Blogs from Marrakech, Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz, Morocco, Africa
May 18th 2012
Just a quick blog post from a cyber cafe in Marrakech. It has now been one month of nearly non stop travel. It is hard to give a complete description of all I have done. It seems like a much longer time has past. In retrospect it seems like the problems I had before have gone away. As usual my method of charging in to a horrible mess and then dealing with it on the ground works. I will write more about Morocco a) when I actually leave it and b) when I find a computer with the necessary plugins to load pictures. Until then happy trails!... read more
Marrakech e adeus Marrocos, ou quem sabe ateh logo?
Published: May 13th 2012Africa » Morocco » Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz » Marrakech
May 12th 2012
Cheguei em Marrakech e jah fui negociando preco de taxi. Oh coisa chata, mas consegui desconto, e ainda acho que paguei caro, mas nao dah nada, melhor que caminhar no calor de 40 graus. Encontrei o Omar, que trabalha no hostel pelo caminho indo comprar vegetais para fazer tajine. Fiquei pelo hostel a tarde inteira, comi tajine e tirei soneca. O hostel estava vazio, eu e mais 4 rapazes. Claro que me juntei a eles, fomos jantar na Praca Jamaa El Fna, eu comi tajine novamente, nao sei quando vou comer o proximo nao eh? Depois fomos caminhar pela praca ateh a mesquita Koutoubia. Um dos rapazes estah promovendo freeline, que eh um tipo de skate soh que em duas pecas, um para cada peh. Os rapazes ficaram horas brincando com o novo brinquedo, tentando novos ... read more
The Road to Marrakech
Published: May 8th 2012Africa » Morocco » Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz » Marrakech
April 25th 2012
“I believe that Marrakech ought to be earned as a destination. The journey is the preparation for the experience. Reaching it too fast derides it, makes it a little less easy to understand.” ― Tahir Shah, In Arabian Nights Marrakech. Just the name solicits a rush, a place I have longed to see for as long as I can remember. Bright colours, crowded squares, snake charmers, street food. I was keen to rush in to it, immerse myself in the whole experience. But of course you can't leave the scene of all those movies without a bit of drama first. Flash back to Ait Ben Haddou and 8am in the morning. Vanessa sits on the wall, peacefully taking in the view, as the small town with its tourist stalls and street vendors starts to slowly come ... read more
Dia de lavar roupas, novo amigo, janta e conversa sobre casamento
Published: April 8th 2012Africa » Morocco » Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz » Marrakech
April 1st 2012
Acordei tarde, pois fui dormir tarde na noite anterior, fiquei conversando com tres amigos Alemaes que vivem em Madrid, e ofereceram ajuda para quando for a Madrid em Maio. Lavei roupas e fiquei pelo hostel conversando com os Marroquinos. As 4pm tinha marcado pelo couch surfing de encontrar um Marroquino para caminhar comigo por Marrakech. O nome dele eh Simo. Caminhamos para a parte nova de Marrakech, que foi construida pelos franceses. Fomos na estacao do trem, que eh uma coisa de primeiro mundo, com detalhes lindissimos Marroquinos. Depois resolvemos entrar no teatro, que eh lindissimo. Nao estah pronto por dentro ainda, mas pudemos subir ateh o terraco e tirar fotos lindas. Ele me levou entao para um cafeh Mama Africa. Que nao preciso nem dizer nada, mas eh o meu lugar favorito em Marrakech agora. ... read more
Manha de despedidas, Chegada ao Hostel, Um giro pelo centro de Marrakech, Janta e Socializacao
Published: March 31st 2012Africa » Morocco » Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz » Marrakech
March 30th 2012
Manha de despedidas Levantamos cedo, acho que perto das 8am, para quem estah de ferias, isto eh cedissimo na verdade. Todo mundo tambem levantou cedo. As criancas que a mae delas ficaram me rodeando. Fizeram cafeh, que foi um creme branco salgado. Um pouco estranho, mas se faz cara boa e se toma!!! Perguntei o que era, eh uma sopa que eh tradicional para cafeh da manha. Acho que tinha leite, outros ingredintes, nao faco nem ideia... mas nao tinha nenhum bicho estranho flutuando. Ufa!!! Tirei mais fotos com as criancas, que estavam me cercando, ateh como a mae delas, me rodeando. A mae falou para o meu host em berber que nao queria que eu fosse embora... mas tinha que ir, meu tempo ali jah era. Me despedi de todos com abracos e apertos de ... read more
Caminhada a um vilarejo, Banho Marroquino e Janta
Published: March 31st 2012Africa » Morocco » Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz » Marrakech
Marrocos... aventura!!!
