Morocco Trip Diary: Fes & Casablanca.

We are almost done, I swear!

So, after two nights and so much sand in the desert, our last day in the car meant driving from the dunes to Fes. We departed at 8:00 a.m. for an early start and came to a stop within about 7 minutes when we came across two guys from the Netherlands that had gotten their car stuck in the sand. We tried pushing the car out and then Yahia decided to run back to get some rope and help. We also learned a genius trick to get your car out of sand. We had tried pushing the car out and obviously the wheels spinning had really dug in. When Yahia returned with another guy, he showed us to rock the car side to side and the sand filled in around the tires and settled out. It is hard to describe but absolutely brilliant. We tied the cars up, pulled them out and got on our way.

The day was anti-climatic and especially sad as we got closer to Fes and closer to saying goodbye to Yahia. But the highlight was without question our lunch. We stopped in Zaida, a non-descript, very small little town. Yahia pulled up to a roadside grill where there was a butcher on the side. You pick out your meat and then they spice it and throw it on the grill. The meat was the best flavor and bite of food we had in Morocco!

It is amazing how quickly the landscapes change in Morocco and this day demonstrated that perfectly. We left the dunes in the morning and by the afternoon we were winding again through the Atlas Mountains with pockets of snow on the ground and forests of trees.

We stopped in Ifrane for a tea/coffee break. Ifrane is referred to as "Little Switzerland" and is a very odd place. It is in the mountains and has a very expensive, private university in the town (one of very few in the country). The buildings and houses are all very European/Alps looking and there is skiing nearby. It is very quiet, very clean and doused in elitism. More importantly though, Yahia met up with one of his friends here while we grabbed tea. It turned out, he had had his friend order a New Years cake for us and surprised us with it. Could the man have been any sweeter?!

We arrived in Fes in the late afternoon and after a tear-filled goodbye with Yahia, we settled into our gorgeous room at Dar Roumana. Our room and the Dar itself was stunning. It took the owner 4 years to restore and renovate the building. Our ceilings were 30 feet high, the woodwork over our door and windows was on par with what we had seen in kasbahs and palaces, and the tiling was beautiful.

We both loved Fes. I ended up getting sick our last day in Fes and was pretty much out of commission for the day. But we still saw a lot of the city. The Medina in Fes is hilly and charming. New Years Eve was our first night in and since neither of us are big on the holiday and all the over-priced prix fixe meals, we opted for camel burgers at a spot in the middle of the Medina.

We walked up and through the old streets on that first night. Worried about getting lost but in love with the old city and all the turns and how surprisingly quiet it was going into the New Year! 

We woke up the next morning and started out with our guide, Elhakim, who we had booked for a couple hours to get a sense of the Medina and all of the history. The Medina was founded around 850 AD, and what they refer to as the new city was founded in the 13th century. A very young 700 years! The Medina is also the largest auto-free urban area in the world. There are plenty of donkeys and carts but no cars and motorbikes. We stopped by the Bab Boujloude, the main gate and worked our way through souk after souk. We of course visited a medersa and peaked in at mosques. The true highlight for me was running into this amazing old man, a friend of our guide, on the street. He didn't speak English but was hysterical and hugged me and I loved him.

Before we finished, we visited the tanneries. The tanneries in Fes have actually been ranked the 3rd worst job in the world. As a tourist visiting the tanneries as an attraction was disturbing but I think it is better to see than to ignore. The tanneries are brutal. The workers spend long days dipping the hides into these huge vats of bleach and color. The smell is wrenching (though not as bad as you are led to believe, and they give you mint to hold to your nose if you really need it).

Elhakim also showed us this communal bakery. Families bring their bread to these little shops and they shove loaf after loaf into the furnace. Apparently this is how bread used to be baked for families throughout the Medina.

Our next day in Fes, we got out of the Medina walls and walked over to the Jewish Cemetery. We also happened into the beautiful gardens. After we got turned around a bit in search of the Cemetery, we ended up being walked through back streets and allies by a handful of people that live in the surrounding buildings. They didn't speak English but graciously banged on doors for us and a neighborhood boy ended up walking us all the way around to the front gate of the cemetery, it was really quite something!

