HIGH ATLAS MOUNTAINS
We were told that the temperatures in Marrakesh the day before had reached 44 degrees and more of the same was expected during our stay for the next 2 days. This was confirmed when we saw the electronic temp gauge nearby.
There were a couple of main attractions on our itinerary such as the Jardin Marjorelle (Yves St Laurent Memorial Gardens), el Bahia Palace, and Djemma El Fna Square with its market stalls which were much of the same as we had seen around the country, but on a bigger scale. And there were the Orange juice vendors in the square who would serve freshly squeezed juice, in a glass not paper cups, all for only 4 MAD (dirhams – about 50c.). The square was filled with the noise of motor bikes, people yelling/bargaining, call to prayer, monkey handlers, acrobats touting for business and the sound of the Snake Charmers blowing their flutes/horns so the Cobras would rise from their baskets. (more about the snake charmers later in this story).
The first of the attractions would be a guided walk through the ‘souk’. At least here it was possible to find your way out without a guide, and that is exactly what we did later. Some of the group were getting a little concerned when we were left to our own devices. They were almost bordering on anxiety, questioning if we were leading them in the wrong direction and further into the bowels of the markets. But what they didn’t realise, and it was something that we saw everywhere, in every village, in every town we had passed through in Morocco and always an obvious landmark – The Mosque – Koutoubia. This landmark was on the edge of Djemma El Fna Square – keeping your ears open for the ‘call’ was another sure give-away.
The area directly around the mosque was the ‘carpet’ quarter so there were rugs, carpets and mats hanging all around.
Day 2 in Marrakesh and we were off on a walk to find the Yves St Laurant Memorial Gardens which were created in the 1920’s by a painter, Jacques Majorelle. Marjorelle, born in Nancy, France in 1886 acquired the land in 1924. (we mention Nancy, France because it is on our travel itinerary for another special reason). He landscaped the area which is like an oasis but with plants from the 5 continents (even Aussie plants) and buildings painted in varying shades of blue and white. I was hoping the gardens would include some beautiful perfumed plants much like the St Laurent fragrances – not so – we were a little disappointed about this.
F rom Barcelona onwards we would be making our own way around Europe using our Eurail passes and see where that will take us. Renfe, SNCF, Trenitalia, QBB, Intercity, TGV – the names of the rail networks are already starting to scare us. So roll on Barcelona - the topic of our next Blog.
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| This poor mule took on a sad look when he saw the luggage he had to carry up to Rochas Aremd Auberge, Imlil, Atlas Mountains |
After the mule handlers had off-loaded our baggage we were able to walk around the rooftop of Auberge Roche Aremd, and just took in the views of Mt Toubkal (4167 mtrs) and the winding roads, Imlil and across the valley. It has to be clarified about some confusion with the name of the Auberge. We were heading to Auberge ARMED. Armed with what? Was if some sort of defensive post, prohibited area? Again it turns out something was lost in translation/editing according to our host, but it was a large sign over the top of our accommodation. I wouldn’t want to advertise that my hotel was Armed unless you wanted to attract attention…..obviously a new marketing strategy and it was working – we were staying there!
Here was a little cooler too, emphasise ‘little’ because even though we had our baggage carried by mules the hot walk/struggle in full sun up the winding dirt road above the walnut groves, plum, pear and apple orchards was not quite what we all had expected.
So the trek took longer for a couple of reasons ie. we’d been sitting on a mini bus for about 5 hours with a short lunch stop, we were still a little sore from the camel ride…. and unexpected loo stops for those who had upset stomachs and needed to have their best friend (Imodium) at the ready.
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| Views to Mt Toubkal and Auberge Armed |
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| Donkey track up to the mountain |
So the trek took longer for a couple of reasons ie. we’d been sitting on a mini bus for about 5 hours with a short lunch stop, we were still a little sore from the camel ride…. and unexpected loo stops for those who had upset stomachs and needed to have their best friend (Imodium) at the ready.
