April 25 – 28 - Atlas Mountains to Essaouira by the sea.

Thursday 25 – a brief walk through the Gorge again before heading off shopping – silver smiths, scarfs & rugs, a range of arts & crafts from the disability rehab centre, the Berber pharmacy (I had a neck & shoulder massage and Anne a head massage, I also got some nigella seeds for my cold – just crush & sniff through a cloth???) then off to the magnificent Kasbah at Ait Ben Haddou – we enjoyed a sunset walk through the Kasbah – the wind & dust were very bad on the way to the Kasbah but very protected within the walls. Absolutely stunning views from the Kasbah & our hotel window.

Todra Gorge

From Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah



Kasbah at Ait Ben Haddou
 



View from Kasbah

 

Discovered a little more about our guide today. Tahar is a Berber & when he was born his family were nomads in the south of Morocco near Algiers. He has a wife & two young daughters who still live in the desert but in a mud brick house with the rest of his wider family (parents, siblings, spouses & their children). They herd goats which provide food & can be bartered for other goods collected from the next town by donkey or camel. He is the only wage earner and supports his whole family. 

Friday 26 – breakfast on the terrace overlooking the Kasbah before heading for the Atlas Mountains. Winding roads and breathtaking scenery. Wherever we stop we are approached by local vendors selling their wares. This is every 50 metres in towns but even on mountain passes or desert loo stops a vendor will appear from behind a rock or bush as soon as you stop. They all call me Ali Baba – due to the beard I assume? We were dropped off in the village of Imlil & then had an hours walk to our Gite for the night. A family home with 4 spare rooms for visitors. Tajin (the owner) will be guiding us on our mountain walk tomorrow. His wife cooked a beautiful soup followed by chicken & veg tagine for dinner. 

Most Moroccan men have just one wife these days but can still have up to four. HOWEVER, they must first prove they can support the additional wife & then need approval from any existing wives, the new wife & all families involved (our guide suggested one was more than enough anyway).

Kasbah in Atlas Mtns

Windy Road from Tichka Pass

View from road in Atlas Mtns

PS The nigella snuff is working.

Saturday 27 – early start to climb to the shrine on the slopes of Jebel Toubkal – about 2 hours up a narrow winding track with pilgrims, donkeys & tourists. The walk was brilliant, the shrine a little underwhelming. Back to our Gite for goat Tagine & Berber omelette (best yet). A long bus ride to the seaside town of Essaouira. Dinner at a more up market seafood restaurant with Gnaoua music in the background (sort of Bob Marley??).

Walk in Atlas Mtns

Boats in Essaouria Harbour

Essouaria fortress

Sunday 28 - Essouira is a lovely town with a nice feel. Walked the Medina, beach, fishing port. A less chaotic medina surrounded by a massive wall meant we could wander around without getting lost. Picked up some bargains from the stalls.

Typical Kasbah store

Moroccan’s seem to love cats. They are everywhere we go - but have been in plague numbers here.

 

Sahara & Todra Gorge

Monday 22 - After a quick visit to a Franciscan Nun co-op which makes beautiful embroidery and woven carpets we followed the Ziz River which forms a 100 km long oasis through the desert until we reached the edge of the Sahara dunes. We then mounted our trusty camels (Sam & Fred) and headed out across the sand dunes to our Berber desert camp in the middle of the dunes. Our hosts cooked a feast of chicken & veg Tagine followed by sliced oranges with cinnamon and mint tea. Then off to bed in our tent made from camel hair blankets tied to bamboo stakes. It blew a gale all night & we woke with sand in everything – including mouth & ears. A wild & forbidding place but a fantastic adventure.

Sahara

Sahara

Oasis

On our way to camp

Our camp

Tuesday 23 – early start to climb the massive dune beside our tent to catch the sun rise then back on the camels and off to Todra Gorge via the fossil fields and amazing series of linked bores.

Wednesday 24 – typical breakfast of bread, cheese, olives, bread and flat bread with jam plus freshly squeezed orange juice & coffee. Today we did a 4 hour walk through and above the Todra Gorge – spectacular views. Morning mint &herb tea at a Berber tent & caves near top of hill. He runs goats & uses tents and caves to live, store food etc for him and 10 kids. Anne off to Hamam (public baths for black soap and scrub then hot tub). Quiet arvo for me.

