Morocco and Spain 2023

maaliskuuta - huhtikuuta 2023

29-päiväinen seikkaillu — Maree Lue lisää

39jalanjäljet
5maat
29päivää
617valokuvat
2videot
38,4kkilometriä
36,1kkilometriä
679kilometriä
100kilometriä

Seuraa Kalenteri Jaa Toivelista

Matkaaja Morocco and Spain 2023
- Näytä matka
- Lisää toivelistallePoista toivelistalta
- Jaa
- 13.3.2023 klo 20.58
- ☁️ 15 °C
- Korkeus: 89 m
- Australia State of Tasmania Launceston Punchbowl Punch Bowl Reserve -41.450462, 147.15566141°27’2” S 147°9’20” E
Päivä 1
Start of an adventure
13. maaliskuuta 2023, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
Flew out of Flinders on the last plane.
Staying with Joe.
Joe and I went to Dan's where Dan and Taylor cooked us tea for a quick catch up. Was lovely.
Katso käännös
Matkaaja That’s poetry, kids cooking you dinner before the trip. Tickyboo 💕💕
16.3.2023VastaaKääntää
2 tykkäystä
Matkaaja Morocco and Spain 2023
- Näytä matka
- Lisää toivelistallePoista toivelistalta
- Jaa
- 14.3.2023 klo 14.14
- ☀️ 29 °C
- Korkeus: 120 m
- Australia State of Victoria Hume Melbourne Airport -37.667955, 144.84578737°40’5” S 144°50’45” E
Päivä 2
Business Class?? Yes!!!
14. maaliskuuta 2023, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
Launceston to Melbourne on time 😊
Melbourne to DOHA with Qatar. Yes, business class due to an upgrade. Happy 30th wedding anniversary present to me!!
Easy check-in.

Wowee!!! So special. Glass of bubbles, complimentary toiletries and "lounge wear". Heaps of room.
14 hours of luxury.

Excited!!

Then a quick changeover at Doha and another 8 hour flight in cattle class. A reality check!! 😂😂

We flew into Casablanca on a beautiful sunrise, then bussed off tarmac into the airport.
Through passport control and customs easily.Lue lisää
Katso käännös
Matkaaja Happy anniversary you 🥂
15.3.2023VastaaKääntää
Matkaaja Gotta love business class!
15.3.2023VastaaKääntää
Matkaaja Love businesses class🍷
16.3.2023VastaaKääntää
Matkaaja Well celebrated I say , cheers
16.3.2023VastaaKääntää
2 tykkäystä
Matkaaja Morocco and Spain 2023
- Näytä matka
- Lisää toivelistallePoista toivelistalta
- Jaa
- 15.3.2023
- ⛅ 21 °C
- Korkeus: 27 m
- Marokko Casablanca Bassin du Tourisme 33.597764, -7.61704333°35’52” N 7°37’1” W
Päivä 3
Into Casablanca
15. maaliskuuta 2023, Marokko ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
I made it to Casablanca with a beautiful sunrise. I got my accommodation driver to pick me up rather than try and get the train or convince a taxi driver to drive the quickest route!
I'm glad I did as my accommodation is a Ryad ( guesthouse) in the middle of a Medina (market stalls) in the old town. Probably never would have found it!!

Went for a long walk until my room was ready. I remembered how much I love exploring new places!!
Casablanca is a port city and has 2 "people beaches".

There's new clean buildings and lots of old rundown suburbs like any city, but they do all have a satellite dish!!

Then I had an afternoon nap and fell into the trap of sleeping through so now it's 2am and I'm writing an update 😊

This morning I'm booked to do a half day tour of Casablanca, we meet at Rick's Cafe of Casablanca the Movie fame.

There's no Telstra roaming reception in Morocco so I can only communicate when there's wifi available. So via Messenger and email.Lue lisää
Katso käännös
Matkaaja Love that the buildings are in need of maintenance but they have the satellite dish 🤣. Priorities.
15.3.2023VastaaKääntää
Matkaaja The palm lined streets look like they’re out of a movie .
15.3.2023VastaaKääntää
Matkaaja I’m somewhat jealous you’re staying in the Medina!!!
15.3.2023VastaaKääntää
0 tykkäystä
Matkaaja Morocco and Spain 2023
- Näytä matka
- Lisää toivelistallePoista toivelistalta
- Jaa
- 16.3.2023 klo 9.00
- ☁️ 17 °C
- Korkeus: 27 m
- Marokko Casablanca Bassin du Tourisme 33.597752, -7.61703133°35’52” N 7°37’1” W
Päivä 4
The Medina and Beyond tour
16. maaliskuuta 2023, Marokko ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Today was supposed to be a 4 hour walking/ bit of car tour of part of the city where I am - the Old Medina and mosques, etc. Turned out we just kept on going further and ended up with a 7 hour tour instead!! No extra charge!