With each of us hiking up the road at different stages, and Brian and Ari well behind the rest of the group (no pun intended using ‘behind’) each of us was waiting at intervals and could see below how far down Ari and Brian were. Ari was not well and we all knew it, but when they made it to the top near the entrance of the Auberge we all clapped and cheered for them because we knew it was a struggle. Actually we had to laugh because usually Ari and Brian were the last to get on the bus – they had found some last minute gifts and souvenirs – and always at the best, better, good price. Not this time (LOL).
The trek was worth it with views of Mt Toukbal in one direction and river valley in the other. As we arrived at the Auberge we were thinking that the mountain air smelled like freshly picked mint. It wasn’t until we went inside that it was actually the aroma of the hot sweet mint tea they had prepared to serve us. Believe it or not the hot tea was quite refreshing.
This area of Morocco is well known for hikers and mountain climbers and it’s hard to imagine now, but the mountains are snow-covered in winter. We actually spotted a hiking group with guides close to the mountain top and later that evening saw their spotlights further up. The picture gives you an idea of how high we trekked.
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| View of Imlil village in the valley during our trek up the mountain |
The afternoon was spent with our travel colleagues (those who didn’t need to be close to the loo) playing Charades. The topic: Movie Titles. It was a hoot! To give you an idea it was the guys against the girls and it was won by the guys but only by a small margin and it was hilarious because the game plan included using sound effects. Tony P and Lynnette, Mike and Rachael – “The Departed” will bring a smile to your face with Tony entertaining us with his Sounds like…… Guessing the “D” was the easy part.
Through the night we were suddenly woken up to a huge noise. No!…. it was not from our Mexican friend who had been ill all night but from a sudden cold gust of wind that was so strong the windows in our room flung open hitting the wall and kept rattling all night even when closed.
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| Our Bedroom at Auberge Armed |
The next morning it was a brilliant day with more spectacular views and breakfast served on the rooftop.
And we lingered knowing we had to trek down the mountain to our bus ready to take us via Marrakech to Essouira, a seaside town with a huge old Medina, souks, mosques, fishing village and much needed laundry.
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| Rooftop Breakfast with spectacular views TJ, Mike and Rachael |
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| Branson Mansion Maroc style |
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| Getting ready for the trek down to mountain from Roches Armed Auberge, High Atlas Mountains, Morocco |
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| Hotel Souira and the nearby Mosque |
ESSOUIRA
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| Essouira Waterfront |
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| Road to Marrakech |
Back on the bus we would be heading towards the Atlantic Ocean and Essouira to stay at the Souira Hotel right in the centre of the Medina. And as we found out at 4.30am the next morning it must have been the closest hotel to the Mosque too and heard the ‘call to prayer’ loud and clear – thank you! But first we would have to pass around the outskirts of Marrakesh, find a supermarket for some lunch supplies and a quick stop for lunch, then the bus ride around 5 hrs all up. “Marjane” was a refreshing change to the other markets we’d shopped. This particular one sold everything, i.e. food, fruit, veges and deli lines, furniture, electricals etc. It was a cross between Coles, Kmart and Bunnings all under the one roof. We weren’t in the market for any fridges that day but if it had been a few days earlier we could have done with a Mini Bus air-conditioning unit !!
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| Marjane Supermarket |
As we were approaching Marrakesh we were told that the area we were passing through was a fairly new development and to buy an apartment in this part of town would cost around 1M Euros. This left us pretty flabbergasted because we just could not believe the total disregard in their own backyard, so to speak. There was litter everywhere! It was as if someone had pulled up in a truck and dumped rubbish on the footpath, and it wasn’t just confined to this particular area. You will remember in an earlier blog noting the litter in the Sahara.
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| Marrakech - our first look just passing through |
Also on the way we would be passing over dry dusty lands, more olive groves, Argan oil processing and goats. Now remember these 2 last items – Argan oil processing and goats. If you are thinking of buying some Argan Oil you might want to think about it. But Argan Oil processing will be brought up again later. Again, no pun intended if you know how the oil is processed and if you don’t it will be explained later.
