Road Back to Casablanca
This morning we left about 8:15 to take the road that runs right next to the Atlantic. We have tried to collect a few road signs along the way. Very beachy from the beginning and then more rocky and industrial in Safi. Not just cars on our road. Industry around Safi, a city of 600,000…
Day in Essaouira
Our hotel is inside the Medina and this Medina is 18th century. It is not the spaghetti alleys of the other 12th and 16th century medinas. This one is layed out as a grid and much easier to get around. It opens at 10:00 and closes at sunset. The planning for this little city was…
Tagine Cooking and Road to Essaouira
We have not been to many cooking classes, but this one seemed like it would be a 5 star. Every station had their own supplies, screens to see the demonstration and the chefs included everyone in the process. Fatiha began by mixing ingredients to make bread, and everyone got to knead the dough before it…
Tnin Ourika Souk
Souk a Traditional Market About an hour outside of Marrakech is the area of Ourika. On Monday (Tnin) there is a huge market or souk. First we walked through the tools and animal section. Olive Oil and Spices and People Many did not want their pictures taken, so you had to be fast to snap…
Marrakech Mania
Bahia Palace The Bahia Palace was built for the guardian of the new 16 year old ruler of Morocco. The palace was completed in 1900, but the guardian died before he moved in. The palace is known for its painted ceilings and simple tiled flooring. Strolling the Medina Jadin Majorelle The home and botanical gardens…
Traveling to Marrakech
As we drive today there are many nurseries for olive trees and palm trees. They are irrigating and the soil is good, it just needs the water. They have an abundance of phosphorus for fertilizer. Approximately 59% in Morocco use the internet. I asked if they can use the library to get access and was…
Traveling to Ouarzazate
Khatarat Canals (Little Marrakech) Looking like giant prairie dog mounds, the Khatarat canals are a way to move water with gravity to arid areas of Morocco. The mounds are placed every 10 – 50 meters apart and are used to clean out the canal and for ventilation. These particular canals were dry, due to the…
Galavanting Around the Sahara
There are roads, kind of, but our driver will sometimes just jet off across the dunes or the varnish. The varnish is the black volcanic rock that covers parts of the sand. There are some fossils that can be found around those rocks. Next we went to the homes of the nomads. They are proud…
Sahara
The road to the Sahara changed continuously and was quite long from Fes. We moved from a rocky area, to trees of all kinds; Maple, Holm Oak, and Cedar even Palm trees. For lunch we stopped at a small restaurant with many fruit trees. Rad picked us some plums and figs and it was very…
Fes
The Medina First thing today, we went up the side of a hill that overlooked the Medina. Such a nice view of the area. A medina is the historic old city—typically a maze of narrow streets surrounded by walls, filled with souks, mosques, homes, workshops, and small businesses. The medina protected those in the city…
Rabat, Meknes, and Fes
Driving out of Casablanca this morning, we noticed traffic was at a stand still coming into the city. They are trying to make a truck lane with no passing to help with both the traffic and safety. The population of Casablanca is 2.6 million. They are tearing down most of the buildings on a 20…
Magical Casablanca
Months ago when we began planning this trip, I didn’t even know how to spell Morocco. We both are very excited to learn about the people and culture of this northern African country. Flying in this morning we laughed about how brown the area was around the airport. The wind hit us as we walked…
First African Visit
At the end of our Portugal tour we will jump from Lisbon to Morocco. A place sure to be an adventure, unlike any place else we have ever visited.
