My trip started well and truly before the crack of dawn, alarm went at 3.50am :( Managed to get to the airport given the majority of public transfer to the airport doesn't start until 6am. I was the first person to walk through security so I am glad I didn't get to the airport any earlier. Bag got checked through to Marrakech, just hoping it makes it!!
Had an ok flight, the 12.5 hours seemed to go kind of quickly. Flying economy for that long is not my idea of fun though. Will either never be doing it again or working out how to fly business class!!!!
Started off my Moroccan holiday with British cous cous in-between my flights. (Had just over 4 hours at Heathrow.) I'm hoping there's better to come when I finally get to Marrakesh.
Met Ange and Aaron at terminal 2. Walked onto the plane with Arabian music, certainly put us in the mood for our holiday.
Had a 3 hour wait in Casablanc, what a bloody boring airport! Nothing, and I repeat nothing to do!!!! Bear in mind at this stage I had been up for close to 24 hours. Finally made it to Marrakech. After waiting for all the bags to appear guess who's wasn't there.......yes that's right mine, oh dear! Found the lost baggage area and low and behold it was sitting there quietly waiting for me. Thank goodness!!!!!! Had a driver to meet us at the airport which was bliss, from what we could tell driving in the dark we were in for a fantastic time! Driving through the streets towards our Riad/Hotel we realized a map wasn't going to help us! Its like a rabbit warren. Finally to hotel by 2.30am and straight to bed.
Saturday morning had breakfast in the hotel - mint tea, boiled egg with cumin :), Moroccan pancakes etc. Ange and I realized we will be doing a lot of purchasing on this trip as there are so many cool things in our Riad.
Walked out of the Riad and was pounced on by a local - I walk with you, no fee. We couldn't get rid of him and after awhile was inside a shop and in the completely opposite direction to where we wanted to be. We were told don't have to buy, just look, for free.
It is super hot here, not humid though, and there is dust for Africa!!!!
Marrakech is amazing - complete chaos with people, donkeys, cars, motorbikes and horses all sharing the small alleyways. Was fascinating just wandering around seeing everything from tailors, fruit/vege stores, bike shops, furniture shops, iron mongers, tanieys by the dozens, a man making chess pieces with a spinder and his feet. A lot of the shops we saw were local shops and if we hadn't been "pounced on" would probably not have seen. After exiting the shop we 'lost' our man (more like he took off as soon as we walked into the shop). We made our way back towards the riad then towards the souqs (there are countless alleys selling everything you could imagine from bags, shoes, small animals, dye to dye your clothes, carpets, silver, spices etc) Wow we could have spent all day wandering around here and brought so much! It was a hype of activity with so many amazing stalls.
Got stopped by quite a few people and every time was pointed in a different direction to the square - that way is closed. Shop is closed. Remarkable how everything is closed when clearly it isn't.
Saw a leather market with everyone selling their leather (to the locals). I'd seen this on TV a few weeks ago so great to run into it.
Exited the walled city (enter cars and buses along with all other modes of transport and it seemed no one obeying the traffic laws, reminds me of Cairo), managed to find an atm that was working then stopped for a cold drink. Loved just sitting and people watching. We had a tiny (slightly bigger than my BB) black kitten sit with us, very cute but I'm sure full on flea. Ange and I also had our first non-Western bathroom experience. Am hoping it won't happen every day.
Found our way to the main square (Djemaa el-Fna) - what a huge square this is. There are countless juice stalls selling freshly squeezed OJ, all costing the same so who knows how you decide which one to buy from; snake dancers; ladies to do henna on you; cafes/restaurants and countless shops all leading to the warren of lanes to the souqs.
The smells and noise are great, a shame you cannot capture them on camera.
Had lunch sitting outside (under cover) on the edge of a square. Fascinating to just sit and watch the locals and tourists go by. I was shocked to see store owners/workers washing their pavements, such a waste of water!
The heat got the better of us so we wandered back to our riad for some a/c :). Saw pig and cow trotters over a motorbike, there is no chance we will be eating them for dinner. Again got stopped a few times pointing us in the direction of the square and that the way we were going is closed.
Chilled in our room for awhile - birthday girl (Ange) had a power nap while Aaron and I did research on a restaurant for dinner.
Had delis mint tea and Moroccan pastries in our room (the Riad provides them everyday at 4pm) before chilling in the main room of the Riad chatting to the Riad manager over a can of local beer. He is a real character!!
When it came time for dinner, we managed to get 3 minutes down the road and found our restaurant guide, they obviously send them out to assist the tourists. We definitely needed him. Started off dinner with drinks on the terrace, lovely and relaxing. Views were of the roof top of other houses and the TV satellite dishes. Dinner was good, but not as flavourful as I'd expected. Ange and I tried the famous chicken, olive and lemon tajini which was good.
Our trusty restaurant guide was at the door when we left and escorted us back to the same corner we met him on. The alleyways were very busy, people coming and going in all directions. Back to our Riad for the a/c, we felt it was very hot when we left for dinner. Not long after we returned the power went off, apparently it was city wide. Went to bed by candlelight and blackberry (they give out great light!) Around 1.30am the power came back on again.
