Sandstorms, Souks, and the Sahara – A Tale of Moroccan Adventures

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“Don’t judge a book by its cover” – a phrase to live by, even when travelling around the world. Africa, for me, was the undiscovered continent, somewhere that had never been on my radar due to my annual travels around Europe. Turning thirty this year, I was determined to change this and decided to book a trip with G Adventures to Morocco. Why Morocco? Last year’s adventures took me to Turkey, a hybrid European-Asian country, steeped in Islamic traditions, so I thought Morocco was a good foray into Africa, a hybrid European-African country again steeped in similar traditions.

After a trans-Atlantic flight from Montreal, I arrived in Casablanca, the romantic, “here’s looking at you kid” city. Of course I didn’t expect it to be in black and white with Humphrey Bogart waiting with a sign as I exited the arrivals gate. Despite the taxi driver throwing a fit when I offered the agreed upon 200 dirham and he demanded 300 dirham or the hotel not knowing that G Adventures was a travel company, I ventured alone out into the city, determined to reach the second-largest religious building in the world, the Hassan II Mosque. Built to welcome 25,000 worshippers, this “modern” mosque fitted with elevators, a retractable roof, and a laser which beams towards Mecca at night is a tremendous architectural accomplishment situated right on the Atlantic Ocean. Not getting completely lost on my journey, I did end up walking through the market where I was confronted with carcasses of meat from the back of a truck. Thankfully, that evening, I met my G Adventures group, including our CEO (Chief Experience Officer), Mohamed, and geared up for our next day’s departure from Casablanca to discover what Morocco had to offer.

The eleven of us piled into our mini-van, or what would become our home-away- from-home, and met Rachid, our driver who was more commonly known as “DJ Rachid” due to his control of the radio and iPods playlists. Our first stop was Meknes, a city about an hour west of Fez. After lunch and my first introduction to pastille (chicken cooked inside a filo pastry and covered with frosting and cinnamon), we were joined by a local guide who toured us through the personal stables and granary of Sultan Moulay Ismail, contemporary of France’s King Louis XIV. The stable alone could hold 12,000 horses, each of which had three groomsmen. A brief tour through the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail before dinner was followed by a visit to the bizarre – an incredibly dense marketplace, filled with thousands of people, snake charmers, clothes, spices, and, of course, raw meat.

The next morning we set off for the 1^st century AD Roman town of Volubilis, en route to Fez. Volubilis is one of the most intact, though not completely excavated, Roman towns in northern Africa. Walking down the main street, from the Tangier Gate to the Triumphal Arch, we passed homes of patricians with ornate mosaics of the goddess of the hunt, Diana, and the god of wine and revelry, Dionysus, as well as ancient market stalls, the basilica, capitol, and market. After enjoying the most refreshing bottle of Lemon Fanta, we continued our drive to Fez where we enjoyed the rest of the afternoon around the pool.

The next day, we arrived in Fez, the historic city which was once the largest such in the world, and met our local guide. After photos at the Royal Palace or Dar el-Makhzen, and a visit to the ceramic cooperative, we entered the medina, a labyrinth of approximately 9,000 alleys. Not letting our guide out of our sight for fear of getting lost, we arrived at the tannery. With mint leaves ready under our noses, we looked down upon the tubs of solutions and pigments, radiating a somewhat vile smell. We moved on to visit a store that sold silks and scarves for which we stocked-up for our desert trek a few days later. Again, after a long day in the heat, we arrived back at the hotel, ate dinner around the pool, and prepared for the next day’s ten-hour drive into the Sahara.

Loaded up with crisps, nuts, and bottled water, we climbed into the van and set out for the Sahara. The ten-hour trip was made manageable by many stops, including one in Ifrane, or “Little Switzerland,” which echoes of Swiss chalets and is the famed location of the last lion to be found in the Atlas Mountains, commemorated with an oversized sculpture in the gardens. The next stop saw us surrounded by Barbary Apes that seemed to naturally pose for endless photos. A highlight was our next stop where we visited with a nomadic family. Welcoming us for tea and bread, we sat in their dining tent and learned about the nomadic way-of-life. We finally arrived at our auberge and after seeing a cockroach in my non-air conditioned room, I decided to join the rest of the group and slept outside around the pool.

The next day saw the sun rise over the dunes of the Sahara. As a taster, we jumped in 4x4 jeeps and set off to visit the sites and peoples who live on the Sahara’s edge. The first stop was the site of an ancient ocean that once covered this area and left thousands of marine fossils, now sold as washbasins, sculptures, and other souvenirs. We then stopped to enjoy tea with a nomadic family before visiting a group of Sudanese musicians who invited us to participate in dancing while they played traditional qraqebs and drums. Back into the jeeps, we attempted to drive over a dune only to get stuck in the sand which required all hands-on deck to push us out. Freed from the sand, we set off to visit an abandoned kohl mine. Back at the hotel for lunch, a few hours were enjoyed by the pool before we suited up for our desert trek.

