Spoffords Travel

Day 12 October 26, 2024 Marrakech to Casablanca 164.5 miles

The drive to Casablanca takes about 3 hours. Most of the way is flat and very dry. Some farms with olive trees. We made one stop for the rest room. The scenery was nothing new or different.

Casablanca is a big city of about 4.5 million residents. Lots of industry and commerce. Very little of historical significance. It sits on the Atlantic Ocean and has a large seaport. A big cruise ship was in the port. Most of the city tour was done on the bus. Just as well since traffic was terrible. Many of the streets are narrow especially when buses are trying to pass in opposite directions. We did make a stop at the Lady of Lourdes Catholic Cathedral. Mass is held here on Sundays.

We drove by the main square. Preparations are underway for the marathon to be held tomorrow. Looks like it will be a big event.

Next was the Hassan II Mosque. This was a drive by only at this time. We returned after lunch to visit from the outside. No one in our group wanted to pay the extra 140 dar (1$14.00 USD) to go on the inside tour. This is no longer included because too many times it was closed when the tour arrived. The mosque is very large and took 7 years to complete.

We went to the ocean for restaurants for lunch. Lunch is on our own and there were several to choose from. Some had ocean views and some not. The shoreline is rocky along this portion. A lighthouse is visible in the distance as is the minaret of the mosque. We chose the nearby McDonald’s so we could use the restroom. Well its closed for renovations. The drive through however is open. So we walked up to the window and ordered. We set on a bench to eat it. The service like other restaurants was slow. A small hamburger meal and a small fish meal were a total of $9.00 USD.

After lunch we walked a little further down the way and then set on a bench and watched people. Lots of variety in age size and nationality. We were allowed two hours for lunch.

Then it was back to the mega mosque. Our guide got us further inside the complex to take pictures of the outside. This is the second tallest minaret in the world at 689 feet. It is the second largest mosque in Africa and the 14th largest in the world. The cost was estimated at 585 million euros. Funds came from the government, individuals, businesses, foreign countries and loans. 1400 men worked on it during the day and 1000 at night. A couple of us rode from the near the entrance to the mosque in a golf cart. Sure was better than the walk in the sun. We took pictures and then Rob and a few others rode the cart out so we could ride back.

Off to the hotel to relax before the farewell dinner. The bus came to pick us up again and take us to a very nice restaurant in another part of town. We had a wonderful meal with live music in the background. We had a glass of wine, stuffed seafood salad and fish or beef. Then dessert was fresh fruit and fancy desserts. We all had to waddle out.

Rob made the last souvenir purchase for this trip. A red Morocco hat from the bus driver.

Day 11 October 25, 2024 Marrakech to Essaouira and back 221 miles

This morning at breakfast they actually had bacon and deli ham. The signs posted in front of the items showed a picture of a pig. This is the first bacon of any kind that we have seen. Definitely shows the influence of tourism.

A smaller group of us departed this morning for Essaouira located on the Atlantic coast. This was an optional tour so not everyone went. It’s a three hour drive to get there. The terrain is a mix of farmland and desert. They raise grapes, olives, chickens, melons and Argan. We were told that goats sometimes climb the trees in this area. Rob was the only one to see a goat in a tree. Unfortunately he did not capture the image.

Two towns of interest on the way were the town name translated as Baby Chicken. Many chickens are raised in the area. The other is the site of a festival today. The farmers will be racing horses to celebrate the harvest. Many horses were in the town. We also saw a large truck load of hay.

Just before reaching the city we stopped at Marjana Cooperative. This is made up of about 80 women who produce products made from the seeds of the Argan trees. The farmers wait until the fruit falls from the trees because the limbs have sharp thorns on the ends. The fruit is gathered and then dried. Once dry the women begin their work. The first step is to separate the fruit from the seed. The seed at this stage is about the size and shape of a small almond. Then the shell must be broken to get to the actual seed which is much smaller and flat. Then it is ground to extract the oil. All of this is done by hand by women sitting on the floor. The oil is used in numerous cosmetics and a few food items. Very labor intensive which explains the cost.

Only a few minutes later we reached the city of Essaouira. The area has been inhabited for centuries. The port is one of the better ones on the coast because it is protected by an island just off the coast. The fortified city was designed and built in the 1760’s to be a merchant trading center. It was used by the Portuguese and went by the name of Magador for many years. The site was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. Portions of it were used to film the Game of Thrones. Numerous Spanish canons still line the ramparts. It’s often windy here so it makes for great parasailing and surfing. The sandy beach is appealing to just enjoy. Inside to walls is a busy place full of locals and tourists. Items made of silver are a main industry so we stopped at a silver shop. Naturally they do beautiful work. We bought a small silver pendant. We walked all through the walled city. There are also lots of artists trying to sell paintings. We walked through the city until about 1:00 pm and then returned to a seafood restaurant for lunch. Service was very slow so our free time was very limited. Rob and another one of our group returned to the spice market to buy cinnamon.

