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Morocco

October 2018
Illene, Isabel, Jeannie and Kay. Two weeks with OAT travel in Morocco Read more
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  • TravelerMorocco
    Day 2

    Morocco Days 1 and 2

    October 13, 2018 in Morocco ⋅ ⛅ 81 °F

    Arrived in Casablanca, Morocco from NYC via Paris around 4PM. Our driver met us at the airport along with others on the flight in our group. Illene, Isabel, Jeannie and I are traveling with OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel) and will be with a group of 16 for the next 2 weeks. Only saw the airport in Casablanca, then off via minivan to Rabat. Our hotel was across the river Bou Regreg from Rabat in Sale and lovely – The Dalwitz. A quick shower before our dinner at the hotel Lots of travel weary folk after overnight flights from the US. Five of the group, including Jeannie, have been here for a 5-day pre-trip to areas in the North of the country.

    Breakfast and our “orientation” meeting ll o- all of us of similar ages, lots of white hair. 😊 Mustapha, our guide for the next 2 weeks, provided an overview of the daily schedule, introductions all around and general questions asked and answered.
    Off to explore Rabat, the administrative capital of Morocco. First stop, the King’s Palace. The system of government in Morocco is a monarchy and the king has the final “say”. The sub governmental structure is a parliament, bicameral, of which one of the bodies is elected by the population. The other unit is “businessmen” or tradespeople e.g teachers, telecom, etc. These leaders are elected by the people in their trades. Mustapha was very clear that corruption is a real problem and, as of yet, unresolved. Palace interior is off limits to visitors. Next stop, Chellah, another example of the vast expanse of the Roman Empire. The site consists of Roman ruins as well as a 15C mosque built on the site with lovely gardens, flowers and fruit trees. Discussion held around the tenets of the Muslim religion and purpose of the different sections the mosque. A quick stop at the mosque of Hassan II, the previous king of Morocco. A new structure with lovely mosaics interior, very ornate and replete with his tomb (as well as family members), on the ground floor.
    Remainder of the afternoon on our own. The 4 of us ate lunch at a fish restaurant – good but too much food. Then we split up, Isabel back to hotel to rest her leg, Jeannie, Illene and I to the quite new Modern Art Museum Il and I quite pleased with the content – all Moroccan art and some quite interesting. Modern art is an emerging market in the country. Then Il and I took a quick trip thru the souk (market) in the medina (old town). Interesting with the food and spices everywhere but, in general, just a big flea market. Back to hotel for a quick shower and out for a walk to the Kasbah – fortification overlooking the Atlantic -and a walk through a quieter and prettier section of the medina on our way to dinner. A very important stop at a liquor store to get alcohol for the next phase of our trip where apparently” spirits” are not available. Il and I got 5 bottles for the 2 of us for the next 5 days. 😊 !!!!!
    Dinner was very special – a Riad (an old Moroccan home now a B & B or Inn). An elderly gentleman with a lamp met us as we were walking to the restaurant. The dining room was in the courtyard or atrium of the home. Beautiful interior, candlelit tables, music and an excellent Moroccan dinner. After dinner our same gentleman with the lamp led us back to our bus. Restaurant: Dinarjat – highly recommended for anyone in Rabat.

    A busy first day in Morocco!!!    Read more

  • TravelerMorocco
    Day 3

    Morocco Day 3

    October 14, 2018 in Morocco ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    A travel day from Rabat to Fes about a 3 hour drive. Breakfast at hotel and out by 8:30 and into the bus. Nice large bus for just 16 of us so plenty of room to spread out. We will be in Fes for 3 days.
    Took the :road less traveled” so skipped the major road and went the backroads for more to see and interesting stops. First break was a large Oak cork forest where the tress produce cork as in Portugal. Cork is harvested and manufactured in Morocco. It is not as big an industry as the cork is more porous than cork from Portugal. Second stop at a very large Sunday farmer’s market in the farming area outside of Rabat. Wonderful looking fruits, vegetables, and lots of really great, healthy looking herbs – tons of mint. Mint tea is a staple here. I did not think I was going to like it as everything I read said it was very sweet. I have not found it sweet at all but very good. Last stop before Fes was an elderly woman (74) 😊 who has a roadside stand and sells eggs, honey, jo jo ??? nuts, and other foods. She lived across the road where toured her new home that one of her son’s built for her recently. Her daughter baked bread for us in a wood fire oven outside, and Jeannie and another group member cooked us an omelet with her spices and eggs. All was a lovely spot and very interesting to see Moroccan rural life.