Atop the dunes

Todra Gorge walk

Todra valley

Todra valley from walk

Intrepid Tour Begins

Thursday 18 - Met our fellow travellers and guide (Tahar Baba) last night & headed out for a Moroccan meal (lamb & veg Tagine for me). This morning caught train to Rabat, the country’s capital with 1.4 mil people. A much neater and cleaner city with a really nice feel. Visited the Medina, another colourful market with great products, colours and aromas. Then to the Kasbah des Oudaias an amazing maze of narrow streets and alleys with interesting doorways (an old fort and now home to many) & with views of the beaches. Next stop Hassan II Tower and the “over the top” Mausoleum of Mohammed V. Then back to the station and a 2 hour journey to Meknes.

Tahar - our guide pouring mint tea

Meknes Kasbah (sorry picture sideways)

Friday 19 – started with a self-guided walk to see the major attractions of Meknes. Got badly lost & a little frustrated before getting inside the Medina walls (old city).After entering we followed an amazing road running between 2 massive stone walls & guarded by security personnel (as close to the King’s Meknes palace). Saw some fantastic gates and buildings with elaborate and ornate mosaic work. Visited the underground prison – 7 hectares of dark corridors and pillars with only light from very small skylights. Then through another massive gate to a fantastic museum in a former home including whisky making room and a harem room. Lunch of camel burger in the smallest restaurant I’ve been to – yum. Then on to the ancient roman ruins at Volubillis – incredibly well preserved mosaics but mostly destroyed by earthquake. Then to Fes. A magnificent Pastilla (pastry covered dish of pigeon or chicken covered with icing sugar) for dinner.

Volubillis

Our camel burger chef on his side??

Sheik's harem

Saturday 20 – today’s tour of Fes led by Mahommed a wonderful little guy who kept us entertained all day. More fantastic gates followed by a trip to the nearby old fort to view the city from above. Then a day of craft and artisans – first the pottery co-operative – amazing craft work, then to the old Medina to see the making of beautiful carpets, weaving of fabrics, tannery, dyeing works etc – all contained within the narrow alleyways & lanes of the Medina. We were nearly knocked over by a donkey carrying skins in a ‘traffic jam’ with another donkey. The Medina is surrounded by a 32 km fortified wall and has some 9,400 streets or laneways crowded with people, carts, stalls, donkeys and endless cats. Food & wares of every imaginable colour, size and kind available. Just mind blowing. Behind the often jaded exteriors were some amazing homes, mosques, courtyards etc.

Back to the hotel for a pre-dinner stroll along the Fes’ Champs Elise along with the rest of the Fes population. A beautiful spot and a lovely family atmosphere. Cyrnoss (bread roll filled with cheese, egg, olives and deep fried mashed potato in chili and tomato sauce) from a street vendor  for dinner followed by nous nous coffee - delicious.

From our hotel window we can hear ‘call to prayer’ wailing, street vendors and constant foot and vehicle (car, truck, bus, motor bike, cart, bike, barrow) noises well into the night – very soothing??

Camel head soup anyone?

Dyeing in action at Tannery

Our lunch

Sunday 21 – Fes to Midelt – from green pastures to stunning mountain views in the Middle Atlas mountains to apple orchards to semi desert with an occasional bright green oasis. Saw Barbary apes (macaque’s) in a fir forest. Brief stop in Ifrane – an upmarket ski village – then on to our amazing guest house in Bremmem. A walk around the village before dinner to meet the locals & then local music & dancing.

View from Bremmem

Moroccan dancers??

Our guest house in Bremmem

April 14/15/16/17 - We're Off - First Stop Casablanca

After lots of planning we finally took off on our great adventure Sunday night a

fter a great dinner with Jason, Matt & Leggs.

A 14 hour flight to Dubai with a 2 hour break to explore this huge and modern airport and then a 7 hour flight to Casablanca - the home of 'Play it again Sam' and 'Here's lookin' at you kid'. Weary but happy to be on our way.

What a chaotic place! After a memorable taxi ride to our hotel, we took a stroll along the colourful and vibrant city streets. Street vendors, narrow streets, alleyways and alcoves filled with all manner of wares. Vehicles ranged from late model Mercedes to hand carts and push bikes. Parking is 'wherever the car fits' and car horns sound constantly.

A quiet dinner in the hotel tonight followed by an early night.

Tuesday 16 - A Moroccan breakfast of boiled eggs, olives, bread & strong coffee. Then off on a tour of Casablanca – traffic chaotic, people everywhere, highlights included the huge & impressive Mosque Hassan II, the Corniche (Casablanca’s St Kilda Boulevard) and the ‘new’ Medina (Quartiers des Habous). A beautiful Tagine at a stall for lunch then a quiet arvo.

Wednesday 17 – off for another walk around the city. Visited cathedral of Sacre Coeur (amazing building but in much need of repair) then to Rick’s café for lunch via the old medina and back to the hotel for our tour briefing.

Market

Cleansing room before prayers at Mosque

  

Our tagine lunch