http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Africa , Morocco en-us Sun, 08 Nov 09 23:06:46 +0000 Sun, 08 Nov 09 23:06:46 +0000 I have just been to Morocco for four days from the 1st of November to the 5th. It was a short but intense trip to this North African country. I love Arabic culture and I also speak French therefore Morocco has been on my list of countries to visit for years I went there with my husband Matt and my 18 months old son Oliver. Since I became a mother it comes only natural for me to be eager to pass m http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/blog-451661.html This is not an entry about how Morocco changed my life. Just to get that out of the way. Though it was awesome.Itrsquos more of an entry about real culture versus perceived notions of culture tourism and the vastness of the desert all in the context of my experience in Morocco. Not blatantly but yoursquoll probably catch it. Because the sentiment I felt above all others these past few days http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/blog-451479.html Our Marrakesh riad advertised belly dancing but with a family of dancers I thought it would be more fun to have a lesson than watch it. I know seems completely ridiculous but it turned out to be a great idea and lots of laughs and quite good exercise which some of us needhellip. So we arranged it in Fez our house manager organized it through Caf Clock. The teacher was an American woman http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/blog-449747.html As well as my cooking day we had also booked a half day bread making for my family with Mum and Dad able to join in they wanted. Mum decided to come and Dad was going to watch and wander.We had a great day same place and teacher as before. Lucy wasnrsquot feeling so good mostly tired we think so she spent the time lying down on the couch upstairs and chatting to the bellydancing teacher who http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/blog-449745.html We had arranged a day trip to Volubis which is about an hour and a half away from Fez and is the main Roman ruins in Morocco. It was a good day and not too hot in fact we actually needed our jackets at the ruins which to us seemed wonderful We stopped by a lake on the way and took lots of photos in fact there are so many photos taken that it is taking me ages to sort through them and it will http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/blog-449742.html I had a cooking class booked at Caf Clock as a birthday present from Mum and Dad. Lucy was desperate to come too so she spent the day with me. We had a great day with 3 Americans and our Moroccan cook. Once wersquod chosen what to make beetroot salad eggplant salad chicken pastille and macaroons we headed to the market to buy the food. It was a great experience with Saoud explaining eve http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/blog-449740.html For our first day in Fez we had a guide organized by the owner of our house. Worked out well as we got our bearings a bit and he told us about the places we visited. On the other days we just wandered. As well as general walk through the medina we went to a Medersa religious school the Blue Gate saw into a Mosque but we were not allowed inside and of course were taken to the tanneries whi http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/blog-449739.html We had a 7 hour train trip from Marrakesh to Fez which was a very easy way to travel. Very dry predominantly rural areas although we also passed Casablanca and Rabat the capital. There were lots of olive groves but not nearly as many as Spain. Unfortunately there were also vast quantities of plastic shopping bags. We saw them everywhere in Morocco with fields covered in them and trees full http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/blog-449738.html We all went on an organized day trip to the Ourika Valley.It was an interesting day driving through and looking up to little villages that clung to the hills. The highlight was undoubtedly when we stopped for a camel ride. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/blog-449736.html Ken and I had a balloon ride early one morning leaving the girls with their grandparents.We drove out of Marrakesh for an hour to a little village where the balloon was waiting. It was an amazing experience first time for both of us. I was expecting it to be really scary but it wasnrsquot at all. Very peaceful just floating over the countryside looking down on villages and hills. After the http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/blog-449734.html Marrakesh was wonderful. We were very close to the souks markets and wandered around then most days. Bikes were always racing past which was a bit crazy at times but Dad only managed to bowl one person overhellip Not too many people and not too hassly. In fact overall we found everyone to be great and no problems. Lucy was a tough haggler and bought herself quite a few things. The shawls http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/blog-449728.html Arrived in Marrakesh and loaded our luggage into carts to be taken into the Medina old city to find our Riad. It was beautiful comfortable and the pool was especially welcome as it is still very hot. We had dinner at the Riad on the first night so it was very relaxing.We have so many photos it is hard to select some. Those who are interested can see more when we get home. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/blog-449234.html Very easy getting the ferry from Spain to Morocco and then we were met by the mini bus driver I had organized. Drove from Tangier to chefchaouen in the Rif mountains passing small villages pottery stalls and more donkey than I could previously imagine.Chefchaouen was lovely. The BB was great with lovely views from the roof terrace we ate talked and the girls played games with owners son and t http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/blog-449218.html Finally some photos from our week in Southern Spain. Sort of in order but it takes ages to sort them so sorry if they don't quite match the earlier text. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/blog-449214.html I may have more to write when I get home but I want to get these down while I am still in Morocco.I just finished my final exam which was divided into two parts reading comprehension and grammar. It wasn't too hard and I am not too worried about how I did. Overall my satisfaction with AmidEast is mixed. The homestay has been awesome because I have been able to improve my speaking in modern stand http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Rabat-Sal--Zemmour-Zaer/Rabat/blog-447909.html I apologize for not making a post sooner but to be honest there hasn't been anything post worthy in Rabat probably because I am used to being here so it feels normal to me well as normal as Rabat can be. Anyways here goes...After class on Thursday 79 MSJ took a train from Rabat to Marrakesh. We shared a cabin on the train with a family who had a little girl The girl really liked playing http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Souss-Massa-Dra-/Agadir/blog-447907.html So I got back from Asilah at around 8 pm on Saturday night 4th of July and as I got close to the apartment I heard really loud music. When I got to the apartment building entrance I noticed that a large truck was parked right up to the door and there were men in uniforms scrambling around carrying things up the stairs. As I made my way past them I was eyed cautiously because they were probably w http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Rabat-Sal--Zemmour-Zaer/Rabat/blog-447905.html I know this is a day late whatever Happy Independence Day 159316101583 157516041575158715781602160415751604 1587159316101583Today AmidEast went to Asilah a small beach town to the north of Rabat a little south of Tangier. We rode on a bus up there for a couple hours it was really hot. Once we got there we walked around the Medina then ate so http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Tangier-T-touan/Asilah/blog-447904.html On Thursday night my family brought a rather large sheep home for the party they were having on Friday and Saturday. The sheep was delivered in the trunk of a BMW sedan and the dad the butcher and I carried it up 3 flights of stairs in their apartment building to the apartment where it was tied up outside.Then a bunch of female relatives and the daughter of the family who is married and just ha http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Rabat-Sal--Zemmour-Zaer/Rabat/blog-447902.html well today is wednesday and i havent had much to write about but id figure id try to put another post up. i guess ill do one about an average day in rabat and then some just funny stuff ive seen.typical daywake up between 7 and 730am. Then breakfast from 745 to around 810. 810 I get a taxi to AmidEast.830 through 1220 class. Then lunch from 1220 to 1pm. Then Darijah Moroccan colloquial http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Rabat-Sal--Zemmour-Zaer/Rabat/blog-447901.html