We met at Rick's Cafe of the movie Casablanca fame.
There were 5 of us on tour, - a couple from Italy and a couple from San Antonio, Texas. We all got on really well and was sad to leave them really.
Our guide was called Mohammed.

So we walked some and a taxi drove us lots as well.
Our guide gave us an added extra of a tour inside the Hassan II Mosque. An inside tour wasn't the deal but he took us on a private tour with himself. The other couples had to pay, I didn't because I was on an Intrepid tour or something, still don't quite get it but ok thanks 😊. It was a bit special today also because the inside was all lit up because some dignitaries had just been in. There'll be 2 pages of just photos of this Mosque, it is very beautiful. The Casablancans are very proud of it because "it is built on the water" (reclaimed land) and it has the highest minuret in Africa.

We visited other mosques and churches. A museum or 2. Saw the slums and the rich area plus the King's home when he's in Casablanca. Apparently he lives mostly in Rabat.

We visited the old Medina near me plus the new Medina, including an olive tasting, mint tea, pastries. There was a local rug auction in the street.
Medina means the old walled part of a North African town

We didn't get lunch until 3.30! Imagine how hangry I was feeling, but so was my Texan friend 😂. So eventually we had a targine of choice. Mine was chicken with lemon and olives, very nice.

Then hometime so had another wander in the Medina markets here. Bought a couple of pottery things. I also went to the train station to buy a Telecom Maroc sim card. The bloke at the shop activated it all for me. Google maps won't work without data

Then a light tea of a lovely Moroccan soup with bread and olives with their Moroccan mint tea.

Turned out to be a big day.Lue lisää
Katso käännös
What a day! [Mum xx]
17.3.2023VastaaKääntää
Matkaaja The fresh market fruit and veg looks fabulous 🍑
17.3.2023VastaaKääntää
Matkaaja The food looks amazing, so vibrant
18.3.2023VastaaKääntää
That window ❤️ [Jacqui]
21.3.2023VastaaKääntää
2 tykkäystä
Matkaaja Morocco and Spain 2023
- Näytä matka
- Lisää toivelistallePoista toivelistalta
- Jaa
- 16.3.2023 klo 9.49
- ☀️ 14 °C
- Korkeus: 23 m
- Marokko Casablanca Bassin du Tourisme 33.599855, -7.61706733°35’59” N 7°37’1” W
Päivä 4
Old Medina Museum
16. maaliskuuta 2023, Marokko ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
A visit to a museum in the old Medina area tells us the story of Casablanca's history.
We were told the original people of Morocco are the Berbers. Their language looks similar to Greek , nothing like Arabic. It is taught in schools.

The Old Medina area is slowly getting renovated and restored.Lue lisää
Katso käännös
2 tykkäystä
Matkaaja Morocco and Spain 2023
- Näytä matka
- Lisää toivelistallePoista toivelistalta
- Jaa
- 16.3.2023 klo 17.00
- ☁️ 19 °C
- Korkeus: 30 m
- Marokko Casablanca El Hank Hassan II Mosque 33.607686, -7.63195333°36’28” N 7°37’55” W
Päivä 4
Photos of Hassan II Mosque
16. maaliskuuta 2023, Marokko ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
It is absolutely stunning 🤩 [Jacqui]
21.3.2023VastaaKääntää
3 tykkäystä
Matkaaja Morocco and Spain 2023
- Näytä matka
- Lisää toivelistallePoista toivelistalta
- Jaa
- 16.3.2023 klo 20.14
- ☁️ 17 °C
- Korkeus: 27 m
- Marokko Casablanca Bassin du Tourisme 33.597764, -7.61708333°35’52” N 7°37’1” W
Päivä 4
Whats on the menu?
16. maaliskuuta 2023, Marokko ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Breakfast in the Ryad.
Late lunch
Light tea.

Olives at every meal
Katso käännös
Matkaaja Yum 😋
17.3.2023VastaaKääntää
1 tykkäys
Matkaaja Morocco and Spain 2023
- Näytä matka
- Lisää toivelistallePoista toivelistalta
- Jaa
- 17.3.2023 klo 7.00
- ☁️ 13 °C
- Korkeus: 27 m
- Marokko Casablanca Bassin du Tourisme 33.59776, -7.61704733°35’52” N 7°37’1” W
Päivä 5
Moroccan Craftsmanship
17. maaliskuuta 2023, Marokko ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
Beautiful craftsmanship! [Fiona]
18.3.2023VastaaKääntää
1 tykkäys
Matkaaja Morocco and Spain 2023
- Näytä matka
- Lisää toivelistallePoista toivelistalta
- Jaa
- 17.3.2023 klo 14.31
- ☁️ 20 °C
- Korkeus: 26 m
- Marokko Casablanca Roches Noires 33.590385, -7.59298233°35’25” N 7°35’35” W
Päivä 5
Moving house
17. maaliskuuta 2023, Marokko ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
Today is time to leave my Ryad and move to a hotel to join the first tour.

