Blogs from Marrakech, Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz, Morocco, Africa - page 19

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Africa » Morocco » Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz » Marrakech March 25th 2011

I have this urge every time I am just about to enter a new place. It’s a subconscious twitch that sets off a pattern of events until I arrive. A nervous excitement still gets me after all this travel. I bite my nails as I look outside the window. I sometimes resort to the skin (I know) and then once I realise I have to stop biting before I draw blood. I get this sudden urge to pee. As the train slowly approached the outskirts of Marrakesh the city glowed a brightly lit orange. It was 8pm and I was wondering where the next hour would take me. Will something drastic happen halting my trip? What sort of accommodation will I accept? Will it have a shower or a squatter toilet? Or will there be only ... read more
2 - Tanneries
3 - Spices in Marrakesh
4 -

Africa » Morocco » Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz » Marrakech March 23rd 2011

Wahey I have , made it out of the UK Back to backpacking... Marocco has been a huge breathe of fresh air. The first moments in the country found me wandering around the airport carpark looking for the exit. It becomes quickly apparent that English which I ve been working on for 30 years is next to useless compaired to French. Ah French.. the language of childhood holidays those exchange kids with fancy trainers who ate chocolate for breakfast and one which i was going to have to summon quickly. Yep so Marocco is a 3 hour flight from London and a world away. Along with the French and Arabic script there was also the call to prayer echoing over the parked cars. The Mezzuine has always held an attraction for me sampled on some of ... read more
Jamaa el Fna
Marrakech
Marrakech

Africa » Morocco » Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz » Marrakech March 21st 2011

The Marrakech Express (may run late due to camels) What the hell can you say about a place like Marrakech? It is wild and crazy, a cacophony of sounds and a firework show of lights. The streets are like ant farms with people, punctuated with scooters and motorbikes reluctant to slow down. The endless stalls and shops contain a feast of cheap merchandise, though if you want a good price you need to take some time (and a few deep breaths). At times, Marrakech is intimidating; mostly, though, it is charming. One thing you can say for certain is that you will not be bored. I arrived into Marrakech on the train from Casa Voyageurs. I had booked Riad Massin from the 6th to the 9th, but now that I was arriving on the 4th, ... read more
Fireplace at Equity Point
Courtyard, Equity point
From the terrace

Africa » Morocco » Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz » Marrakech March 15th 2011

Monday 14th March: what does one do in Marrakech when it's overcast and cool with occasional showers? The answer is: not very much. This was our last full day in Marrakech and although it started bright the clouds soon came in and with them a chill wind. After breakfast we tooled up and walked the mile to the Saadian Tombs which was the only major tourist site that we missed the first time round here. Fortunately our feet were not giving us too much trouble and we managed the mile and a bit walk without difficulty.The tombs are located in an almost hidden spot behind a mosque and were only discovered as the result of an aerial survey; having previously been half ruined and forgotten. There was quite a long queue to enter the main tomb ... read more
Saadian Tombs
The minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque
The Hivernage

Africa » Morocco » Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz » Marrakech March 11th 2011

SERENITY Winston Churchill famously advocated that if travelers had but one day to experience Morocco, that one day should be in Marrakech. This metropolis, used for one thousand years by southern tribes and Berbers socializing and trading, likely began as most desert meeting places, a higgledy-piggledy collection of blanket-tents situated around an oasis. Several unique architectural creations dominate the ancient stone-walled medina, a vibrant city-centre bounded on the north by sprawling souks offering a multi-coloured cornucopia of leather and sheepskin, wood, jewellery, copper, and textiles. Just inside the city’s southern walls, the intricately carved white columns inside the once-forgotten crepuscular Saadian Tombs contrast with the soaring Koutoubia Minaret, dominating the incomparable Plaza Djemaa el Fna, the “assembly of the dead”. Without this plaza festooned un... read more
Sublime serenity
Moody La Mamounia
La Mamoun


Friday 4th March: a lateish start as we planned to stay in the Old City and “do” most of the sights that we hadn't already explored. So after a leisurely breakfast we headed off into the souks with the intention of getting to the Marrakech Museum which, according to our map of the Old City, should be within half a mile of our hotel. However without a direct route there was plenty of scope and opportunity for getting lost. Nevertheless we managed it with the help of three stall holders who pointed to the correct alleyway to take.....and without soliciting payment or favour: quite unusual behaviour. The Museum is located in the former palace of the Sultan's Grand Vizier, which had been neglected and allowed to become semi-ruined before a local patron of the arts purchased ... read more
Lost in Souk
Souk Scene 2
Souk Scene 3


DAY 3 1st March 2011 The day started early!! We were off at 08.00am and told that it was at least a 10 hour drive across the Middle Atlas mountains but it would be interspersed by plenty of stops! We climbed fairly steadily out of Fes and our first stop was Ifrane. Patches of frost could still be seen where the sun hadn’t got to it and the air was cold and crisp! Ifrane town was created in 1929 and is now called ‘little Switzerland’ as all the houses are built like alpine chalets. There is also a University here registered as being the brainchild of the Moroccan King and King Fahd of Saudi Arabia and funded by US and British Council, where all the lessons are taken in English. The town is spotlessly clean and ... read more
Carpets of flowers!
Stone Lion at Ifrane
Mountain views


If you were to ask a patriotic Welsh couple what they would do on St David's Day (patron saint of Wales), how many would answer that they would flee the country??? Well that's what we did and our excuse was that we wanted (as in we REALLY wanted) to get some SUN; having been deprived of the same for so long we've forgotten what it's looks like. And so it was that on 1st March Jane and I boarded the Marrakech Express: otherwise known as Ryan Air flight FR8218 from Bristol. And I was wearing my daffodil lapel badge. The flight went really well. It wasn't full so the seating was reasonably comfortable and best of all the flight took only three hours. As we left Bristol at 13.30 we arrived at Marrakech's sparkling new airport ... read more
Grand Entrance
Courtyard
Majorelle Gardens

Africa » Morocco » Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz » Marrakech February 28th 2011

'Salam Alaikum' from Spain!! Snake-charmers, acrobats, story-tellers, camels, musicians, and burqas; all fit perfectly into anyone's pre-conception of traditional Morocco...I know, I know...there's kind of this conflict in North Africa going on at the moment...But you have to realize that what you're probably seeing through your American television sets is not at all an accurate representation of the whole...In fact, Morocco remains just about the only Mediterranean North African country that isn't in complete disarray from political protests. Though there have been some recent peaceful demonstrations within the country in regards to justice, work and health coverage, things there remain (relatively) calm, as the king is highly respected. Morocco was colonized by the French in the early 20th century, so there is a significant use of French as a second language (outside of Arabic and B ... read more
Camels near Setti Fatma
Doors inside Palace Badi
View of city from top of Palace

Africa » Morocco » Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz » Marrakech February 27th 2011

We had a lot of sightseeing to pack in today, so we got up fairly early and had breakfast on the terrace. We were overtaken by honeybees! We sat by the roses and when they brought out the orange marmalade, the bees just kept coming! Finally we got up and moved and left them happily slurping away in the marmalade. We survived breakfast without getting stung and decided our first stop would be the Bahia Palace (10 MAD). It took Morocco's top artisans 14 years to build starting in 1860 and later on it was further embellished. Many of the ceilings have inlaid wood. Much of the palace is closed, but at 10 MAD it is worth a visit and is pretty impressive. We went the wrong way in the beginning because there were quite a ... read more
Bahia Palace
Bahia Palace
Bahia Palace




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