On the return trip there were far more people on the beach including several paragliders. They seemed gathered in one area so that must have been the strongest winds.

Rob computed the price of the low end gasoline to be $5.22 per gallon. No wonder there are so many small motorcycles.

The activity at the horse racing had increased significantly. Hundreds of people are headed for the arena. Even some horse and riders were headed that way. A canon was fired a few times for an unknown reason. Would have been fun to watch some of it.

When we got back to Marrakech the streets were packed. It’s their Sunday so lots were out enjoying the nice weather.

Day 10 October 24, 2024 Marrakech 13.7 miles

Today started cloudy but became only partly cloudy by mid morning. The breakfast this morning was better or we are becoming accustomed to the lack of flavor.

Our first stop on the city tour was at the Medina or old city. We entered through the gate of the Kasbah which surrounds the Medina. At one time everyone lived inside the Medina but now the city has grown significantly all around. The French did a lot of construction during their occupation of the country. They used concrete and rebar instead of of mud bricks. Our hotel was built by the French and is considered new construction at 100 years of age.

We walked through some of the streets to the tombs of ancient kings. On the way we passed several buildings damaged by the 2023 earthquake. Some of the damage has been repaired but not all of it. Inside the shrine is a lovely garden with mosaic tablets on the ground. These are graves of soldiers and servants of the kings. Some have marble pieces to designated someone of more importance. There are three main rooms. The first is the woman’s room. The mother of the first king and other wives are buried in this room. The next room was for the kings. It has marble pillars and gold on the ceiling. The third room is for the children. The marble came from Italy since Morocco doesn’t have any. They traded equal weight of sugar for the marble. Our guide said Morocco got the better deal because they still have the marble but the sugar is all gone. The gold on the ceiling was obtained by trading salt.

Then we walked through the Jewish quarter to the royal palace. The Jewish quarter used to be home to over 700 Jews but when Israel was created many of them left. Now there are less than 100. Two synagogues are still in use. The remainder have become houses. Lots of shopping activity. The streets here are large enough for cars and delivery trucks to pass so the streets are very busy and you must be very careful.

The royal palace is the only one open to the public. It is no longer in use by the royal family. It is considered one of the must see places in the country. Based on the number of people visiting today it certainly is. Lots of mosaics on the walls and the floors. The ceilings are beautifully painted with natural dyes. There are administrative rooms, wives rooms and harem rooms. The king had four wives and 24 concubines. Of course if a wife died he could marry another. He was a busy man. He had 500 children. Most likely the rooms would be cool if not for all the people inside. Some of the areas are under renovation from the earthquake so they could not be visited.

Back on the bus to go to the main minaret or mosque of the city. This is the tallest building in the city. No buildings in any city can be taller than their minaret. On top is a crane looking structure which points to Mecca. In this case it points East. Very near the minaret is the main square. So much going on! The square is large and paved. Lots of small shops and street vendors. Also snake charmers and monkey handlers. Lots of people, cars, trucks, donkey carts, motorcycles, tuk tuks and bicycles. Some of our group remained to shop and some of us returned to the hotel.

We relaxed until time to depart for our cooking class. We made chicken tagine with raisins, tomato salad and eggplant salad. The whole process was really interesting and the end result was delicious. We most likely will not be making this at home. You need a special pot and some spices most likely not found in Boise. Rob made the best rose out of a tomato peel in the group. That will probably not happen in Boise as well.

After the cooking class we returned to the hotel in one of the horse drawn carriages. They took us on a much longer ride than expected. It’s much cooler at night and more locals are out and about. The carriages go on the same roads as the cars. Everyone seems to make it work. Sure glad we aren’t trying to drive.We have seen the results of two vehicle wrecks and as anywhere in the world they were not pretty.

Day 9 October 23, 2024 Valley of Birds to Marrakech 197 miles

We both had a lousy night sleep so a nap on the bus already sounds like a good idea. We are up a little earlier this morning. Breakfast had lots of choices but nothing outstanding. The temperature is cool and looks like rain.

We drove about 1.5 hours to the first bathroom stop. Turns out they only had Asian style toilets. Connie was very glad she elected not to go. This section was relatively flat with mountains in the distance. Drove along several miles of continuous houses. They belonged to different villages but you could not tell one from another. Connie napped most of this drive.

We drove through the village of roses. They have a big festival every year celebrating roses. The whole town smells wonderful at that time. Lots of rose related products sold here. A statue of a vase of roses is at both ends of town.