Not pictured is a lot of shopping we did in the Medina and our meal at Restaurant 7 (which was unfortunately a total disappointment). Finally, on January 3rd, we made our way to Casablanca by train. Our train ride was wonderful. It was beautiful and the train system is amazing in Morocco.

Casablanca on the other hand is, well, we would tell you not to bother. With that said, we did visit the Hassan II Mosque, a montrosity that is truly a site to be seen!

Ben also happened upon this random donut stand. How good do these look?

And finally, we finished it all off with dinner at this fish restaurant in the Port. It was an interesting spot. A mix of Moroccans and tourists, I couldn't eat much, but Ben ate up!

 We flew out early the next morning to Barcelona. It was good while it lasted Morocco!

Morocco Trip Diary: Sahara Desert & Erg Chebbi Dunes

It's now December 29th and on this third day in the south, we will be headed farther east and finally venturing into the Sahara desert. But before we left the Dades Canyon, we spent the morning exploring the gorge and canyon with one of the guys from our hotel. He also took us on a walk through the community gardens...

...and we hiked up to get a view of the town with him. I love this picture of him with Ben scoping it out.

He then meandered down and through the tiny streets and led us to a women's cooperative where they make rugs.

We had heard that rugs in the south were the best quality and price and were hoping to buy a rug while we were there. Every other person in Morocco will assure you they have a friend with the best rugs and "good price for you", so we were at first cautious. Only five or six women work in this co-op and when we got to the small house and sat down, there were two women there. The courting process started right away...with tea of course! The head of the co-op started unrolling rugs for us to look at and then one by one we told him whether they were a "no" or a "maybe". By the time, we finally narrowed down to a handful of rugs, the full bargaining game had commenced. Bargaining is not just a part of the culture in Morocco, like most places in the world, but it is also really a test of respect in Berber culture. In spite of this, I sat against the wall because I can't handle the pressure. Ben took full control of the situation. It went on for the better part of an hour, and finally, with a handshake and relief, Ben had secured us two rugs and deep respect from our rug guy. He told Ben he "was a true Berber". (I'll post a picture of our new rugs at some point soon!).

With our two rugs in tow, we hit the road with Yahia and bid farewell to the Dades Canyon. The landscapes quickly changed to desert. The colors were striking, with mountains on one side and flat, flat dryness on the other.

And we spotted our first camels roaming peacefully beside the road!

This was a gorgeous day of driving and Yahia was also increasingly excited for us to arrive in Merzouga and see the Erg Chebbi dunes. Yahia is from Ouarzazate and has an interminable allegiance and loyalty to the south.

We finally arrived to our camp spot in the late afternoon which was situated right at the foot of the dunes. Driving up to the dunes, they rise out of the desert unexpectedly and during the day as the sun moves, the shadows and light on the dunes move and play with the colors. They are just simply astounding.

We were staying in Berber tents for the two nights in Erg Chebbi. Our tents were, well let's just say they were a little rough. There was about a foot of space between the bed and side of the tent, so once we got our bags in the tent, there really wasn't any room to even stand. One of the more entertaining moments of the trip was watching Ben furiously brush sand off of the bottom sheet in his boxers in the freezing cold night. It is quite difficult to brush sand out of the desert! We threw our bags in the tent and then hiked into the dunes for our first of two sunsets.

Our two nights in the desert were, simply put, freezing cold. When they say the desert gets cold at night, they aren't kidding. Seriously. We ended up putting boiling water in our water bottles and sleeping with them, an old trick I had mentioned to Ben in passing earlier in the trip and he seized onto! I also have never been cuddled so hard by my boyfriend.

Yes, we did survive the cold. And I am going to stop trying to describe the cold nights because it is a fruitless effort. But, we would both agree, the bitter cold, sandy beds, and sleeping on sheets that weren't the cleanest we have been witness to, was all worth it when we got up for sunrise and walked into the dunes as the morning light crept up.

We marveled at how big the moon looked, the colors in the sky, the lines of sand, and the way shadows were moving over the sand.

