Blogs from Marrakech, Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz, Morocco, Africa - page 3

Little by little, the camel goes into the couscous ~ Moroccan Proverb HE SAID... Today we are travelling from Marrakesh (Morocco) to Hobart (Australia). We left Riad Helen (our haven in Marrakesh for the past three days) and made our way through the quiet narrow lanes of the medina until we emerged outside Dar El Bacha Palace. We negotiated a taxi fare to the airport that included an umbrella that a fellow traveller had gifted to us in Marrakesh when he left the country (and we’d been carrying ever since). It had garnered some interest from a previous taxi driver, so I thought I’d use it as a bargaining chip… and it worked. The temperature had ramped up quite a bit over our last few days in Marrakesh, and it had peaked at 34 degrees right ... read more

Tomorrow I leave Morocco after 20 days in this beautiful and diverse country. The trip was divided into 2 Intrepid tours: north and south. Both trips differed dramatically in landscape and experience. The north provided a wealth of cultural knowledge with the backdrop of many towns and cities, very very old, from Casablanca the commercial capital to Fes the cultural capital, and the north Tangier where the Atlantic and Mediterranean meet, and the Rif Mountains influenced by Spain. The south was a feast for the eyes with the landscape of the countryside - the Atlas Mountains were magnificent and the contrast as we moved from high to the mesmerising dunes of the Sahara, and then on to the Atlantic Coast and the beautiful Argan tree countryside - incredible. The highlight for me was a night in ... read more

Few desires, happy life ~ Moroccan Proverb HE SAID... Today we were travelling southwest from Tangier to Marrakesh. After arriving by bus from Chefchaouen that morning and spending the day in Tangier, it was time to travel to Marrakesh on an overnight sleeper train. We shared a meal with a local family, jumped into a minibus and drove to Tanger Ville (Tangier’s train station). We arrived fairly late (10:30pm), but our train wasn’t leaving until 11:30pm, so we had a bit of time to spare. There were very few travellers waiting at the station, so I was surprised to encounter an overly zealous (dictatorial) train guard implementing a strict boarding protocol. Apparently everyone had to board each carriage in the order of their cabin, as this would reduce – if not eliminate – the potential for ... read more

Marrakech was a 7 hour train ride from Fes and is one of major stops for tourists, though I'm not quite sure it lives up to its hype. Another imperial city, it is also a mix-up of various cultures and has your typical sites; mosques, medinas, palaces (the King has many across the country) and gardens. This city never stops - motorbikes and vehicles clog up the narrow streets and the honking and sound of the motors quickly grow exhausting. We took a day trip to Ouarzazate (Where-zeh-za-tee), the Hollywood of Morocco. We first traveled through the Atlas Mountains for a few hours, seeing some beautiful scenery. We then stopped of at Ait Ben Haddou, an earthen village along a former caravan route, where we were forced to use a local guide to see the location ... read more

After having our morning coffee in a little cafe in an alley way, frequented mostly by workers in the neighbouring stores and hair salon, we left Marrakech. Next stop Essouira. As much as tourist destinations rub me the wrong way - there are too many other white people and it always feels too much like I’m taking the “safe” route - I must admit that Marrakech is a beautiful city. Yes, secretly I’m a travel snob. The city is clean somewhat orderly, but not too orderly thank heavens. Between Casablanca and Marrakech, the later is definitely the prettier sister. We did visit the famous market, although a bit too late at night to see it in full swing. We went only to see it and not buy a thing - kind of like visiting a museum. ... read more