With head scarves tied, we chose our camels. I was determined to find “Jacques” and told the group, I wouldn’t choose Jacques, Jacques would choose me. Well, of course the most handsomely marked camel was at the front of the group and with one look we were on our way. All went well, until one of our travel-mate’s camels became jealous of Jacques at the front and bucked her off, sending her falling to the ground. Once no serious injuries were diagnosed and the rogue camel came to the front of the group, we continued our peaceful journey, or so we thought. The winds began to pick up and the clouds covered the sun. Before we knew it, we were in the centre of a sandstorm. Any exposed skin was exfoliated by hundreds of thousands of sand particles whipped at us. The desert camp couldn’t have come sooner and after an unsteady descent from the camels, we climbed the closest dune to see the expanse of sandy dunes all around us. Dinner that night was the best of the trip. Cooked over the fire, a delicious rice soup followed by a beef stew was enjoyed by all before we positioned our mattresses outside, and fell asleep under the Saharan starry sky.

To see the sun rise over the Sahara is something everyone must experience. It doesn’t take long for the sun to peak over the dunes and climb high into the sky, basking the dessert in reds and oranges. After enjoying a cup of tea, we climbed aboard the camel train once again and wound our way through the dunes and back to our hotel for much needed showers before heading off in the mini-van for the Todra Gorge.

Before reaching the Gorge, we had a guide lead us through the Todra Valley, a beautiful oasis of palm and date trees with hundreds of plots for locals in they plant. Each plot is irrigated from the river that flows through the valley. When an individual plot is watered, a small mud “plug” is removed to let-in the water. When the irrigation time has ended for that plot, the plug is filled again with the mud - so simple and so effective. As we approached the Hotel Yasmina, we saw a number of families enjoying the river as well as rock climbers attempting the 985 feet gorge walls - quite a different landscape from the previous night in the desert.

Our next day’s travels took us along the Route of 1,000 Kasbahs and to a berber pharmacist where a few of our travel-mates received much needed work on their sore backs, legs, and shoulders. After arriving at our hotel, we climbed up to the village of Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The maze-like alleys led us to local artisans – one creating abstract paintings by mixing saffron and indigo with water and painting quick-stroked designs on parchment before holding the paper over a flame and bringing the images to life. Passing the kasbahs, we reached the top, offering stunning views of the surrounding area and down at the square used in Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator.” That evening a few of us chose to make our own chicken tajine, one of the most traditional and popular dishes in Morocco.

Winding our way through the Atlas Mountains we reached the highest pass, Tizi n’Tichka at 2,260m, where we stopped for photos. At Imlil, we jumped off the mini-van and loaded our overnight bags onto two donkeys which were much more sure-footed climbing up the rocky pathways than us. We reached the small village of Armd after a forty-five minute trek and our traveller’s’ hostel, a sparsely furnished, two-storey home with three to four mattresses on the floor per room.

Climbing back down to our mini-van, we made our way to a supermarket on the outskirts of Marrakech where we picked up goods for our picnic lunches. On our way to lunch, we happened upon a fantasia where horsemen galloped full-speed across a dirt field, simultaneously firing their guns towards the ground, creating a mix of smoke, sand, and scared horses. We then passed the iconic argon trees filled with goats – a strange site along the side of the road, but one that is frequently seen in Moroccan souvenirs. After our picnic lunch under an argon tree (without goats) and a visit to an argon cooperative where women create oils for cooking and beauty, we reached our second last stop of the trip – the former Portuguese port of Essaouira. Since the 7^th Century BC, Essaouira, or the “Windy City,” has been a hub for dye production, silver crafts, and surfing. After nearly two weeks inland, it was a welcome sight to see the Atlantic and to walk on the beaches, like so many had for thousands of years. The next morning, we set off to the silver cooperative, leaving with a few less dirhams in our pockets, but with some stunning examples of filigree and enamel jewelry to take home with us. We set off to the port and found ourselves surrounded by fisherman, displaying their silvery salted fish for purchase by locals and restaurant chefs. After a few drinks on the hotel’s terrace, we set off to the local fish market to choose our oceanic dinners and enjoyed them with the locals of Essaouira.

A three-hour drive the next morning took us to Marrakech, the “Tourism Capital” of Morocco. What a difference between Marrakesh and Casablanca! After lunch we met our local guide who gave us an in-depth history of the city and the political and religious landscapes of Morocco. Our tour took us along the perimeter of the Koutoubia Mosque, inside the Saadian Tombs, and Almohad Palace, and through the souks. At 46 degrees centigrade, we were all hot and tired, so a quick dip in the pool back at the hotel before dinner was enjoyed. Our final day in Marrakech was spent strolling along the main street and through the Cyber Park (filled with WiFi access and kiosks where locals and tourists can access everything online). Back at the hotel, I invited the group to my room with the goal of finishing off the alcohol we had purchased throughout the trip – we couldn’t let it go to waste! Our final dinner was at a restaurant with a view of the sun setting behind the minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque - truly a great view to end to the trip.

Three planes, one boat, one bus, one taxi, and one subway, brought me back to Toronto. “Don’t judge a book by its cover” was the phrase I upheld after arriving in Casablanca. If I had judged Morocco by Casablanca, I would have missed the sandstorm in the Sahara riding atop a camel, the sunrise over the sand dunes, the souks of Meknes, Fez, and Marrakech, the lush green valleys surrounded by towering cliffs, and literally hundreds of laughs with fellow travel-mates and locals. Although this was my first step onto the African continent, it definitely won’t be my last and I will absolutely look forward to my next adventure in Africa.

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Photos

Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca
A quiet moment at the Mosque.

Comments

[bob dunlop]

camel experiences
If I had known your riding plans I could have given you camel riding lessons.