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| More of Marrakech outskirts |
Our first impressions arriving into Essouira seemed like it was just what we needed - the pace appeared to be a few steps back from most other markets we’d visited.
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| Gate and walls of the Medina (with picture of King Mohomed VI at entrance) |
Maybe it was the seaside, the coastal humidity, the beach goers and their funny looking beach umbrellas made out of palm fronds or the sailing boats - but it was only an impression.
We were told that famous rock stars were drawn to Essouira for its laid back lifestyle and story has it that Jimi Hendrix wrote the song ‘Castles in the Sand’ during a stay at Essouira and you would see posters of him and the music was still alive in cafes and restaurants. But has anyone told them about Jimi ??
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| Beach umbrellas in Essouira |
There is an old Vietnamese saying “Same same, but different”. Same same but different in Essouira too! To explain, there were the souks, the touts, and each one had a “better, best, good price”, and another to add to the list – “it is your lucky day because you are the first customer” – but not necessarily.
Now tell me - how can you believe someone who smiles at you with only 4 teeth in their mouth. Really??
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| Fishing boats at the port |
One of the first things we did was walk along the port area with numerous market stalls where fisherman were selling their assorted catch fresh off the boats to restaurateurs, fishmongers and the public. And as you could imagine it smelt just awful and almost on a par with the tannery – but without the mint!!
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| Square in Essouira Medina |
The Atlantic beyond was rough with white caps with winds blowing about a Category 4 cyclone. Apparently Essouira is also called the “Windy City”. Hmmm!! appropriate, but that didn’t stop us from taking a short walk along the beach. To be honest, we actually wanted to get away from a 'wanker', not just any wanker, but a REAL full-on TUGGER, pullin' the Peter, hand-crankin', masturbating the muscle....disgusting wanker standing by a wall in the main Square! Had his Jilabel pulled up and all, for all to see! It is a sight I will never forget - and now the first thing I think about when there is any mention of Essouria is the wanker. I have renamed it to - "Wanky City".
But getting back to our beach stroll, normally we would take a long walk but on this particular day the wind was blowing so hard that the stinging sand put us off from going too far. It was probably the first time that Tony resisted putting his feet in the ocean as a mark of being in the Atlantic in Morocco. It just didn’t happen.
But getting back to our beach stroll, normally we would take a long walk but on this particular day the wind was blowing so hard that the stinging sand put us off from going too far. It was probably the first time that Tony resisted putting his feet in the ocean as a mark of being in the Atlantic in Morocco. It just didn’t happen.
Back inside the Medina it was the same old craziness of the Medinas we had come to know. What did I say – same, same but different! After the first night after dinner we all took a walk into the markets were people were buying food for their “Break Fast”.
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| By day - Inside the Medina, Essouira |
We did a lot of jostling and weaving through the busy local crowd and we could see they were on a mission which happened to be prayer time – many were making their way to the Mosque for the last call of the day and sustenance afterwards.
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| By Night - Inside the Medina, Essouira |
Over the couple of days in Essouira we checked out the old fort still with cannons in situ and looked for different place to eat. Compared to other cities and villages we had visited so far, food here was more expensive and in some places ‘western style’. We all agreed on something authentic. As a group we decided to eat at the outdoor fish café near the square, close to the port and Fish Market. Here on an open grill, a seafood selection of your choice, is cooked and served with salad and fries for a fixed price. As I said it was probably the most expensive dish we’d eaten on our travels thus far. But compared to eating seafood at home there wasn’t much difference – only that it was eaten in Morocco.