After sunset, we ate breakfast and we ended up playing some impromptu soccer.

Yahia wanted to show us Merzouga, so we hopped in the car and headed off. We made a couple stops along the way but the highlight was Berber pizza for lunch! Yahia's best friend lives in Merzouga and you have to call about an hour and a half ahead to order a pizza. By the time we arrived, it was ready. We sat in this little outdoor garden, terrace area and ate our Berber pizza while Yahia went off and had quality time with his best friend!

By the time we got back to the site in the late afternoon, it was time for another sunset. This time, via camels. We rode camels up farther into the dunes and sat watching the sun go down. Also, who knew camels were so patient and docile? They are really sweet, calm animals.

We finished the night off with dinner and rounds and rounds of cards with Yahia. It was one of our favorite nights, just sitting by the fire inside, playing cards and mentally preparing for another cold night in the Berber tents!

Morocco Trip Diary: Atlas Mountains, Valleys and Gorges.

On our third day, we left Marrakech and started our tour through the south of Morocco. In total we spent five days and four nights moving through unbelievable landscapes and breathtaking views. Most importantly though, we were led by our beloved driver, Yahia. Yahia's English was, well it was functional and he is also mostly a quiet man. We spent hours in the car with him over the course of the week and Ben and I both fell in love with him. He might be one of the most honorable and just really good people we have encountered and there is no question he made our trip remarkable. A couple hours into the drive on the first day, as we hiked up the Atlas Mountains, he switched on some music that we then listened to on repeat for five straight days. It was some music from Mali that I am determined to hunt down. But I digress...to the south we go!

Yahia picked us up and within about an hour of leaving Marrakech, we had started our ascent into the Atlas Mountains. The views as we made our way up and around the bends of the mountains were stunning. Of which, I am sorry to say, I don't really have photos.

We spent the better half of the day making our way over the high pass, which means "pass of pasture". 

From here, we started working our way down into the valleys. We breaked for lunch in this random dusty old town, Telouet, after driving on a dirt road for about 45 minutes. The Kasbah here used to be a major thoroughfare on the former route of the caravans. Today, however, it is slowly deteriorating and been bypassed by a bigger highway that the French put in place. The Kasbah was in my opinion, the most beautiful we saw. Partly because it felt so abandoned and the setting was so unique. We were led up the trail by a local man, who gave us a very cursory tour and we half wandered around by ourselves. The light was gorgeous.

For lunch, we ended up in what was probably the only acceptable restaurant on the strip of town. We sat on the roof looking over the market flanked by mountains behind it. It was random and amazing and we felt like we were already in the middle of nowhere.

Back on the road again, we stopped at Ait Benhaddou. It is known now as a site for various films, including of course Gladiator. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and situated on a hill with a river running in front of it. Walking up to it, you do feel as though you are on a set somewhere. There are only a handful of families that still live in the kasbah and it was a beautiful approach to the city.

With our first car day drawing down, we made our way to Ourarzazate where we over-nighted. This was the first of four of the coldest nights of sleep I can remember. Truly and deeply cold. More on this later!

Our second day on the road was just as packed as the previous. Our drive worked its way through switch-backs, hills, valleys, and gorges.

The colors of landscape were gorgeous. And it seemed like the villages settled into the valleys out of nowhere. We were constantly remarking on the terrain and how surprising it was. At one point during this stretch of long, long roads winding around the valleys, we picked up a woman to drive her to another town. Yahia said it would just be a short distance. By the time we dropped her off, we must have driven at least 7 or 8 miles. The thought of her walking this distance up and around the hills was both remarkable and depressing. It was an interesting 15 minutes exchanging smiles and appreciation but not being able to communicate.

The afternoon was marked by gorges. We crept up hair-pin turns again first to the Todra Gorge. And, we also stopped for lunch where we ate outside in the middle of the canyon. Ben kept saying it was the most beautiful setting for a lunch he can remember.

After lunch, Yahia dropped us right at the start of the gorge and we walked through it with the rock walls shooting up on bothsides and water running through it. 

