was lengthy - fortunately Mr Google told me there was another one in the next street, so we went there and were cashed up quickly.

    First stop was the 12th century Koutoubia Mosque, whose minaret is the most visible landmark of the city.

    We visited Cyber Park, a tranquil garden with an odd technology theme, before continuing into the suburbs. The streets were just as busy, but this was full of locals, not tourists. We had lunch at a small cafe and wandered the souks, who sell a large array of traditional textiles, pottery and jewelry, as well as the usual tourist trinkets.

    We came back to the city via a number of caches (they're mostly in market stalls and shops so they don't go missing, so you have to ask for them... but it certainly breaks the ice with the shopkeeper 😁).

    Dinner was a Dabachi Sandwich, a street food mixture of meats, cheese, egg and spices, barbequed together and served in a pocket bread.

    We then wandered Jamaa el Fna Square, which certainly comes alive after dark with endless food and drink choices, stalls selling everything from clothes to carpets, souvenir sellers, snake charmers and sideshow games.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    2Couscous tagine
    1Community bakeryBaker preparing his deliveries2Pedestrians share the lanes with horse and carts, motorcycles and cars.4Community bakery in action (5 second rule clearly in place)1Saadien's TombsMoulay el Yazid mosque, Kasbah

    Rock the Kasbah

    March 4, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Today's destination was the Kasbah of Marrakesh, a large walled district in the southern part of the city, which historically served as the citadel and royal palace of the city.

    We began with a visit to the adjoining Jewish quarter, but were unable to visit the Jewish cemetery as it was closed for their sabbath.

    The surrounding streets were residential with few people around, but we did stumble upon a community bakery where the locals bring their prepared loaves to bake. The bakers invited us in and gave us a sample straight from the oven.

    Lunch was at a local eatery near Place de Ferblantiers, a palm fringed square with many tin and glass artisans, and heaps of tourists.

    We bypassed the Bahia Palace as we'll be going there as part of our tour, but did visit the Saadien's Tombs, a complex of simple mausoleums and tombs, containing the remains of royalty dating back to the 1550s.

    After a snack at a rooftop cafe, we walked back to our accommodation via the now busy laneways of the medina.

    Dinner was a couscous tagine each, at a local Berber street cafe.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    1Medina shops - petrol station
    2Breakfast on the rooftop deckOn the way to Menara GardensMenara Gardens, main thoroughfareMenara Gardens, lake5Medina shops - pram and trolley repairsMedina shops - home and cleaning productsMedina shops - bookshopMedina shops - shoe repairs and salesNighttime crowd in the medina

    Menara Gardens and medina shops

    March 5, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    Menara gardens are located at the west of Marrakech, and a popular weekend destination for families. They were built around 1130 by the Almohad ruler Abd al-Mu'min.

    They contain a pavilion, built in the 16th century and renovated in 1869 by the Sultan, who used to stay here in summertime.

    The pavilion and artificial lake are surrounded by orchards and olive groves. The intention of the lake was to irrigate the surrounding gardens using an old hydraulic system which conveys water from the mountains 30 km away.

    We walked both ways, with a stop on the way back for lunch, then explored the medina for a while, before a few hours relaxing on the rooftop terrace of our riad.

    We ventured out for dinner, planning to eat local, but needed to find an ATM, so ended up in the main square. The first ATM we tried was out of cash, the second malfunctioned and ate the person in front's card, the third was only in French, but we were successful with the fourth! 😮‍💨

    Dinner was a vegetarian tagine again, before enduring shoulder to shoulder crowds to get back to our riad.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Street art, Marrakech
    1Marrakech train stationBuying spices in bulk, even from the supermarketBaking the bread, Shawarma shop, Casablanca1Casablanca street

    Marrakech Express

    March 6, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    We caught the train today from Marrakech to Casablanca, a comfortable 2.5 hour journey.

    The landscape started dry and brown, but the further north we went, the more lush and green it became.

    Casablanca is the financial capital of Morocco, a bustling highrise city, and a far cry from Marrakech. Tourist attractions are limited in the centre of town, so we wandered the streets near our hotel.