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| Waiting for our Grilled Seafood Lunch |
Of course there were the artisans selling their wares, jewellery, leather and fabric goods, lacquer ware, silver, ceramics, hats, shoes – and they were “Made in Morocco”. I’m pretty sure that all of us came away from Essouira with some authentic Moroccan goods. Perhaps Ari and Brian with a little more – I’m sure I noticed a large piece of luggage on the bus. Make that an ‘XX Large’ piece of luggage. (LOL)
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| Ceramics and trinkets at Essouria Medina |
Now about the Argan Oil processing and Goats. In addition to Spain, Portugal and Italy, Morocco grows some of the best olives in the world, and the olives grown just outside this area of Marrakesh are known as Argan. It is used for culinary and cosmetic purposes. So good are they, that the goats want to eat them too. Yes, it is true! Goat handlers allow their herds to climb up and over the trees and gorge themselves and this is where there are 2 versions of the processing of the Argan Oil.
The First: The goats eat the fruit to the point that they are so stuffed they ‘bring up’ the olives and the seeds are collected.
The Second: Again the goats are allowed to gorge themselves on the olives, and afterwards their waste is collected to remove the seeds.
Whichever way it is processed this precious resource is collected, pressed, perfumed and bottled as Argan Oil – and expensive. We are told that this practice doesn't necessarily happen any more - but you judge for yourself, but honestly we saw the goats, and they were sitting in and munching on the trees. Lovely huh!
So, it was goodbye to Essouira and Hello to Marrakesh, passing the goats and olive trees, new housing developments and people on mules…..and the day was so hot that even the cactus plants were drooping.
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| It was so hot even the cactus was drooping |
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| Argan Olive eating goats |
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| New housing development near Marrakesh |
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MARRAKESH - the Red City
Former Imperial city and 3rd largest city in Morocco
Population: Over 1 Million people
We were told that the temperatures in Marrakesh the day before had reached 44 degrees and more of the same was expected during our stay for the next 2 days. This was confirmed when we saw the electronic temp gauge nearby.  |
| Inside the Market Marrakech |
Thankfully the Hotel Oudaya had air-con, pool, a bar, supermarket and cafes nearby, but even walking on the road in shoes you could feel the heat penetrating through the soles. Within minutes of buying a cold drink you’d find it was warm before you would finish it. About a whole 30 seconds because you needed to rehydrate and quench your thirst. Your body just seemed to be zapped of energy and fluids and we had a better understanding of why Moroccans would lie in and under shade, anywhere, during the heat of the day.
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| Djemaa el Fna Square, Marrakesh |
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| Market Madness - on a quiet day! |
Just picture this - it is one of the funny sights we saw on our way around the markets. On hearing the ‘Call’ crowds of people were coming at us in every direction, the mosque was so full that they were spilling outside the front entry and because there were so many people praying we had to step over and manoeuvre our way around them. Of course there were the late-comers, many of who had forgotten to bring the prayer mats – so what did they do – you guessed it! They just grabbed mats, rugs and small carpet pieces from the closest market stall, rolled them under their arm, then rolled onto the floor and joined the devotions. Not sure if those mats were returned to sell on to some unsuspecting tourists.
Yacine gave us a great piece of advice and told us to be aware of the monkey handlers and snake charmers. Like everyone else they want to earn a living and their way is by getting your photo taken with a monkey/snake wrapped around you or with a cobra. This can be done for 200 Dirham. And don’t think you can take a photo from a short distance away because these guys have their mates hovering around them as scouts. So if anyone nearby is caught taking a photo these guys start standing over to get dirhams for a picture.
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| Photos from the Terrace |
Yacine’s advice – get up to one of the cafes/restaurants overlooking the square and take your photos from there – with camera ZOOM in full focus. Full focus, are the key words here and something we had not expected to see…. seriously. We made our way to the café above the Square for cold drinks, put our cameras on zoom --- and zoomed in on more snakes than the Cobra handler had in his basket. There was also an exposed one-eyed trouser snake peeking from under the Snake handlers Djallabel, and the zoom retracted as quick as a flash…another key word. LOL.
