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Published: December 14th 2008
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Morocco
Three hours south of Malaga, I arrived in Tarifa the southern most point in Spain. There you can see the coast of Africa, you could practically boogey board over there - if you dare. A thirty-five minute hydrofoil ferry ride gets you there with out incident. Tangier is the port side city of Morocco, and the gate way for most of Spain.
Here I arrive with backpack on back and no idea where to go and no accommodation pre-booked what so ever, the Lonely Planet as my only guide. Very basic map....I find the only Youth Hostel located on the map, it seems far and start heading in the direction. Very quickly you are greeted by many locals, overwhelmingly..."Hello", "Welcome", "where are you from", "You looking for a hotel", over and over, on an on asking for accommodation. Very quickly I pick up they are working for commissions and a service fee.
"I'm looking for the Youth Hostel, point me in the direction please" I reply,... "Sorry sir the hostel has been closed for seven months, I show you a good hotel"....Hmmm, great...closed down or just another ploy. I soon work out, it is true and now consult
my Lonely Planet for a suitable cheap Hotels.
Standing there i was soon approached by an American guy who came off the same ferry, seeking assistance and directions from my open guide. Chris from Atlantis had just being kindly escorted (so he says) out of Europe for overstaying his visa and rather going back to the USA, figured he could wait out the 90 day stay in Morocco before being eligible to re-enter into Europe again. Brave move I thought - already been here ten minutes and am already feeling uneasy with all the locals hassling you - even further daring he explains he is low on cash. Together we teamed up and tackled the streets of Tangier's Medina (Islamic Medieval City) in search of a hotel, a cheap hotel. Fending off the hustlers through the streets along the way, trying to sell us anything and wanting to be our own private tour guides around town...for a fee of course. We eventually settled on a hotel, 90 dirham (9 euro) a night, twin share. Much cheaper than the 15 to 20 euros you pay in Europe for dorms, this was nothing fancy two beds, shower and communal toilet
at the end of the corridor, I've seen and being in worse.
Tangier is basically Morocco's face to Europe as its close proximity to Spain. Its small Medina (medieval city) climbs up the hill to the Northeast of the city, which the Ville Nouvelle (New Town) surrounds it to the West, South and Southeast. The Medina is where we stayed in and spent two days there wandering around, being hustled by the locals. We boarded an over night train for the eleven hour journey down south to Marrakesh, the touristy place to be, and here we team up with another American also named Chris. Quickly nicknamed them both - Atlantis Chris and California Chris. California Chris with his surfboard under one arm and backpack on back, was on his quest to find the great Moroccan waves as he has been informed down on the coast. Marrakech was a transit stop for him.
We arrive in Marrakesh early morning and walked the 30 minute walk from the station to the Medina main center known as Djemaa El-Fna. This time looking for a room for three, figured we could have better bargaining power. We finally found our Hotel
room for three, after weaving in and out of the streets for an hour and half and yes fending off the locals for our tourist dollar - 180 Dirham, 60 Dirham each (6 euro), very plain room, small but had its own fully bath room.
The Djemaa El-Fna (main square) situated in the heart of the Medina and surrounding area is the beating heart of the city. This cultural and artistic cross roads is used not only as a meeting place for the local people, but also for story tellers, acrobats, musicians, dancers, snake charmers, traditional healers and fortune-tellers, a hype of activity, people everywhere moving at fast paces - though it can be lively at any hour of the day, Djemaa El-Fna comes into its own at dusk. When the curtain goes up on rows of open air food stalls smoking the immediate area with mouth watering aromas. Here you can feast on a meal that will set you back around $12.00AUD. And did so every night.
I far-welled my two American friends the following morning, Atlantis Chris heading further south and into the desert to try and hook up with some small village family
to make his stay more affordable - "Good luck". California Chris on his way with surfboard under arm took off for the coast in search of his waves. I stayed on for a few more days and tackled the hustlers head on to make my experience here likable and pleasurable.
You quickly learn to be cold and rude in some instances (total against my character) as the continuing pestering and bantering can wear you down...they can kill you with their kindness. But when you show interest, be it in arts or crafts and you explain you don't want to buy just to look and they persistently push the sale, they sooner or later understand the meaning of "No-Thanks" and in an instance they complete turn around and go cold, or get quite nasty at times as if to say "why are you wasting my time" - so I figured seeing from a distance and showing no interest worked for me.
From Marrakesh I travelled back up north to Fez, closer to Tangier for my return back to Europe. Here the Medina of Fez is the largest living Islamic medieval city in the world and best to
see it is from the nearby surrounding hills at Borj Nord Fortress (a ruined fortress perched up on the hill). You see the full scale of the city from this vantage point. The jumbled buildings of the Medina merge into a palette of white-flecked sand stone, only here and there do the green tiled roofs of the Mosques and Mederas provide a hint of colour. Fez like Merrakech has narrow winding alleyways and covered Bazaars, crammed with shops, restaurants, workshops, and Mosques. Here you definitely can loose yourself and sense of direction, getting lost very easily within 20 meters of walking into the winding streets is almost a prerequist when visiting a Medina city. But there are many helpful locals to help guide your way through or out ...for a fee of course.
Fez has no main square like Marrakech - Djemaa El-Fna, but you are immediately assaulted by your senses by the sights and smells, be it colours of the Bazaars, Dye pits of the Tanneries or the aromas of the restaurants, food markets and open air butcher shops. Truly a place of sensory overload. Here I explored the city and captured many still photos, unfortunately my pictures
cannot convey the sounds and aromas of the Medina.
Enjoy.
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