Blogs from Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz, Morocco, Africa - page 5

It’s always pleasing to set off on holiday when the weather at home is bad, but it’s a bit worrying when the first snow of the winter strikes the night before you leave. Mercifully, the roads remained clear, and BA cancelled European flights but not our flight to Marrakech. Despite a delayed departure, we arrived almost on time. We watched with a mixture of fascination and horror as the luggage carousel threw suitcases down a two foot drop, round a sharp bend and crashing onto the belt, inflicting visible damage in some cases. Mercifully ours survived unscathed! Aziz, our guide for the trip, met us outside, and in 15 minutes we were at our riad. Well, almost – building works meant we had to walk the last few hundred feet. We were welcomed with a refreshing ... read more

Day 25: Went for a nap as soon as I sat on the plane. Woke up still at the gate. Missed connection flight at Cairo. Stood waiting for the bus to the hotel (5 minutes walk away) longer than the transit flight itself. Swish hotel nevertheless with lunch included. Another delay upon departure with EgyptAir, of course (only an hour this time) Casablanca taxi driver loved 60km/hr on motorway while simultaneously taking calls at 1am. Day 26: Casablanca has a few highlights, but seemingly was renovating every public space. Massive mosque on the coast. Old medinas are cool. Love the tram. Grateful for four years of mediocre focus in French. However, continue to hybridise french and the more-recently learned spanish. Some lavish haircuts amongst the young lads here. Day 27: Booked another night, purely to watch a ... read more

October 13th, 2018 Altight! Here I am writing again. I would have done so in the car last night, but the road from Essaouira to Agadir was unexpectedly winding and narrow. In the dark and in the backseat my stomach rebelled. Yup, I came very close to upchucking my supper. Also, the day in Essaouira was so all consuming both mentally and physically, that my brain turned to oatmeal by the end of the day. So let’s back up. Essaouira. Ok, so I told you already that seeing too many tourists irks me. I mean, if I wanted to see white people everywhere, I’d stay in Canada. Sorry my white peeps, but we are a boring and entitled bunch; a glaringly obvious fact when you observe “our kind” in non-European dominated countries, taking in the local ... read more

Our taxi driver Mohammad drove us to Essaouira From Marrakech. No English no Spanish no French, he only spoke Berber and Moroccan Arabic, it was difficult to communicate with him. Sign language along with my limited Arabic vocabulary was a little helpful. But he drove us safe to and from Essaouira. He took a couple of smoke breaks at some tea house along the way. The highway between Marrakech and Essaouira is quite straight forward. The landscape is arrid and spread with olive and Argon tree groves. In a couple of locations along the highway the Shepard’s encourage their goats to climb the Argon tree to eat its fruits and when people such as ourselves stop to take pictures of this unusual scene they ask us to pay them. It is hilarious and worth the 10 ... read more

Majorelle Garden Palmeria Abdel Majid our very gentle tuk tuk driver drove us to the Mojorelle Garden and one of the Palm Groves outside of the old Médina Check out the link below for the Majorelle Garden and it’s beautiful cafe A must see if visiting Marrakech A piece of tranquility and calm in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the city. Among many things famous for the Majorelle Blue http://jardinmajorelle.com/ang/ The Palm Groves were Arrid dirty but afforded a camel ride practice prior to our Sahara Desert excursion When in Marrakech try the delicious specialty of Tanjia made in a earth ware pot. Friday is couscous day. Traditionally Moroccan families have Couscous on Friday after Friday prayers. So our Riad Keeper made us a sumptuous chicken vegetable couscous dish. It was divine. ... read more