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Published: September 3rd 2010
"Here is looking at you kid!"
Mahabah- Moroccan for hello,
A late departure with Webjet from Madrid to Morocco gave us time to make our switch from our Spanish dictionary to a small dictionary of Moroccan, and the flight over treated us to a beautiful blue clear sky day, so we were able to see how narrow the Gibraltar strait was between Europe and Africa and could see all the boat movements in the busy passage. Mid afternoon we arrived in Casablanca.
The cultural change was so evident the European fashions had suddenly been replaced with anything between traditional Burkas to bright and colourful kaftans - it even smelled different. Once through customs we spotted Canadian Judy with a "Insight " tour tag on her bag. She like us had missed the tour pickup due to late arrival so we all shared a taxi to the hotel 1964 Mercedes with a Moroccan Fangio look alike at the wheel. By the end of the week we had spent many hours with Judy from Canada as with the other 19 of our tour group of which half were Australians. 7 o,clock that night we joined our fellow tourers for the traditional welcoming dinner
with everyone checking who they should avoid sitting next to on the bus the next day (turned out a really good bunch of people and only 22 on a big bus. So plenty of room to spread your legs and hats and gloves.
Next morning after breakfast we joined our tour guide Hassan and headed off on our Moroccan discovery tour towards Rabat and Fez in the north east. Before leaving Casablanca we went to visit the Hassan II mosque which is the only mosque that non Muslims are invited to visit. It was designed by a French architect for the current King's father and was built over 6 years 1987-1993. Half of the Mosque is built over the Atlantic ocean and is certainly a most impressive and formidable building being the second largest mosque on the world undoubtably an Icon into the next century. The prayer hall covers 20,000 sq. Metres and accomodates 25,000 male worshippers on the ground level and a lesser number of woman on the 2 mezzanine levels which are completely screened and private. It has a slide opening roof and at Ramadan (to begin in 2 weeks time) up to 3 times these numbers also
pray in the forecourts outside. We also got to visit the ablutions hall with it's 41 fountains and the 2 Hamans (bath houses). We then drove through the outskirts of bustling Casablanca north to Rabat with Hassan our guide sharing with us along the way the history and current status of the Kingdom of Morocco.
Morocco gained Independance in 1956 from France and is currently ruled by King Mohamad IV who with his wife is a very progressive well educated and forward thinking leader. His wife is the first of any Kings wives to be publicly involved in the country's development. During his time as leader he has made Education compulsory and free, and their is currently a minimum salary per month of 400 euros and the economy is good with much development of infrastructure, in all cities such as the development of a fast train as in Europe, and the Emirates have invested in 5billion Dollars in tourism and infrastructure development. Morocco is strong in tourism, agriculture and seafood, plus have minerals and oil being developed. The King has also ensured a fresh water pipeline connects all cities. Surprising to us they have 4 very defined seasons, have ski
resorts in the Atlas mountains and due to the diversity of terrain and climate produce a temperature range from 7deg to 45 deg. After our week in Morocco we came to conclude that we were very pleased to have seen it now as in the next 5-10years if it keeps developing as it is the face of it will certainly change.
Rabat, the capital seemed to be a smarter city than Casablanca as it is home of the Government and Embassies and some original Kasbahs (fortresses) and the Mausoleum of the King's father and Grandfather which we got to visit. As we drove through Rabat as with all of Morocco there were many public photos of the King (quiet a handsome sod) and the flag red with a green 5 point star (representing the 5 pillars of Islam) was so often flying proud. From Rabat we headed east to Meknes passing by cork plantations, vinyards and olive groves and many small but healthy looking farms growing varities of fruits and vegetables. By late afternoon we had arrived in colourful and bustling Fez.
Fez has a population of 1.5. Million people and in the Medina (the old walled city) there are
250,000 and in here the only transportation is by Donkey or by 'shank's pony' and once in there, Ian who can find his way out of most places said to C - without our guide I could not get out of here!
For our 2 nights in Fez we and Margie from Buffalo USA, and her daughter Megan had opted to stay in a traditional Riad - our Riad Sherazade was 2 stories with an internal courtyard, garden and pool in the Medina - this in earlier days would have been the home of a wealthy Fez family.