    On into Fes for our 3 night stay. Our riad is terrific in the middle of the 14thC area of Fes!! Beautiful Moroccan decor - mosiacs everywhere, elegant furnishings, courtyards with water features, and a terrific roof area for "happy hour"' We lunch at our riad, got settled in our rooms and off to begin the sights of Fes. Drove up to a high fortification area for a panoramic view of the city. (over 1 million people). Fes is divided into 3 sections, the new city, the 14th C city and the 9th C area. The 9th C area includes the infamous medina or old city. Our next stop was an artisan shop where pottery is made. We all had a lesson on the production of "upscale" pottery. e.g. all done by hand. The pieces they make are fantastic. Lots also done with mosaics, individually cut and placed. Amazing large pieces e.g. tables, bathroom sinks and counters as well as huge vases and many other things. A very interesting hour.

    Back to riad, weather turned cool with a storm (found out the next day that it was a cyclone) so stayed at riad for dinner. A very good happy hour in Jeannie's and my place as we have a "suite", with some of the wine we bought yesterday. Love our room but 40+ steps to get to it!!    Read more

  • TravelerMorocco
    Day 4

    Morocco Day 4

    October 15, 2018 in Morocco ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    Up and out this morning for our first stop, the Jewish Quarter, called Mellah, in the 14th C section of Fes. During the time of the Spanish Inquisition many Jews fled Spain for Morocco. At one time there were around 120,000 Jews in Fes. Today there are around 200. We visited one synagogue and walked the quarter now inhabited by Muslims. Architecture is Spanish Colonial with the wooden (cedar) balconies. The area is now a UNESCO World Heritage site and being restored.

    The remainder of our day was spent in the Medina, or old city of Fes, a vast system of narrow alleys (over 9,000), restaurants, shops and artisans of every kind. The experience was amazing and a fascinating day. We visited a madrasa, or school within a mosque. One of the fellows in the group mentioned that the madrasa are now known as schools where Muslim men go for training in violence. Sections of the medina are laid out according to "specialties" e.g. wedding/celebration dresses, metal (very noisy), leather, furniture, etc. Following lunch at a very nice Moroccan food restaurant, we went to a tanner "factory" within the medina. All leather made from the skins of goats, sheep or camel. The secret to the soft leather is the process of soaking the skins in water with pigeon poop (for the ammonia) for 2 weeks to take out the smell!! Their leather was beautiful and so soft. And then, of course, there was the opportunity to buy any of the leather products, primarily jackets. I resisted. :-) Illene did not

    Following this experience, we went to another artisan, a weaving place where the products are loomed by hand. Materials used are cotton, wool and silk. The silk is not from silk worms but from the agave plant, called vegetable silk. Amazing to see the speed of the weavers as they foot peddle the loom. Another opportunity to buy scarfs, tablecloths, curtains, etc.
    Back to the riad for a rest and happy hour on the beautiful roof top deck with a panoramic view of the city of Fes and the surrounding Riff mountains. Our evening was spent visiting and dining with local families as a cultural exchange. We split into 3 groups of 5 or 6 each. The family my group visited was a father and daughter. The father did not speak English but was very active and interested in the conversation with his daughter as interpreter. The daughter at 19 is in her 3rd year of medical school. Obviously, the education system is different than the US. Lots of topics covered during a delightful dinner. E.g. Moroccan history with the French, educational and health care systems, family life, etc. An interesting and fun-filled day.    Read more

  • TravelerMorocco
    Day 5

    Morocco Day 5

    October 16, 2018 in Morocco ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    Today is an “Optional” day on the tour. The optional tour goes to Volubilis, an UNESCO world heritage site for its Roman ruins and Meknes, also a UNESCO site, the onetime home of a 17th C Moroccan Sultanate – Moulay Ismail. After some indecision, I decided to join the tour for the day. Day started rainy and cool.
    After a drive through farmland and rolling hills we arrived at Volubilis. In comparison with other Roman ruins I have seen, these are very well-preserved, down to the details to the Corinthian columns. The primary reason that the ruins are so well-preserves is due to a 1755 earthquaw in Lisbon, Portugal that did damage as far South as Morocco and covered the remains all at one time. Thus the ruins did not withstand the weather elements for all of those years. Excavation started in the 1920s and is on-going, sporadically, today. Several good maps at the start of the walk: one at of showing the extent of the Roman Empire (picture attached) and the other showing the size of the current excavated area in comparison to the much larger portion of the site that is still covered. A very worthwhile experience, especially because we were outside walking for a couple hours!! 😊
    Lunch in Meknes and an afternoon of learning about Moulay Ismail, his huge palace and grounds. A sultan in the 16th-17th C, First stop at the beautiful main gate of the palace with massive intricate mosaic designs. The large square across from the palace gates had a great market, seemed to specialize in tagines – all shapes and sizes. And on the pavement in the middle of the square were 2 separate sets of 2 guys with snakes running around them!! One played the music from afar and was a snake charmer. I did not get real close as snakes are not my favorite reptile. A bus ride around the palace and its different section with a stop at the immense granary and horse stables of Moulay Ismail. This sultan was not one of the “good guys” but was a friend of Louis XIV of France and brought French architects in to build the granary. He lived to be 92 so ruled a long time and was constantly preparing for war.