 

We ended the day with an overnight in the Dades canyon just outside the gorge. Driving into the canyon, the light was setting beautifully on the plateaus. We settled in for another impressively cold night. Have I mentioned how cold these nights were?

I should mention also that our days were filled with stops for tea with Yahia. Two to three times a day we stopped at random cafes. We would sit and watch Yahia mix and pour the teas (it is an art really) and then sip on teas, chatting occasionally but really just sitting and watching and resting.  Moroccans of course live by their tea and there are varied kinds from incredible mint to more calming, spiced teas. For one stop, we ended up at a gas station. All of the gas stations in Morocco also have roadside mosques for drivers to stop and pray. So there we drank our tea, watching drivers fill up on gas, just outside station mosque on a dirty, two lane road in the middle of the desert. Can't make it up! 

Morocco Trip Diary: Marrakech.

We started our Morocco expedition in Marrakech and arrived on Christmas day. We stayed at Dar One which is tucked away inside the Medina and absolutely beautiful. We can't recommend it enough if you end up going to Marrakech. Upon arrival, we were dropped off in the street because the old streets couldn't fit a car. We were then led with our luggage through labyrinthine little streets with no signs and sharp turns. It was an incredible introduction to Morocco!

For our first night, we made a reservation at Dar Marjana for dinner. This dinner turned out to be our best meal in Morocco. It also was a many-course (too many to count), three and half hour meal that we were not fully prepared for. Of special note, the lemon chicken tajine and the sliced orange with cinnamon and sugar were definitely highlights of the meal. Exhausted and beyond full, we slept hard.

Our next day was a full day of all things Marrakech. We booked a guide for the morning and he started us off at the Bahia Palace. The gardens, courtyard, and tile and woodwork were stunning.

We also walked through the Jewish quarter and wandered back streets. There were so many gorgeous doors and knockers and details in Morocco, it is impossible to recount, but Ben and I especially loved this door and this knocker.



Later, we walked through the Saadian tombs where members of the dynasty were buried.

We passed by the Bab Aganou gate to the Medina, the oldest gate dating back to around 1070 and stopped by the Koutoubia Mosque.

We then proceeded into the souks. The Medina is full of energy and packed with people. Motorbikes, donkeys, souk after souk selling everything you can imagine. I mentioned to our guide that I was in the market for some Moroccan Argonne oil and he insisted we stop by his friend's shop wherein we were taken into a backroom, given massages, and a full tutorial in all things herbs, spices and medicines that we should buy. I left with oil. Ben left with spices.

We finished in the main square, the Jamaâ El Fna Square and bid farewell to our guide. At this point, we continued on. We decided to head out of the old city and go to the Majorelle Gardens, which were owned and given to the city by Yves Saint Laurent. It is an interesting 12 acres of botanical gardens and of course defined by his singular, gorgeous blue color throughout.

Finally, we decided to visit the oldest merdersa in Marrakech, the Ben Youssef merdersa. It is no longer used as a school but again, the tile and wood work were stunning and impressive.

At this point, we took a breather and headed back to Dar One for a rest. Of course, I can't put words to all of the sounds, movement and nuances of the city. And there was also plenty of confusion, particularly when we got lost in route to the gardens and wandered in frustration for a good bit. But man, we took Marrakech by storm!

To cap it all off, we finished the day by heading back to the Jamaâ El Fna Square for dinner. Walking up to the square around 8:00, we were astounded to see the transformation that had happened since we left it in the afternoon. Hundreds of food stalls had taken over the square in a swarm of activity and groups of people.

It was at first disorienting and invigorating. Walking through the food stalls you are followed and grabbed and begged to eat at every stall. There were snails, juices, dessert carts, meats of all kinds, and more. After circling the stalls several times, we settled in on No 31.

We sat down at the metal counter and were served up sausages, skewers, couscous, tea and more. The food was in the end, so-so. The highlight was when they all but forced us into the open kitchen to take pictures with them. And we finished it off with unbelievably fresh juice. 

And that was all just in our first 24 hours! Don't worry, I will try to summarize a little better in future posts, but it gives you an idea of how fast everything started moving and just how amazing the country is.