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| Snake Charmer with Snake(s) This one has been Censored |
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| Palace |
There was no way of getting out of the heat – breathing in hot dry air is not the most pleasant experience when we are so used to the humidity. Our visits to anywhere were usually short except for the el Bahia Palace where the treed courtyards, mosaic tiles and inside the buildings gave us some relief.
That night we decided to have dinner at one of the food stalls being set up in the Square. During the day we’d seen the area just as an open area with people going about their business – when we got back that evening it had been totally transformed into rows and rows of tables, chairs and serveries. After Rachael had dealt with the touts it was agreed that ‘Stall No. 26’ had the best, better, good price offer. But like most places we found, and this includes Essouira, this was not necessarily the case – and it goes like this. They place bread, harissa/condiments (tomato, onion, cucumber salsa) and olives on the table that they don’t tell you is not included, or supposed to be included, the is service pretty ordinary waiting for drinks and food. But probably the worst was that we saw that ‘leftover’ condiments poured back into the original bowl at the servery after diners had left it on the tables. And then they want a TIP! Lynette didn’t eat the chicken skewers she had ordered and this was even before we all saw the condiments going back into the bowl. Stall No. 26 did not get a good review!!
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| The offending bowl of recycled condiment at the front |
Day 2 in Marrakesh and we were off on a walk to find the Yves St Laurant Memorial Gardens which were created in the 1920’s by a painter, Jacques Majorelle. Marjorelle, born in Nancy, France in 1886 acquired the land in 1924. (we mention Nancy, France because it is on our travel itinerary for another special reason). He landscaped the area which is like an oasis but with plants from the 5 continents (even Aussie plants) and buildings painted in varying shades of blue and white. I was hoping the gardens would include some beautiful perfumed plants much like the St Laurent fragrances – not so – we were a little disappointed about this.
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| Yves Saint Laurent Memorial Gardens |
After Marjorelle’s death in 1962, Yves St Laurent and Pierre Berge set up a foundation to ensure the garden’s future. Following the death of Yves St Laurent a monument was erected in his memory and many folks bring fragrant wreaths to leave near the memorial. That was nice!
Most of the group hit the pool or just stayed in the air-con until the evening and at one point or another just coincidentally met in the bar where the cold drinks were served at room temperature (out of the fridge for 30 seconds). We needed to find an ATM and couldn’t believe just how hot it was – it was 51 degrees at 1.30pm. We didn’t believe it either and just had to take a photo to prove it.
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| This says it all !!! Bloody Hot. |
We ate our last authentic Moroccan dinner at the ‘Gourmandise restaurant’ as a group, said our goodbyes because of an early start in the morning to catch a "Petit Taxi" and our flight to Barcelona. Not before we all had an opportunity to share our fondest memories and highlights about the trip. They were all very much different which in some way describes the mixture of our Group of 8.
Yacine was invited to visit each and every one of us, but humbly replied if he does it will be a long time and he would bring his wife and his 8 children.
Yacine - we have saved you from making the difficult decision of naming your 8 children (4 boys and 4 girls), because we already know their NAMES…..
1. Yacine-Tony
2. Yacine-Brian
3. Yacine-Anthony P
4. Yacine-Mike
5. Yacina-Liz
6. Yacina-Ari
7. Yacina-Lynette
8. Yacina-Rachael
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| Last Dinner for the Group of 8 |
Yes, we are on Air Maroc again– panic attack just at the thought of it i.e. unruly passengers, full throttle right hand turns on the run-way. And that happened too – twicebecause our plane would be flying into Casablanca en route to Barcelona. This practice must be written into their flight manual.
It was already hot. 34 degrees at 6.30am.
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| Last signs of Marrakesh |
Goodbye Morocco –loved the adventures, the diversity of the country, the people and thanks to Yacine our trip has given us a greater insight into your world.
Would we want to go back considering?? You Betcha !!! but next time with an empty suitcase.
Till next time......
Liz and Tony
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| Kicking back in Marrakesh - Just Chillin' |