    An evening in the riad. We stopped at a grocery store and stocked up on cheese, crackers and nuts for snacks. So cocktail hour in our room with Marsha and Judy, then down to the rest of the folk cocktail hour in our dining room. Dinner was Bstella and very good. Jeannie and I need to learn how to make. Early finish to pack and prepare for 9 hour bus ride tomorrow    Read more

  • TravelerMorocco
    Day 6

    Morocco Day 6

    October 17, 2018 in Morocco ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    Off by 8:30 for a long day of travel with Erfoud, the gateway to the Sahara, as our destination. Raining in Fes but weather expected to get better as we head South. Very interesting morning drive. First stop was in the Mid-Atlas Mountains, elevation around 6,000ft. Irane is a mountain ski town with A-frame sloped roofs for the snow as in Switzerland and Austria. Very busy place in the winter with Moroccans from the lowlands who want to enjoy winter sports. A walk around town to stretch our legs and a quick stop in a café for some take out tea and pastries. Second stop was in a National Park where the monkeys come out of the forest at this time of year to feed and prepare for winter. Here we also heard about the cedar forest, 2nd in size to the largest in the world in Lebanon. Morocco is learning how to protect the trees for future generations. Cedar is used for much of the building in Morocco, especially the wooden balconies we saw in the Fes Jewish quarter. Last stop before lunch was Zaida, a small town know for its meat (lamb, goat, and camel) and currently, the center for the apple crop distribution. Landscape this morning changed from the city, to the mountains, and now in the wide fertile valley before we drive over the High Atlas Mountains and into the pre-desert after lunch.
    Lunch of fresh trout today from the lakes nearby (farmed), but good. An afternoon of driving in the High Atlas, up to about 8.000 ft. Then a long stretch of flat plains until we reached Errachadia- the largest City in SE Morocco. A brief stop for bathrooms and stretching our legs. About 30 minutes before Erfoud, we arrived at an oasis. Amazing – arid rocky desert all around and this wide green space around a river bed filled with date palms. Runs ~100 miles!!!
    Arrived around 6:30PM at Hotel Chergui in Erfoud – a large very touristy hotel with lovely grounds. Buffet dinner and an early evening.    Read more

  • TravelerMorocco
    Day 7

    Morocco Day 7

    October 18, 2018 in Morocco ⋅ 🌬 59 °F

    Leaving Erfoud today to travel deeper into the desert. A few stops along the way. First to a date market. Date palms are everywhere (where there is water) around here and dates are a major crop for Morocco. Also, it is harvest time. Mustafa says that there are 62 species of dates in Morocco. The bustling market place was alive with deliveries of produce via motor bikes, all piled high with cartons of dates, all sizes and shades of yellows and browns. Other date products were dates mixed with almonds and other nuts into a kind of jam, as well as coffee made from the ground pits of the dates. Next, a very interesting experience at a quarry and workplace where rocks are mined for fossils to be made into spectacular furniture and dozens of other items. E.g. Sculptures, tables, basins, plates, etc. The craftsmanship in these items is amazing. Some of the sculptures even in 3D! We were able to observe the entire process from raw material to finished project.
    Then off in our 4-wheel drive vehicles to explore the Sahara. We drove over sand dunes and up waddies, past some structures and, after an hour, reached our desert camp. What a great place! Individual tents for 2 with showers and toilets. Canopied beds with lace netting (for flies not mosquitoes). A dining tent – all run by solar. Even a place for charging our electronics by each bed. Lunch here and a rest time until late afternoon.
    Out in the late afternoon to visit a “nomad” family. Nomad in quotes as they were previously nomads but now have stayed in the same place for several years. The family consists of a mother/grandmother, several daughters and grandchildren. (also 2 sheep, 2 goats and a camel). The patriarch of the family died last year. All of the sons and grandsons have moved to the cities to earn money and send home as nomad life is increasingly difficult due to droughts. Spent a lovely hour or so with the mother, grandchildren of 13 and 4. Mother demonstrated how she cleans and twists camel wool for weaving. She has made many of the carpets that we sat on in the tent. We brought presents for the little girl and she left happily with a bag full of clothes and kid stuff. Their life is very hard, the harsh desert climate makes wood gathering for cooking difficult, they trade for most goods and the money that OAT provides so that we tourists is very helpful. Then off for another ride across the desert and a short walk on the sand dunes. Its amazing to see the different features of the dunes, all the graceful waves from the wind, all soft edges and constantly changing. We trekked up one dune and there we sat and conversed over our wine (and beer for some) as we enjoyed sunset over the Sahara!! A truly memorable experience and one not soon forgotten.
    Back to the camp for a cooking demonstration – a tagine with lamb and vegetables – dinner and an early to bed with plans to get up early AM to see the stars in the desert and sunrise in the Sahara.    Read more