    First mission was lunch at a local shawarma shop (yiros/doner in a pocket bread) - this one was in the backstreets, has one item on the menu, and had a queue of locals hanging out the door (always a good sign). They make the bread in real time at the back of the shop, fill the warm bread with freshly carved meat and top it with salads. Delicious!

    We visited the supermarket on the meandering walk back to the hotel, and had dinner at a pasta restaurant nearby.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Hassan II Mosque from afar
    Hassan II MosqueSeafront fort, now a restaurantRick's Cafe... as far as we gotRick's Cafe2Casablanca corniche

    Casablah...

    March 7, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Given the limited tourism sites in Casablanca, we set our sights today on the coast and promenade.

    The most prominent feature of the city is the Hassan II Mosque, built in 1993. It is the largest functioning mosque in Africa and is the 7th largest in the world. It has a capacity of 105,000 worshippers, 25,000 inside and 80,000 outside. It's minaret is the world's second tallest at 210 metres.

    We then walked around the corniche to the second most famous attraction, Rick's Cafe, inspired by the 1942 film, but only built in 2004 by a former American diplomat to Morocco. Unfortunately for us, we couldn't go in because they don't allow patrons wearing shorts!

    We had lunch at a restaurant housed in a former fort on the foreshore, before starting to head back to our hotel. Unfortunately on the way, while checking Google Maps, my phone was stolen by a bloke on a motorcycle who came up from behind and was gone in a flash. To cut a long story short, 3 police stations, 2 rides in a police car and many hours later, we still didn't have the phone. We're both fine, just annoyed and inconvenienced...    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Casablanca train station forecourt
    Casablanca train station1Trams, station precinctStreet scene, station precinctMint tea is the local speciality1View of train station from our hotel room

    Casablanca rest day

    March 8, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Quiet day today after yesterday's unwanted excitement. All we had to do was move hotels in preparation for the start of our tour tomorrow, so we had a sleep in, lunch locally, then caught a taxi to our new hotel near the train station.

    We purchased a new SIM card for Oliver's phone, had a relaxing mint tea at a cafe and a walk around the station precinct, before a shawarmer for dinner.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Door and cats, kasbah
    6View from our balcony - why have 1 turning lane when you can have 5! (medina in the background)Grand Theatre of RabatSteps to the kasbah4Mohammed VI TowerMausoleum of Mohammed V and Al Hassan MosqueHassan Tower and ruins of old mosqueGates to the Royal PalaceWalls of the medinaKing's residence inside the Royal Palace site

    Road to Rabat

    March 9, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    We woke up to a cool, overcast day, and met our driver Souliman for a 9am departure to Rabat, a distance of only 90km.

    We arrived mid morning to a city in complete contrast to Casablanca. Rabat is the capital of Morocco, neatly ordered, and known for it's mix of Islamic and French colonial architecture.

    The skyline of the city is currently being transformed by the contruction of Mohammed VI Tower, a hotel and residential building. Started in July 2017, and due for completion this year, it will be the second tallest tower in Africa and is designed to be visible from a distance of 50km.

    We met a local guide for a walk through the grounds of the Al Hassan Mosque, Hassan Tower, and Mausoleum of Mohammed V, and our first chance to introduce both driver and guide to geocaching, as there was a nicely hidden cache on the edge of the carpark 😁

    We then visited the Kasbah, the original walled part of the city, and partook in mint tea and biscuits, before travelling to the Royal Palace, where the king resides when in Rabat. It's a sprawling 43 hectare site, where his 2000 staff all live on-site. Jobs at the Royal Palace are much sought after and often pass down through family generations.

    After lunch we walked through the medina, across the road from our hotel, then back there again for tea after a walk around the local area.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Tangier foreshore
    Entrance to the medinaTangier foreshoreInside Cave of Hercules2Cave of Hercules sea opening, "The Map of Africa"Foreshore and medinaCape Spartel lighthouseWhere the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean

    A little lighthouse keeping*

    March 10, 2023 in Morocco

    Longer drive today, about 3 hours to Tangier, located at the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, just 14km from Spain.

    Through it's history it has been under Spanish control, Portugese control and even English control - in 1662 it was transferred to the English crown as part of the dowry of Catherine of Braganza, wife of Charles II.