A short drive took us to the Atlas Film Studio. We got a tour and explanation of how they could change sets to be whatever and wherever you needed to be. Amazing what they could do and how easily. Another movie was being filmed out a ways but we couldn’t go there. All very interesting.

Next stop was the fortified city. Connie and another lady opted to remain behind. When the others returned several said we made the correct choice. The “stairs” were made from pieces of rock stuck in dried mud. Uneven and irregular, well you get the idea. We had to buy our own lunch today. We split a skewer of chicken and that worked very well.

When we left the restaurant we could not believe how many tourist buses and vans were parked in the area. There was hardly room to walk between the vehicles. One man was trying to help direct traffic.

It’s two hours to the next stop. What a drive that was. We went over the mountain range again. The highest elevation was 7250 feet. The road twists and turns a lot. Some are serious switch backs. The road is in great condition but narrow. There is very little room for error. Lots of traffic too. Cars, buses and trucks are all sharing the road with a few street vendors. New construction is also underway so big equipment is along the side. At some time or other huge cuts in the mountain have been required. Many of those have cement ditches to help carry the water down the mountain. Another spot had a major landslide that they routed traffic around. Snow falls here in the winter making the road impossible to drive until the road is cleared.

We saw several large trucks carrying cattle somewhere. The cattle are up high in the truck bed and covered with netting to hold them in place. Sometimes it takes a little while to realize they are live cattle.

Villages are scattered all over the mountains. They are up little gullies that look like they could slide down any time. It did rain on us a little bit. All the locals were happy with that. Even with the rains over the last few weeks the rivers are very low.

We made one last restroom stop that was long enough to buy two magnum ice cream bars. They cost about $3.00 each.

On to Marrakech. The roads are getting wider and traffic is increasing. We arrived at the hotel with about an hour before departing for dinner. We are going to the home of a local family who will prepare the meal. The house was very large and modern. The food was delicious. The mother and three daughters all introduced themselves. All spoke English. Her brother-in-law was also there. He owns a restaurant in Mexico.

Day 8 October 22, 2024 Sahara Desert Region to Valley of the Birds 148 miles

We have a little bit earlier start this morning. Lots of activity as tour groups get ready to depart for wherever they are going today. The temperature is cool so a light jacket feels good.

The terrain is fairly flat and dry. Small villages are scattered here and there. The local lady’s dress has changed from black to white. The towns also seem newer. The architecture is a little different. After about an hour and a half we stop for a short break. The road is a narrow two lanes but not many pot holes. There are a few places where the road may have been washed away by the recent flash floods.

About another hour we stopped for lunch. Another thirty minutes we reached the highlight of the day. An incredible gorge with a small river running through it opened in front of us. The cliffs reach as high as 800 feet straight up. People are wading in the shallow river and two people are climbing one of the peaks. Lots of street vendors line the cliff side of the road. Not much room for all that goes on. Some construction was happening in one spot. A big shovel kept scooping dirt in a land carrier until it was full. Then cars could pass until the truck returned. No road flaggers involved. One time Connie looked down at passing traffic and saw a small truck carrying six donkeys go by. Didn’t get a picture unfortunately. All doors facing the street in this region are supposed to be painted green. Most were.

Another hour to the town where our hotel is located. We drove through town and to the nearby valley with a stop for pictures. The hotel sits on the hill above. When we arrived at the hotel we were greeted by singers and drummers. Based on the age it’s a job for seniors.

This is rated as a four star hotel. Our room is small with no place to sit and no place for the luggage. The bathroom is through a narrow door one foot above the room. We have a terrace but the step to get to it is another foot up and wide. The internet doesn’t work either. The decorations are unique.

Day 7 October 21, 2024 Sahara Desert and area 89.7 miles

It’s another beautiful sunny day. The temperature is moderate and a gentle breeze is blowing. We left our hotel at 9:00 am with a full agenda planned.

The first stop was at a fossil factory. They don’t actually make the fossils but they do make furniture and decor from the fossils they find in the mountains. They cut horizontal cuts in the mountain. Depending on how deep the slab is will determine the type of fossils. The area was an ocean 360-420 million years ago. Some of the cuts have no fossils and some have lots. They are surrounded by stone. The company then decides whether to make tables or decorative pieces. The process to clean and polish the stone is very labor intensive. The pieces are all very unique. We bought a small piece as a souvenir.