Before I left I found a post office and posted some souvenirs and an excess drink bottle back home......already!!!
I've tried to pack light but still don't have room for any excess stuff. So as I had decided to post a box, I found another nice souvenir and actually found a lapel pin with the Moroccan flag. I collect one from every country so now I have the obligatory Moroccan souvenirs, so if I don't get anymore ( no room) I'll be happy.

My lovely reception lady at the Ryad suggested I get the tramway to my next hotel. It's only 3 km away but a bit of a trek with luggage.
Turns out it was a great suggestion as both ends of the journey are very close to the hotels. And only 8 dirhams or about $1 AUD. I had a very helpful tram assistant show me how to get my ticket. It's a cardboard ticket but must have a microchip or something in it because you tap on and off like in Australia. Felt right at home. Followed Google maps so I knew when to get off. Hotel Al Walid was right there.
If I'd taken a taxi I could have ended up anywhere!!

There's also a major train station here so went to Starbucks for a salad lunch. A bloke came in and looked at me twice and said " you were at the Ryad yesterday weren't you?" I looked at him twice and answered "yes, that's right you were at breakfast!" Nice to be noticed 😂 He's on his way on the train up to Tangier.

Casablanca has been a cultural immersion for sure. Not just the cultural expectations but the fact the English is not a first language, it's probably a fourth. I was told that there are now more English speaking tourists than French ones now so that might change. English is taught in high school apparently but not high on their agendas.
I feel comfortable pretending I'm a local and so don't tend to get picked on too much if I look like I'm "on business". Have learnt it's ok to be rude (with a smile) to the men who hassle you for a taxi ride or go into their market stall.

When people ask where I'm from I show them my kangaroo key chain on my bag and say Australia!! Most people know the kangaroo. "You from Sydney?" Ummm, no.

Traffic is chaotic with lots of horn bipping. There are many pedestrian crossings but driver's ignore them so crossing a road can be perilous. I generally go with the thought that there's safety in numbers so usually cross with others or if a car actually stops!

I'm ready to move on and be a part of a group now.Lue lisää
Katso käännös
Sounds like a great start to the holiday. It’s lovely getting immersed into different cultures. Yes, the Kangaroo never fails. Stay safe. [Michelle]
18.3.2023VastaaKääntää
Sounds like you are having a fabulous time, sis. I’m a bit jelly belly!! 😘 [Jacqui]
21.3.2023VastaaKääntää
Matkaaja we need to do one together
21.3.2023VastaaKääntää
I’m up for that ❤️ [Jacqui]
3.4.2023VastaaKääntää
0 tykkäystä
Matkaaja Morocco and Spain 2023
- Näytä matka
- Lisää toivelistallePoista toivelistalta
- Jaa
- 18.3.2023 klo 22.24
- 🌙 11 °C
- Korkeus: 527 m
- Marokko Meknes Moulay Driss Zerhoun Chaabat Mennana 34.054868, -5.52448334°3’18” N 5°31’28” W
Päivä 6
Day 1 North Morocco tour
18. maaliskuuta 2023, Marokko ⋅ 🌙 11 °C
Up early to catch the 8.30 train to Rabat. It takes 1 hour.
Rabat is the capital of Morocco and is very clean and more European/Greek looking.
We have 4 hours to walk around a bit of Rabat and have lunch. We walk through market streets to go the Kasbah des Oudaia which is very pretty. White walls and blue paint, reminding people of Greece. It's like a little village with tiny stepped streets. There are stalls here too, a small botanical garden.
2 of us have some Moroccan biscuits and a thick Moroccan coffee.
My Moroccan sim card came in handy today. I was the only with reception so it was my phone we used for our self-guided Googlemap walk

Then back on the train for 2 hours to Meknes. Catch 3 taxis to get us to our overnight accommodation up in the hills. Moulay Idriss
Our luggage is taken up the steep steps by mules. This place also has steep narrow streets, only a mules width.
We stay in a family guesthouse and have a very scrumptious Moroccan meal.
Before dinner we had a walk around this village and watched the sun set.
There is a mosque here too we aren't allowed to visit. Also a village square with stalls, food stalls, kids playing soccer. It looked like families came out to have a nice time.
The guesthouse is very nice too.Lue lisää
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