  • TravelerMorocco
    Day 8

    Morocco Day 8

    October 19, 2018 in Morocco ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

    Rose around 6:30 to be out to look at the sunrise by 7. I skipped the earlier AM activity of checking out the sky for stars around 5AM. Sunrise was kind of a “bust” as it had been windy last night and still sand/fog on the horizon at sunrise. Breakfast and out by 8:30 for morning action. First stop our highly anticipated camel ride. A beautiful day, not too hot, and all of us (except Illene who walked due to her back) up on colorful blanket covered camels! (really dromedaries – one hump) What fun, tons of pictures during an hour ride into the Sahara with our guides leading the trains of 4 camels each. A good time had by all.
    Back over the desert terrain – up and down sand dunes, really fun – to another area where there is water and a small village. Here the inhabitants of the village all have individual plots of land where they grow fruits and vegetables for their use and with which to trade for other goods. A centralized irrigation system controlled carefully so each of the plots of land get the same amount of water by the “waterman”. Lots to learn about the desert water culture. Then a stop for Gnaour music – the music of the desert - made with drums, castanets, and a stringed, mandolin type, instrument called a gambri. After being entertained by a group of musicians, which included a darling 4-year-old boy, we danced with one of the entertainers.
    A quick stop at a Muslim cemetery in the desert, basically the graves are distinguished by mounds with rocks as markers for the head and foot. Lunch of goat (bought by our guide in the town we went through yesterday) in a tagine with a wonderful onion, prune and raisin sauce. The usual comment – tastes like chicken. 😊
    After an afternoon siesta we gathered for a fascinating discussion of the Muslim religion which of course led to all of the thoughts and issues that, we as Americans, have about the Muslims. E.g. Terrorism, ISIS, the Middle East, etc. The discussion was highly participative and very interesting. Out for a nature walk in the desert as the sun is setting. Fascinating all of the things you can see: tracks in the sand – beetles, rats, gerbils, fox, and birds. Also, Mustafa explained the different plants that we saw and what the nomads use each part of the plant. Snakes here as well, most common the hooded viper, deadly poisonous, glad we did not see one of those.
    Back to our tent dining room for happy hour, another cooking demonstration of a Moroccan dish, dinner and bed.    Read more

  • TravelerMorocco
    Day 9

    Morocco Day 9

    October 20, 2018 in Morocco ⋅ 🌙 68 °F

    Up for sunrise in the desert this AM again – much clearer today as the wind stopped yesterday afternoon so not as much sand in the air to block the sun. Off in our 4x4s and back to Erfoud to pick up our big bus and off to the west and the city of Quarzazate. Another long bus day, not a lot of mileage but many small towns to slow the bus. Several stops along the way: example of a centuries old irrigation system., a series of wells from the Anti Atlas Mountains about 100K away; an oasis area with beautiful farm land where each of the families in local village have a plot of land to farm for their own use and to trade with others; a beautiful valley nestled in the lowlands of the High Atlas Mountains. The major stop of the day was in the town of Tinejdad and a walk around the Ksar, fortified village. Here we also visited a museum dedicated to the Berber culture which was very interesting. Berbers were the first people in Morocco and are still about 70% of the populations. Berbers have their own language so a child begins by speaking Berber and learns Arabic in school. Mustafa, our guide, is a Berber and speaks 5 languages! Also, a lovely restaurant for lunch.