    In the 1940s and 50s, as an international zone managed by colonial powers, it became a haven for artists, eccentric millionaires, secret agents and writers. It is now a modern, attractive city, with a fascinating mix of old and new - an ancient medina fringed by a modem harbour and corniche.

    We ventured a few kilometres out of town to Cape Spartel, the most north western point of mainland Africa, and home to a lighthouse dating from 1864.

    Nearby is the Cave of Hercules - mythology cites that Tangier was founded by Hercules and it was in these caves that he rested after completing the 12 labours set to him as penance for his sins.

    The cave has two openings, one to sea and one to land. The sea opening, known as "The Map of Africa" is believed created by the Phoenicians in the shape of Africa when looked at from the sea.
    The caves were was used as a brothel in the 1920's, and in 1995, British rock group Def Leppard played a concert in the cave.

    *Naming credit to The Goodies 😁    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Small square, where we had lunchLunch, goat cheese and pastriesView over the medina, from the KasbahTraditionally only the lower level was painted blue2View from our hotel bathroom window!Sunset view from the Spanish Mosque

    Into the Blue

    March 11, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    We left Tangier at 9am, early enough to beat any traffic (highly unlikely on a Saturday... even on a weekday nothing gets going until 11 am)

    We stopped for morning coffee with plenty of other travellers at a cafe overlooking a dam. Tourism is slowly recovering here - there only are a handful of large buses getting around, but quite a few small vans like ours.

    We travelled through the lush green crops of the Rif Mountains and arrived in Chefchaouen, the blue city, just before lunch.

    Chefchaouen is traditionally an agricultural centre, also known for leather and textile handicrafts, but recently tourism has been the main income earner due to their distinctive blue buildings.

    There are several theories as to why the walls were painted blue - one is that the blue keeps mosquitos away, or that blue symbolizes the sky and heaven and serves as a reminder to lead a spiritual life, or simply they were painted blue in the 1970s to attract tourists!

    We met our local guide for a walk around the medina and Kasbah, including a stop for lunch of goat cheese, bread, pastries and mint tea, then walked to our hotel, just outside the medina.

    After dinner in a rooftop cafe (for the record, beef tagine with prunes - and absolutely delicious), we walked up the hill behind our hotel to watch sunset over the city from the Spanish Mosque, a disused mosque built by the Spanish in 1920.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Lunch location2Cemetery overlooking townBeef tagine with prunes again tonight

    Chefchaouen Hammam

    March 12, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    We have a full day in Chefchaouen, so a leisurely breakfast and a walk up to the cemetery was the only thing on the agenda for the morning.

    We then ventured into the medina for lunch, before our 3pm massage and hammam, which means “the spreader of warmth” in Arabic. It is essentially getting scrubbed down and washed in a sauna. They believe that purifying the body goes hand-in-hand with purifying the soul, so after being washed while lying on a marble slab, you get rubbed down/exfoliated with a kessa glove (made of goat hair... think 120 grit sandpaper), then an all over body rub of black clay. We were left to marinate for 15 minutes before a final wash down.

    We also had a massage from head to toe (literally), front, back and sides - she was very thorough, massaging places we didn't know needed massaging!

    Dinner was at the same restaurant as last night, overlooking the hum of the medina as the sun set.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Volubilis
    2Fully loaded hay truckHerbs, spices and vegetables, Zaggota market1Hoof anyone? Zaggota marketFish sales, Zaggota marketHerbs and spices, Zaggota marketVolubilisVolubilis mosaicVolubilisLunch in the main square, Moulay Idress Zerhoun

    Roman ruins of Volubilis

    March 13, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We travelled from Chefchaouen to Meknes, a distance of 194km. The journey took over 3.5 hours, as we could only travel at 60kph for most of the way due to the number of local buses, pedestrians, donkeys, sheep and tractors sharing the road.

    We broke the journey with a visit to the local market at Zaggota. It is a weekly market, so people come from miles around to do their weekly shop, many by shared taxi with their roofs piled high with produce, or by donkey cart if they live closer.

