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Morocco and Portugal 2023

February - April 2023
A 63-day adventure by Darren and Janet Read more
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  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023
    22
    Day 11

    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 2023
    2
    1241
    Day 12

    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 2023
    1
    25
    Day 13

    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 2023
    11
    Day 14

    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 2023
    2
    Day 15

    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 2023
    11
    Day 16

    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 2023
    64
    Day 17

    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 2023
    2
    Day 18

    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 2023
    2
    Day 19

    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 2023
    2
    Day 20

    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

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