Next we drove to the town of Rozzini. Here instead of a Medina they have a Ksar. The Ksar is a smaller city. This one had less than 300 population. The houses are passed down from generation to generation. The streets are wider and there are no shops inside. They still have the five elements except they have a well rather than a fountain. Our guide was a blue man meaning he wore all blue clothing. He is part of the ethnic Berber group who are the nomadic people of the region. He had a delightful sense of humor. Many of the doors in the Ksar have a diamond shape. This is to keep out the evil eye. The people living here follow the Sunni Muslim faith. More of the women are dressed in the black headdress and long tunic. They follow the more traditional ways. The black is also a better color for the dust in the desert.

The walls of the Ksar are made of adobe which is big blocks of mud allowed to dry. The Ksar was built in the 18th century. The temperature inside was much cooler which is good since summer gets highs near 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

After touring the Ksar we went through the market. Blacksmiths were making lots of items. Everything from came saddles to windows. We stopped at one of the date shops. Dates come in the fruit, sugar, jam, and syrup. The seeds are roasted and ground for coffee. We bought a small package.

Now it is off the board the Toyota 4×4 vehicles for a drive to and through the Sahara Desert. We found several things to be surprising. There are roads but you can drive where ever you like. The ground has more rocks than sand in some places. More people live here. Many hotels are scattered over the area. At least one lake is in the area. The sand dunes change color as the daylight changes.

We drove for about 45 minutes to reach our lunch spot. Here we had flushable toilets and a large buffet lunch. The ground was covered with rugs. The ceiling was large pieces of cloth held up by poles. Since it was shady the temperature was pleasant. We had a long lunch period.

Back in the vehicles to continue the journey over dips, bumps, ruts and smooth sections. Sometimes we drove on deep sand which is much like snow. We arrived at another hotel where we relaxed for about 45 minutes.

Then off to meet the camels. Everyone in the group except Connie took the camels out on the dunes to watch the sunset. Connie watched from the hotel terrace. The trip back to the hotel went much faster. Today was one of our tour group’s birthday so the music group and wait staff brought out a cake and played loud music.

Day 6 October 20, 2024 Fes to near the Sahara Desert 234 miles

We left the hotel at 8:00 am this morning and arrived at our hotel at about 5:15 pm. The skies are clear but the temperature is cool. A light jacket feels good. We will be crossing some mountains today. One of those is the second tallest in Africa at over 13,000 feet.

Our first rest stop was in the town of Ifrane which is a very new town built in 1928. It looks very German and is a ski resort town. All the tour buses stop here but they can accommodate them all. Someone really knew what they were doing. The temperature was very pleasant even in the sun. Lots of shade trees and flowers. The winding roads weren’t bad. The highway was in good condition but somewhat narrow.

After the mountains we drove through a large area inhabited by nomads. Most now live in houses built with a mixture of clay and rocks. The roof however is plastic. They all have herds of goats and sheep plus a donkey or two. The sheep have brown heads and necks but white bodies. The goats come in lots of colors. The shepherd is accompanied by at least one dog. They spend the entire day out with the sheep. We didn’t see much vegetation for them to eat and no water. Never found out where they get the water. Must be wells somewhere. Surprisingly there was a flock of turkeys. Don’t know if they belonged to the nomads or were wild. We have seen turkey on the menu in restaurants. Also some of the “ham” is made from turkey.

Lunch was at a gas station obviously geared to the tourist trade. They had a large dining area and menus in English. Connie had local trout and Rob had a turkey taco. The fish was delicious and the taco not so much. No salsa to put on. They did have a hot pepper sauce that was supposedly very hot. Some of our group had camel meat that they said was similar to beef. At least it didn’t taste like chicken.

We stopped briefly at a turnout for the road where a group of monkeys come to get peanuts. Locals are more than willing to sell you a handful of peanuts. The monkeys weren’t aggressive so they must not be too hungry. The locals were selling other items and offering horse rides for a price. The horses were attired in native dress.

Just past this stop is a forest of cedar trees. Some of those are very large. With the amount of cedar in use in Fes we were surprised there were any trees left.

We finally came to the Zez River. Not much water in it but based on the size of the riverbed they have had more water. In one section they are replacing culverts to carry the heavy rains. The last two months have had more rain for which they are thankful.

Then we came to a reservoir created by a dam on the river. It is currently 70% full after being down to 37%. No activity on the lake. The area as a whole is very dry looking. Very few trees in this area.

We took an afternoon break at another gas station. This time we treated ourselves to a Magnum ice cream bar. The cost was roughly $3.50. Better than the $5.00 we have paid in other countries.

We made one final stop before the hotel at a scenic overlook of the largest oasis in Morocco. Lots of palm and date trees. A small village sits on one end. This area is known for its dates. The best in the country according to some sources.

The hotel is quite large with lots of tour groups. Luckily we got a ground floor room. Rob went to the terrace to watch the sunset which was nothing to write home about. Then it was off to a huge buffet dinner. Had fun hearing some travel stories from others in our group after supper.