Blogs from Azrou, Meknès-Tafilalet, Morocco, Africa

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Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet » Azrou April 8th 2014

Apologizes, this could be a long one as our internet decided to block us out till we could get to a shop, and a lot has happened in the mean time. Day started off fine with a slow easy morning and then a walk into Chefchauoen. The walk took us in to the top of the medina and not a single person batted an eyelid, as in not one “hello my friend, welcome to Morocco” which, a bit like the port, threw me. Last time we barely made it out of the campsite before we had a local who became our unwanted guide and every shop owner giving us the default tourist script as above (read 2012’s blog). Once we had walked around the main part of the medina, we went down into the newer part ... read more
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Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet » Azrou March 12th 2013

11 mars Je quitte la populeuse Médina de Fès ce matin pour fuir vers les montagnes, en direction de Azrou. Vous avez déjà monté sept dans un taxi? Si vous répondez non, c'est normal. C'est que ça ne rentre pas, sept dans un taxi. Alors me voilà dans ce taxi, celui dans lequel il ne rentre pas sept personne... et j'y suis avec six autres personnes. Un homme mal rasé me tient la cuisse alors que mon bras droit tient les épaules d'un étudiant qui a trouvé un peu d'espace pour répondre à son cellulaire. Il y a aussi un Jedi en toge magenta et une vieille femme berbère qui porte un étrange symbole entre ces deux grands yeux noirs qui m'observent. Et le chauffeur, et puis le passager que je n'arrive pas à voir... plus ... read more
Macaque dans la pinède
Minaret à Azrou
Bourrique à In Le

Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet » Azrou September 29th 2012

Well the days aim was to visit the Berber Village then head for Midelt. It all started bad when the weather decided to rain on and off when we first awoke, so the tents had to be packed away wet. Once packed up we headed off to find the village, only to reach it and be dissapointed. I think the reason the new lonely planet book on Morocco doesn't feature this place is because its no longer of interest to tourists, and is pretty run down with nothing really to see. So we carried on up the road to the top where there was a nice view point of the valley, in the rain. At this point we studied the maps and decided on a route that would take us to lake tislit. The route down ... read more
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Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet » Azrou September 27th 2012

Well last night the worst thing happened, it rained! In a country that's mostly dessert you hope to evade such weather, though it was only for an hour in the night, then it was gone. In the morning we packed up and headed for the cedar forest south of Ifrane. The route down was quite easy, so we stopped at a nice, clean town called Imozzér-el-Kandar for supplies. So while Dave watched the trucks the rest of us took a wonder over to a kiosk to get some water. This kiosk was also a photocopy shop, and the guy in front of me had decided he needed to copy the entire edition of The Divinci code, or something of similiar size. But I did the british thing, I stood patiently for my turn in the queue, ... read more
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Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet » Azrou September 11th 2011

Saturday 11th Sept 2011 some frogs went walking on a summer's day, ah hum ah hum some frogs went walking on a summer's day, they met an Australian on the way, ah hum ah hum ah hum ah hum ah hum Beautiful clear sunny day today and I joined some frogs (French people) who went for a hike in the forest with a couple of the local Moroccan lads. It's the most exercise I have done for months so I'm sure I will pay for it tomorrow. The day was hot and sunny, but we all managed to have a pleasant walk which was not too exhausting. Along the way we found a small kitten in the middle of nowhere. Although it did not seem to have a home as there were no homes within miles, ... read more
grazing goats
a kitten we found in the bush
Rachid forcing kitty to smile

Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet » Azrou August 30th 2011

Wednesday 30th - the end of Ramadan! Eid El Fitr This ceremony, as its name indicates, celebrates the breaking of the fast at the end of the holy month of Ramadan. In Morocco, Eid El Fitr is celebrated by getting up early in the morning. Men go to the mosque for the prayers of that day. As for women, they prepare the special breakfast for Eid El Fitr which is constituted of typical Moroccan pancakes such as Baghrir and Melwi. After the prayers, the family gathers around the table to indulge in a copious breakfast. It is also a time when families visit each other and chat around cookies and mint tea. Children are dressed in new clothes and adults in traditional outfits. The holiday of Eid El Fitr lasts only one day. Today seemed like ... read more

Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet » Azrou August 28th 2011

Sunday 28th - day twenty-seven There was noises in the house today. Noises of movement. Everything was being moved out of the kitchen as it is going to be painted this evening. Removing the pictures and hanging from the walls left a few holes and Zak had the job of patching up the plaster. Zak had told Said (the cousin we have been sitting with at the cafe all Ramadan - who happens to be a painter by trade) and he offered to come paint the kitchen for us with a roller. He also helped with purchasing the correct paint at bargain price. Cost to paint the ceiling and walls of the kitchen 40dh = aud$4.85 - cheap as!! So by the time breakfast came around the kitchen had been emptied ready for Said's arrival after ... read more
Said painting the ceiling
Zak painting the 2nd day
the last Ramadan breakfast

Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet » Azrou August 27th 2011

Saturday 27th - day twenty-six We had breakfast with Zak's parents today - the German boys have left Azrou. It was nice as we had not eaten with them for a few days. And the atmosphere was nice for a change also even with the 3 boys there. No arguments or heated discussions. Well today or I should say tonite is Laylat al-Qadr - Night of Power - special day in the Ramadan calendar. See paragraph below for explanation of what this is. We are having dinner with Zak's parents also. Chicken couscous is on the menu, looking forward to this also as we have not had couscous during Ramadan. So we made our way down to the new city for our dinner appointment at 2am. The couscous was absolutely delicious!!! I was so happy that ... read more
view from terrace at night
lit up mosque
mosque

Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet » Azrou August 23rd 2011

Tuesday 23rd - day twenty-two I woke up earlier again today and actually feel better off for it. I think the over indulgence of sleeping such long hours was putting me in a bored melancholy mood. I took some time out and in the true spirit of Ramadan took the time to reflect and look at the person I am within. On searching and seeing this reflection I came to the not so pleasing conclusion that I am a cranky, crabby, old bitch. Amazing how food and drink deprivation enhances your personality - obviously in my case not in a good way. So I have decided I'm going to try and lighten up a bit for the remaining days of Ramadan and try to enjoy the last days. I'm working on the cranky and crabby bits, ... read more
fish
Fatia, Yousef & Ghita
Mark, Thomas & Zak

Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet » Azrou August 17th 2011

Wednesday 17th - day sixteen Zak took the french couch surfers into the forest today for a short walk. They wanted to see monkeys in the wild and they did. I stayed home. They left later in the day. Thursday 18th - day seventeen It's official! I'm turning into a hibernating bear! Each day I sleep longer and eat less. A lot of food is not necessary when the only physical thing I do is get out of bed, shower, catch a taxi to Zak's parents for breakfast, walk the short distance to the cafe, drink coffee for a few hours then return home and eat again only to sleep the day away again. That's the cycle of routine I have now fallen into. Friday 19th - day eighteen Tonight as we sat in the cafe, ... read more
local water fountain
cool door knocker




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