Published: March 30th 2012Africa » Morocco » Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz » Marrakech
March 28th 2012
Cheguei em Marrakech ao meio dia. Nao estou ficando em hotel, em sim, na casa de amigos que encontrei na internet pelo site couch surfing. Depois de chegar no aeroporto, peguei um onibus ateh o centro de Marrakech. O centro eh uma muvuca soh... Achei um tiozinho para me indicar onde poderia pegar um taxi. Peguei um taxi ateh a estacao de taxi do lado de fora dos muros de Marrakech e depois um taxi coletivo (com 7 pessoas apertadas ateh onde o meu host mora, em Sidi Rahal). O taxi me deixou na estacao do taxi da vila e o meu host me esperava de moto... e tive que vir com o mochilao nas costas, ainda bem que eram 2 km soh... Aqui eh tudo muito vermelho, a terra, as cores das casas, tudo muito ... read more
The Three Musketeers In Morocco
Published: March 8th 2012Africa » Morocco » Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz » Marrakech
February 21st 2012
Morocco as it is is a very fine place spoiled by civilization. (Richard H. Davis) February is the best time to take a holiday to a warmer part of the world, especially when it decides to be the coldest month of the year. As I leave my flat in the small hours of the morning to make my way to Gatwick, I still can't believe that in just a few hours I will see sunshine and feel the see breeze on my skin. Morocco is my first venture into Africa, and there are a lot of expectations. But after a night of frantic last-minute packing and only three hours of sleep, the most important thing is to make it to the airport on time. Travelling with three people is already enough to make this part of ... read more
Moroccan Fare - By Kathryn Brown
Published: February 16th 2012Africa » Morocco » Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz » Marrakech
February 16th 2012
Not hot or spicy, not bland or boring. Diverse, wholesome and scrumptious. Simple but beautifully presented. Mainly of French influence. Delicately flavoured with cinnamon, cumin, saffron or mild curry. Memories of Moroccan food:- OLIVES - served with every meal. Adored and platefuls consumed by Jamie and Natarsha; however just “salty little things” to me. MINT TEA - at first wary, but then loved by myself if it wasn’t made too sweet. Always refreshing and always available. The hallmark of Moroccan hospitality, it was always served from a fancy teapot and poured as high above the glass as was possible. ALCOHOL – or lack thereof. The drinking of alcohol is mostly frowned upon in Morocco, especially within the Medina’s. Beer and wine, rarely spirits, can sometimes be found in some restaurants frequented by westerners, if you asked ... read more
February 14th 2012
The square is a sea of humanity. Everything you ever imagined that you didn’t want. Every trick, every con, every salesman, every beg, every compliment you didn’t want. We have snake charmers, henna painters, alladin dancers, monkey vendors, fortune tellers, pigeon feeders, bottle fishing, horse drawn carriages, massages, belly dancers, hammans and thats just on one corner. Mini food stalls, which appear to only hitch their tents at night time, sell an array of street food. From snails to kebabs; waffles to couscous; pastilla to tajine. And fresh juice, any flavour you could possibly request: orange, grapefruit, apple, pineapple, watermelon. And of course olives and nuts, always olives and nuts. Decadent restaurants border the entire square offering every nationality of food that exists, although it appears Italian is the fl... read more