    We arrived at Volubilis early afternoon for a guided tour. Volubis is a partly excavated Roman city near the city of Meknes, founded in the 3rd century BC and abandoned in the 11th century AD. It remained largely intact until an earthquake in 1755. It was subsequently looted by Moroccan rulers seeking stone for building Meknes, until excavation and restoration during the time of French rule, 1912-1955.

    We had lunch in the nearby town of Moulay Idress Zerhoun, before travelling onto Meknes for the night.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    3Chicken Pastilla
    View of Meknes medinaJewish Cemetery, MeknesMeknes main gate, under restorationMeknes, entrance to medinaMausoleum of Moulay Ismail, entranceMausoleum of Moulay Ismail, inside

    Meknes Medina

    March 14, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    We were met by the local guide for a 9am tour of Meknes. We drove to a lookout point over the medina, visited the Jewish cemetery, and the mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, the longest reigning Moroccan sultan (55 years), who allegedly had a harem of over 500 women and fathered more than 800 children, making him one of the most prodigious fathers in recorded history.

    We then had a walking tour of the medina, which is undergoing much restoration work.

    We drove to Fes in the afternoon, getting lunch locally near our hotel.

    For dinner we had a local speciality, Pastilla - it's a Moroccan chicken pie, containing shredded chicken, saffron, egg and onion, with a crunchy topping of fried almonds sweetened with orange flower water, enclosed in a crispy pastry shell and garnished with icing sugar and cinnamon.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Weavers quarter
    Royal Palace, main gateOverlooking the medina from the south fortMosaic table1Mosaic tables are made upside down and the artisan has to remember what colour each tile is1Tannery quarterWeavers quarterHandpainting designs on ceramicsMorning tea stopWhere can we put this in the backyard...?

    Fes Fun

    March 15, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    We did a walking tour of the Fes medina today, the largest in Morocco, and the world's largest car free urban zone.

    There are 300,000 people living in the medina, in 250 quarters - each quarter is self contained and has a mosque, Koran school, Hammam, fountain and community bakery.

    The medina is made up of 9,600 alleys - no wonder they tell tourists to stay still if they get separated from their group and someone will come back to find you - don't try and find your own way out!    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    2Sunset from our deck
    Ifrane LionView over the valley on the way to Bin El OuidaneIfrane main street3Berber lunch with our driver, Souleiman

    How's the serenity...

    March 16, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Longest drive of the trip today, 6.5 hours from Fes to Bin El Ouidane, in the Atlas Mountains.

    Our first stop was Ifrane, the Switzerland of Morocco. The town is known for its alpine-style architecture and nearby ski slopes and forests. It's a popular holiday destination for Moroccans looking to escape the city heat. In the centre of town, a stone statue of a lion represents the last known Atlas Lion shot in the wild in this area in 1942.

    Lunch was a traditional meal in a Berber family home, a meat and vegetable tagine... although I'm not sure the fries on top are traditional?? But it was all delicious.

    We arrived at our accommodation near Bin El Ouidane at 5.30pm, a beautiful room overlooking the Ait Ouarda Dam, and a relaxing evening watching the sun set from our deck.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Ouzoud Falls basin
    2Ouzoud Falls, crossing to the other sideHelping out the juice man6Snails5Potato chips cooked freshNuts and seedsOlives galore2Jemaa El Fna Square comes alive at night(our guide in black, bottom right corner, in front of Oliver

    Ouzoud Falls and Marrakech Foodie Tour

    March 17, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Late start today with an 11am departure from the hotel, so plenty of time for breakfast and a walk before we were picked up.

    We stopped at Ouzoud Falls for a walk around the top and bottom of the falls. It's a popular day trip from Marrakech, so was busy with locals and tourists.

    The drive to Marrakech was a couple of hours, so we arrived in time to settle into our hotel, then head straight into the city centre for a foodie tour.

    We started in Jemaa el Fna Square with a local guide, sampling a vast array of street food and local specialties, including juices, snails, soups and sweets, and finishing with a tangia - an urn shaped cooking pot with slow cooked beef and preserved lemon. We got back to the hotel at 10pm, not sure if we'll ever need to eat again!    Read more

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