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Published: April 30th 2009
MOROCCAN HUMOR
Q. WHO DID NOT GO TO THE LION'S PARTY AND WHY?
A: THE CAMEL BECAUSE HE WAS IN THE FRIDGE!
WE DID NOT MAKE THIS UP-- THE MOROCCANS WERE ROLLLING ON THE FLOOR WITH LAUGHTER ON THIS ONE?!DAY 13-15-tour
DAY 16-18-independently
We take a public bus to MARRAKECH about 3 hours. We are staying in a very nice hotel but poor service and the staff are not very helpful. This city feels more like a French city than a Moroccan one.
Our first visit is to the famous DJEMAA EL FNA, a large market area with everything imaginable. Tonight we are dining al fresco in this carnival atmosphere, the food is okay but the ambiance is unbelievable, There is all manner of food from seafood, chicken, beef, salads and boiled goats head. The meat from the cheeks are the sweetest (so we have been told). Here we wander around, singers, drummers, dancers, storytellers, snake charmers, fortune tellers, tooth pullers and denture makers, jugglers, monkeys and lizards. This has been dubbed the greatest spectacle on earth and is a UNESCO site. Our guide then took a for a short walk around the streets were all items are sold. After each nights trade the restaurants are packed up for the square to be left available for other trade during the day. Again at night within half an hour the restaurants are up and running again.
Next morning
MOHAMED VI BLVD.
VERY MODERN AND VERY PRETTY SOME OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE VILLAS CAN BE FOUND IN THIS AREA we booked seats on the red tourist bus, doing he full circuit to try and get our bearings, before hopping off. We walked around the area getting lost more than once. We do stumble upon the Saadian Tombs and take the tour of the recently discovered tombs in the Medina. We wander in to the Kasbah this is an area where the people live and we had a young man self appoint himself as our guide. He was able to show us some highlights then lead us to the main area by having to walk through the rear of a merchants darkened shop to get there. Of course there was a small fee.
The funniest thing that happened to us was when we had lunch at a pizzeria, The waiter found our French amusing but we found his manner of speech hilarious—He spoke like a baaing sheep, there is no way to put this into words just trust us—we are still laughing about it!!
Walking along one of the tiny street there was major construction going on and the entire street was dug up with only 2 2x4 planks lining one side to allow people and motorbike go
USE WHAT YOU GOT
I KNOW THAT IT IS A LITTLE BLURRY BUT ONE OF THE WEIGHTS IS A SPARKPLUG. through. Yes it was 2 way too. Just try to step aside for a motorbike on an 8 inch area. It was this same area that Angie found the Berber symbol of Freedom ( their letter z) but it was too large. The shop keeper asked us to wait 5 minutes and he would have it engraved. So we were able to watch the young man hand engrave the pendent from scratch (no pun intended). We bargained for a price. Regardless of what they say not everyone is willing to bargain. But this guy did and Angie felt she got a good deal about 28 USD for solid silver and hand engraved piece.
The Koutoubia Mosque is at the entrance to the Medina and it's minaret towers over the area. There are hundreds of people in this area at any given time.
Whilst waiting for the red tourist bus to take us back to our hotel we had a begger woman with small child on her back approach us for money. Our tour leader had told us to ignore the beggers, some do it professionoally. Anyway, we told her no and eventually she walked away. About 10 minutes
KOUTOUBIA
ONE OF THE LARGEST MOSQUES IN THE WORLD BUILT IN THE 12TH C. COVERS 5200 M2 WITH 7 HALLS AND 11 CARVED CUPOLAS. later she returned and asked again for money, we told her no and ignored by returning to look at our map. The next thing Angie heard the woman clear her throat and then there was spit on Angie's hand. She looked at the woman, showed her her hand. The woman had a blank look on her face, so Angie wiped her hand on the woman's skirt. The woman still just stood there defiantly. We got up and moved away from her and got out the wet wipes for Angie. Another innocent victim again.
This is the last night with our tour group and we head off for a great meal up near the Medina. There is a wide variety of European and Moroccan food. For entree Fran and Angie decided to share a Pigeon Pastilla. (Pigeon cooked in a flakey pastry and sprinkled with icing sugar.) Well we gave it a go and the meat was nice and sweet, although there were lots of tiny bones which not to our liking so we passed onto our tour leader, who enjoyed it. Still prefer guinea pig.
We walk to the Garden of Jaques Marjorelle now owned by Yves St.
Laurent, a nice display of cactus and tropical plants.
We spend the day in the Medina and the souks, with our friend Dennis. He is quite brave venturing there with Francine and Angie. Francine goes on a mini shopping spree buying two Moroccan long sleeve tops and a hat to keep on the sun to come and Angie buys a pair of Moroccan capris.
On the way back to the hotel we stop at McDonald for a bathroom break and as always, Fran and Angie get themselves into trouble. Francine locked her self in the toilet and had to struggle to unlock the door and Angie leans over to flush the toilet and drops her sunglasses in to the toilet, boy can she grab and snatch when she has too. Of course we leave laughing hysterically just adding another thing to snicker over for years to come.
1am on our last morning. Francine is up and in the bathroom. Too adventurous with the food the day before perhaps.. Luckily check out wasn't until midday so she was able to take her time. Thank goodness for Imodium and the bidet across from the toilet. See blondes can do
two things at the same time.
Our stay at Marrakech comes to an end and we depart for the train station for the 3 hour ride back to Casablanca. There we take the 11:30 PM flight to Cario and will arrive at 7:30 AM.
Marrakech was probably the busiest and noisiest city so far. Beeping horns, making our way through traffic and large crowds of people. Activity everywhere.
END OF CHAPTER ONE IN THE DAY AND LIFE OF 2 BLONDES ON HOLIDAY.
PS - ANGIE UNFORTUNATELY DELETED ALL 850 PICTURES OF MOROCCO
WHEN DOWNLOADING THEM. DON'T KNOW HOW IT HAPPENED BUT HAVE LOOK ON THE HARD DRIVE OF MY LAPTOP AND ON THE FLASH DRIVES AND ONLY SOME REMAIN ON THE INTERNAL MEMORY OF THE CAMERA SO WE HAVE LIMITED PICTURES OF MARRAKECH.
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Leannda mackie
non-member comment
You Girls !!!!!!!!!!
My goodness, where do you find the time to email us with these fab stories and pictures - I'm living through you both on your travels. Keep enjoying and be safe. TOOTLES.