    Back on the bus to wend our way to Quarzazate. Hotel Berbere Place, lovely huge hotel all on one level with beautiful grounds. Wonderful buffet dinner in our hotel with some different foods tonight – hearts of palm, anchovies, sardines, smoked raw fish, etc.    Read more

  • TravelerMorocco
    Day 10

    Morocco Day 10

    October 21, 2018 in Morocco ⋅ 🌙 68 °F

    Quarzazate has developed as a city since the 1920s. The city is a movie studio capital used for 30-35 movies/year. The movie culture/production started when Lawrence of Arabia was shot here. There are two large studios, one owned by Francis Ford Coppola. Other movies and documentaries shot here that we discussed were Homeland, Game of Thrones, lots of desert and Biblical movies. Many of the producers, actors stay at the hotel where we are staying. Who would have thought we would see a movie capital in Morocco!!!

    Our activity for the day is “A Day in the Life”. This experience is unique to OAT, the company we are traveling with, and provides a more in-depth study of the people of the country. We traveled to a village called Ait Ben Haddou, which consists of a new village and an old village, built in the 9thC, with a river on the edge of town. The old village was built into the side of a mountain with a watchtower on the top. This village has become a tourist attraction as it is well-preserved. We started with a tour of the new town with Ali,our town guide, and a visit to a home and a school. Homes built with places for the animals (goats, sheep and donkey) to live and several large rooms as well as a kitchen. Most all homes are made of adobe but some with cement. The reason most of the people have moved from the old town to the new town is, that, when it rains, the river flooded their homes. There are still 5 families that live in the old town and about 150 families in the new village.
    As we finished our tour of the villages, we went to a building outside of the old town which houses the Imik Smik Women’s Association for Rural Development. This is an organization that the OAT Grand Circle Foundation supports. The association supports women’s rights in this rural area of Morocco and was established in 2012. Essentially started with a group of women getting together because they wanted some “space” and now is 74 members strong with members from 16-74. Their goals are to create workshops and programs to teach women how to sew, read, cook, and further education. They started by baking cookies to sell, added other products and now have a little store where they sell their goods. All of the money so far goes made back into the organization. A fascinating discussion with several of the girls/women running the organization about divorce, relationships with men, etc. An amazing feat for these women in this country and a force in women’s rights. Tagines made by the women for lunch. Following our meal 2 of the gals did artistic henna tattoos for those wanted A great, fascinating experience.
    Back to hotel, cocktail hour on an open air patio near our rooms, a walk through a bustling Sunday night market and dinner at a French restaurant – very good duck.    Read more

  • TravelerMorocco
    Day 11

    Morocco Day 11

    October 22, 2018 in Morocco ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    Our last long bus ride today from Quarzazate to Marrakesh. The road leads through the High Atlas Mountains with lush, fertile valleys and small villages. The High Atlas Mountains are the longest mountain range in Africa and have 3 peaks over 12,000 ft. A very windy, mountain road up to the pass at ~7,000 ft and down the other side to Marrakesh. A couple stops for pictures, coffee and bathrooms.
    Arrived at the wonderful Jardin Koutoubia Hotel in the Medina of Marrakesh in time for a late lunch. Wonderful food, the restaurant at this hotel is listed on the fine dining restaurants of Marrakesh and it was easy to tell why. Lovely seating area by the pool with lush greenery, palm trees and very quiet in the courtyard.
    Time to unpack - again - and then Illene and I out to find a bank and a pharmacy. Had a successful walk not far from the hotel. Large group of people lined up on both sides of the street several blocks away clearly waiting for something. When we asked we were told that the king was coming. Morocco is a monarchy and the people love this king. We waiting as long as we could but never got to see the king. :-(
    Back for our first sojourn into the souk (shopping area/bazaar) of Marrakesh. So hard to describe. We walked for at least 1/2 hour past stalls and merchants selling any kind of wares. After all of that time, our guide said that we had probably seen only a very small part of the souk. We make our way to the famous square in the city - Jemaa el-Fnaa. The area is immense with hundreds of stalls all around, a huge "street food" area, hotels, cafes, and lots of open space. The square is busy from 10 in the AM to 3-4AM 24/7. It is also a UNESCO world heritage site. As the sun goes down the entertainment in the square heats up and there is a carnival-like atmosphere. Belly dancers (tranvestites), snake charmers, Moroccan bands, henna tattoo stands, games for kids, gambling games, etc. You name it and it is there. A cacophony of sights and sounds. An amazing display of entertainment.
    We wandered on our own for an hour or so, Ilene and I bought some cheap travel technology - adapters and different types of plugs. I got a US to Europe 3 prong adapter for $2. :-) We all ate at one of the street food places, incredibly cheap and everything very fresh. back to our hotel for "after dinner" drinks.    Read more

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