The Fez souk (market) has become a UNESCO Project in terms of trying to rehabilitate the crumbling foundations of homes and to assist with eliminatation of workforce exploitation in a relative sense.
We visited a tannery in the middle of the souk complete with skin processing dying and manufacturing of leather goods, a truly vertical operation, and we bought a beautiful goat skin jacket for C from here made from the Dom goat which lives way up in the highlands.
During our 2 days in Fez we enjoyed some great food - the targines were so yummy, C would have liked to
take one home but sadly would not fit in the 29er and had a great dinner out with our tour group followed by some Belly dancing (Jill we must do some classes next year).
Fez, as most of you would imagine was a truly bustling and colourful walled city full of rich cultural heritage and for us was the jewel in the crown. We were very lucky here due to our decision to break away from the main group and have the Riad experience right in the heart of the Medina. On the first night as we were walking with our guide Habid we found ourselves in the middle of a wedding procession. We sang and danced along the way with them and got to see them in all their finery including the Henna tattooing that they have done on their hands and feet to enhance their beauty. The bride was carried in an embossed white silk covered chair led the husband and all the unmarried women from the mosque to the party - great public celebration. Our half day walking through the Medina which began before many shops had opened and ended after lunch was like a trip back
in time- hung meat, roaming skinny cats scavanging, giving way to overloaded Donkeys, brushing each shoulder on the walls of the narrow alleys, experiencing fragrances and smells between very interesting and ' I don't want to know, carpet shows, luncheon typically Moroccan and eventually made our way back out through the wall.
From Fez we drove through the Atlas mountains passing apple orchards, and herds of sheep and goat, and had a happy happy(loo stop) break at 'If Rane', a town that looked like it could be in Switzerland -so clean and green in amongst a cedar forest and right in the heart is the Kings winter palace the University and the National ski resort where the King goes skiing with his subjects.
By now we were heading south to Erfoud and our Moroccan adventure onto the Sahara desert, heading on through the Atlas Mountains which continue for 700 ks was a constant contrast in scennery. In the highlands where it snows the mountains were typically barren, scattered with goats (I'm sure I saw my jackets brother), the roaming Berber (southern nomadic tribesmen). We often passed by women doing their washing in the mountain streams, dusty villages with unfinished mud
and brick houses (no need to pay competion taxes) but all dotted with their white satellite dish on top (subsidized by the King to ensure good communication for all).
We all noted that the women always seemed busy, many carrying such heavy loads and that the males of the villages seemed to constantly frequent the local coffee shop but the one carrying the heaviest loads was the Donkeys - in Morocco the Donkey is part of the Dowery and is certainly worth his weight in Gold.
Gradually we came down off the mountains and there in front of us was a lush and fertile valley of date palms - talk about contrast. Sampled the dates and they were the best we had ever eaten. As we passed through this valley it then became apparent we were on out road to the Western Sahara desert. We began passing the large Berber tents and many of the nomadic families with their large herds of goats seemingly in the middle of no where- then like a mirage appeared our Kasbah for the night. Into the hotel for a quick turnaround into 4WDs for our Sahara sand dune experience.
The brochure read a sunset
ride in the Sahara on Camel (that is 2 humps) but for us it was to be a mighty wind and rain storm on a Dromedarie (one hump).
Arrived at rendevous with our Dromedaries and driver Saide - Corrie mounted her white Drom - Almanan and Ian his camel coloured Drom -unnamed ( in sitting down position) - they arose and off we drove in horizontal sand storm in the direction of Ethiopia - such adventure!!!! Had a stop to climb the dunes be dressed by Saide with his expert Berber head-dressing using Corrie's scarf and then with the fragrant blanket off the Drom asked Corrie to lay on it so he could tabbogen her down the sand dune - with Ian trying to stop laughing and film in the sand storm.
Next morning , only a short distance from the real Timbukto, we headed to Quazarzat with our first stop at a remarkable stone sea fossil factory from sources in the desert many hundreds of metres above current sea level - we bought a plate to share with you all - look under the peanuts next time you visit 188. Passing through the gorges of Todra where we saw
Moroccan families out picnicing and enjoying the cool waters. Our drive onto Quazarzat along the road of a thousand passed by the Kasbah where Lawerance of Arabia and Star Wars were filmed, roadsides lined with prickly pear cactus's, almond and walnut groves, and behive boxes, often passing by massively overloaded trucks with melons hay and even cattle over the sides and looking as though they could topple over at any moment.