Sunday morning we were up nice and early, breakfast in the Riad before venturing out. We were fortunate not to have a guide hanging outside. Walked through the souqs, which were in the midst of setting up, to the Saadian Tombs. From here went to the Palais El-Badi. This would be have amazing in its hay day.
Wandered back to Djemaa el-Fna and had lunch sitting on a terrace (under cover) for lunch. The people, bike, donkey, horse watching was great! After enjoying a break from the blazing sun we set off to the Souqs. Due to the heat it felt like we were the only ones there, along with the shop owners. It seems most people (locals and tourists) escape for the heat of the day. It was great wandering around and looking at all the different shops. Stopped at one of the many spice/soap shops and had to literally smell all the spices and soaps in the shop!
We were then off and stopped at a shoe store where Aaron sold me for to the owner, for his shoe shop, so when you come to visit me in Marrakech I give you good price for shoes! Rather amusing!
Kept wandering through the souqs, back to our hotel. Chilled out for a few hours and even fell asleep - amazing how the heat is affecting us.
For dinner we went back to Djemaa el-Fna, what a different site this is by night. We noticed the number of females out in the evening is hundreds more than during the day. There are numerous food stalls that are here each evening serving a variety of food. Deciding which one to eat at was hard. Each stall had its "gatherers" whom were hilarious. A few mentioned Jamie Oliver and Hells kitchen and that there's was the best. Some even mentioned they had a/c which made us laugh as its all outdoors.
After dinner wandered around the square, stopped for hot cinnamon tea then made our way home. This proved a little tricky as the souqs were closing - a couple of the local boys had pleasure in informing us of this and tried to point us in what they thought was the right location. We just kept walking and made it home perfectly fine.
Monday started super early as we were heading to Essourica (on the Atlantic coast) for the day. Managed to get a taxi to the bus station, queued up and was told the bus was full. What a pain! We decided to try for the next bus and within a few minutes of standing in the line was told there maybe space......they definitely cater for the locals first. So on the bus we get, thankfully its a/c. Within 5 minutes of leaving we have the lovely Arabic music on. Its going to be a long 3.5 hour ride!
Along the way there were a few settlements but mainly it was very dry and baron land. At times we noticed the odd person and donkey or bike and was surprised at where they had appeared from.
Had a 20 minute stop along the way, arriving in Essourica 3 hours after leaving Marrakech.
Essouirca is a small seaside town that is very laid back and reminded me of Greece and other European seaside towns/villages. We had 6 hours to wander around the town, and thoroughly enjoyed the time.
We took the 5.30pm bus back to Marrakech which took just under 3 hours - this included being stopped by the police (I believe as the bus driver was speeding) and a cafe stop. Did some haggling to get a taxi back to the Riad (they wanted us to pay double what we had to get there this morning, I think not!), where we had an enormous amount of food for dinner. It was fantastic though! The cous cous was out of this world, puts my boxed cous cous to shame. We were all completely full at the end. Went for a walk around the block and took some night photos.
Tuesday morning we headed off in the direction of the tanniers - although we were told numerous times 'that way is closed' and had a few followers trying to assist us. Some are very persistent. The smell definitely wasn't as bad as I'd expected although to be fair we didn't get right in the middle of one where it would have been darn right awful.
Made our way back to the medina and did the walk out of the lonely planet. Stopped for a cold drink (it was another hot day although a little humid as well) on the terrace of Cafe Arabe.
I love seeing the fresh herbs being sold along the alleyways, a shame they don't do that in Hong Kong as I'd be buying herbs every day.
The streets this morning are chaos - bikes (push and motor), donkeys, hand pushed carts and people coming and going in all directions. Not to mention the numerous followers and unhelpful helpers. It really does get too much.
Wandered through the souqs, as it was very hot there wasn't that many people around which was wonderful and the store owners seemed to be sleeping so we were spared the numerous chat to get us into their stores. We all purchased something, although at times it was painful and I did wonder if we would be leaving with exactly the same as we arrived to Morocco with.
Back to the hotel for mint tea then taxi to the Majorelle Gardens. Such a tranquil place with bright blues, oranges and yellows - you definitely didn't feel like you were in Morocco when you entered.
We had a drink at the Riad by the newly painted but empty swimming pool before venturing to the souqs for our last minute buys. We were on a mission and too quick for the store owners to speak to us. If only we had done this from day 1!! Made our way to dinner, although were told numerous times that 'that way closed', 'big square this way', 'where you going'. Had a delicious dinner sitting on the terrace, a great way to end the day.
Wednesday morning we were woken by the birds again, no need for an alarm! Took a taxi to the airport, amazing how many people are up and around. Given the heat its not surprising though. Our flight left a 9.30am so it was an early start. Of course no need to go early as the airport wasn't exactly large.
Thankfully when we arrived in London our bags arrived straight away, a good end to an amazing time away!
Hope this finds everyone well and happy. Apologizes for the delay in sending this out, its been crazy since returning to HK!!! Next weekend I'm off to Xian in China to visit the Terracotta Warriors.
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