Along this way we came upon Corrie's second best friend the Toureg - Hassan, a very friendly sole who was vying to have his photo on the Internet and be sent a copy - even from his solar powered Berber tent gave us his Email address. His tent was alongside the most amazing irrigation system which consisted of 4 rows of wells inter connected along each row from the mountain streams many ks away out across the plain with each row being owned by a different family and dammed and opened in a sequence each day along each row to allow all farms to to get a share of water from each 4 wells in sequence via
hand or foot operated well winders!!!! - the ingenuity of man!
Arriving
at Q at what was
without a doubt most luxurious accom on the tour ( where the movie stars stay) Corrie (again in her attempt to get to the bar quicker) did her flying Cirque du bathroom
and unfortunately did not make it to dinner, but by morning with the help of a handful of drugs and Es TLC with a somewhat bluish derriere and a small knog on the head she
brushed up ready to face the bus trip to Marakesh and the Market !!!
Actually lucky to be all in one piece - it was quiet an act - flying out of the bath, pulling down the shower rail and curtain on her hear and to finish off, a posteria landing in the middle of the bathroom floor with sound effects - bloody over bath showers without mats!!
Westward to Marakesh and out second Riad experience but unfortunately not as well appointed as Fez, but the market experience with a full moon and the mosque tower calling for prayer and us arriving in a horse drawn carriage certainly made up for all that. The Marrakesh square was a bit like the Easter show on steroids - with snake
charmers, tattooists, and performing monkeys mixed with food vendors, fortune tellers, watermen, pickpockets and plain clothes policemen and everyone wanting some money - and it was still 40 degrees! We parted with some money for even higher quality dates then we had had before and then headed for another traditional dinner and the best (looking and shapely) belly dancer - e once again avoided getting chosen to dance and left it to the 79 year old David and his 84 year old brother just took the photos.
The next morning we did a Marakesh city tour in our horse and coach and noted that M seemed to be the most modern of all the cities. Visited a garden designed by and dedicated to YSL and a herbalist where we purchased some Moroccan Saffron and a small bottle of Argan Oil (to take 25 years off Corrie) and then began our northward drove to Casablanca.
With the Moroccan discovery coming to an end Hassan shared a little more of Morocco with us all - a population of 36 million, the King and Queen are dedicated to educating the women of Morocco particularly in the country regions, still 25% are illiterate. Of
the 220 in parliament only 33 are women of which only 7 are full members.
Ramadan involves one month of daylight fasting and because it was imminent we saw many of the sweets they eat in the after dark hours to maintain their strengh. During this time most of the Islamic Moroccans would visit the Mosques for daily prayers. Even though Friday is the traditional holy day for Islam this tolerant nation has designated one non work day a week - Sunday - and all religions are tolerated - this is the difference between the Suni Islamists and the Shiite Islamists as explained by our guide. They are liberal re smoking but alcohol is a no no, and for all Muslims the life ideal is to visit Mecca once but annual Ramadan visitors are now limited to a ballot system so as not to have a repeat of the deaths by crushing many years ago; - we experienced many leaving for Mecca during Ramadan at the airport who were lucky in the Moroccan ballot - many older Moroccans.
As Marakesh was Adobe pink, Casablanca was white/grey. A busy city on the edge of the Atlantic but lacking some of the
soul of Fez and Marakesh it would seem until we took ourselves away from the hotel and booked in to a fairly old (a little fauwlty towers) down on the ocean for 2 days R&R before the next leg. It turned out a very good 2 days and gave us time to catch our breath and get a blog away and walk the beach promenade and see all the Casablancans enjoying their day off with their families and take ourselves to 'Rick's Cafe' for a Humph and Lauren dinner before heading down to East Africa.
We loved Morocco, it has a great future and it was full of surprises.
Until we meet again Salam Aylecham and
Aylecham Salam ( goodbye and peace be with you).
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Janet Vanson
non-member comment
Amazing stuff - keep them coming. Glad to see you both got the good looking camels and you look so comfortable. Note to self... when next travelling pack an anti slip mat - Ouch!!!