Spoffords Travel

Day 5 October 19, 2024 Fes 11.5 miles

The shower in our room was one of the worst ever. It was in a really tall tub that was difficult to climb over and lacked adequate doors to keep the water off the floor. This is a Marriott Hotel which should have been better.

We went to breakfast which was in a room very far from our hotel room. This is a very large complex and there is no map. There should have been a shorter distance to the breakfast room but we didn’t find it. Breakfast foods were spread out on three tables each in a different portion of the cafe. Connie wasn’t impressed with breakfast either. Not a fan of this hotel.

We met at the bus at 8:45 to begin our day’s tour of the Medina (old city) and the Jewish quarter. The morning is very cloudy and cool. No rain fell all day and the sun eventually came out.

The Medina is supposed to be pedestrian only traffic with the exception of the donkeys used to carry trash out of the Medina. We did see a couple of these donkeys and a couple of motorcycles which could be in big trouble if the police caught them. There were many single person hand carts that are used to move just about anything though out the small old city.

Each community within the Medina has five parts: a fountain, public bath, school, religious building and community bakery. The community bakery is where a family member brings dough to the bakery where it is baked in a wood oven. At a later time a family member comes to pick up the baked bread.

Lots of shops are open for business. We saw lots of spices and food items. Many of the sweets are made at home and then brought to the shop. One business was selling fresh camel meat. Other shops sold beef jerky, Fez hats, clothing, lamps, copper pots, wood decorations, honey cakes, leather products and too many other items to mention.

We saw the oldest university in the world, an old hotel that accommodated trades people, a carpet shop, and a leather tannery. We ate lunch in someone’s house. Food choices were similar to yesterday but not quite as good. Connie had the lemon chicken again but there was not enough sauce and the breast meat was dry. Rob had beef and vegetable couscous. It looked better.

The carpet stop allowed us time to sit down. That felt good since we had been going up and down steps and inclines and declines. The alleyways are often barely one person wide. People are going both directions and then throw in some carts and donkeys. Most merchants aren’t overly pushy.

We also saw the shrine to the city founder. We could not enter the facility because we weren’t Muslim. A couple of Frenchmen were going in but our guide told them they were not allowed. We could take a picture from one door.

After lunch was the tannery. Connie stayed on the ground level rather than climbing the 35-45 very steep, uneven, with no hand rail steps. The waiting room had lots and lots of leather products for sale. They had enough pairs of shoes to shoe an entire army. A few purchases were made here by members of our group.

Then we drove a short distance to the Jewish quarter. Where the group continued to walk. Jewish people were protected by the Muslins during WWII. Connie and another lady stayed on the bus.

We got back to the hotel about 4:30. Our room had not been cleaned and it was cold. Housekeeping came about 5:00 but we only took more bottled water and fresh towels. Never figured out the heat.

Day 4 October 18, 2024 Rabat to Fez 175 miles

Today we are taking the bus to Fez by way of a Roman city sight. The journey will take most of the day. The temperature is cool but the skies are blue. The terrain includes some hills. The country has been in a drought situation for several years so everything is brown. They have had rain the past couple of months so everyone is hopeful.

Many of the communication towers have stork nests. They must be large because they are easily visible from the ground. Olive trees are everywhere. Some of them are indigenes and some are imports from Spain. At one time the government was giving away olive trees. Farmers and craftsmen don’t pay taxes. This is so they will continue doing what they do.

After about 1.5 hours we stopped for a break at a fuel stop. Everyone had an opportunity to use the rest room and buy snacks. In about another 1.5 hours we were in Meknes. This was the capital of Morocco at one time. Cities definitely have lots of traffic. We had lunch here. We had vegetable soup which was some kind of puréed vegetables. It had no flavor. Then we had tagine. Everyone had a choice of chicken with preserved lemon or beef and vegetable. Dessert was fresh fruit. In the courtyard you could try mint tea and a cookie. The cookie also had no flavor.

The Roman ruins of Volubilis. This was likely the capital of the area. Unfortunately it was badly destroyed by an earthquake originating in Portugal in 1745. Excavation work continues. It was not an easy walk. It was mainly just several dusty and rough trails through the large ruins. Some beautiful mosaics were visible. Some archaeological digs are in progress. The guide pointed out the remains of a Roman whore house with an underground tunnel connecting it to the library. Some things we will never know the full story.

A carob tree was on the path to the ruins. This is a remarkable plant. The seeds weigh the same wet or dry. They have many uses. They are a substitute for chocolate. The Romans used them to measure gold and precious stones. One carob seed equals one carat of a precious stone. And the length of the seed is used to measure the size of your shoe as in a size 45 is 45 carob seeds,

Then on to Fez which was another former capital of Morocco. The land between is mostly agricultural. Lots of fruit trees and vegetables. Also lots of small herds of sheep. Some farmers use tractors but some still use horses or mules.

We drove up on a hill in Fez to overlook the old city. The old part is surprisingly large. Then finally to the hotel. We arrived about 6:00 pm. The hotel is located a long walk from most shops and restaurants. We walked to a small supermarket to buy something for dinner.

Day 3 October 17, 2024 Rabat Morocco

Today is a tour of the city. We started with the Royal Palace. Morocco is a constitutional monarchy. The people vote for government officials every five years. Then the king selects a prime minister to match the voting. The Royal Palace includes several government buildings as well as a royal school and living quarters. The king is not always at this residence. Today however he is present because the water fountains are on. The flag has no significance to his presence or absence. Representatives of all branches of the military are present at the entrances to the living quarters and administrative offices. We were allowed to get only so close to the building. The crown prince is studying law and economics at one of the universities. The grounds throughout the complex are well cared for as one would expect. The larger trees are sculpted round like marshmallows on a stick. A large number of storks live here most of the year. They are considered good luck.

Then we drove to the Kasbah. What an interesting history. One of the Mission Impossible movies used one of the staircases for Tom Cruise to ride a motorcycle down turn the corner and magically be in Marrakech. Much further back it was used by legal pirates called Corsairs. These were sanctioned by the government and attacked merchant ships belonging to Christian countries. They kept this prime location for 10% of their take. The regime ended and the new government ousted the corsairs and brought in a Moroccan tribe to live in the Kasbah. Their descendants still live here. Part of the Kasbah is a beautiful garden built in the Andalusian style. A small museum is also housed here. It contains jewelry and clothing. Both can be very ornate. The Kasbah sits where the river meets the ocean. Across the river is the town of Sale. Houses in the Kasbah sell for anywhere from $300,000 to $2,000,000 depending on size and location. Many are used for air BnB to help pay the mortgage. About 700 people live here. Many of the views are incredible.

On the drive to the Kasbah we could see the large rocket shaped building under construction. It will hold offices, apartments, and hotels. Not far from there is the opera house. It is in the shape of a cobra’s head. Then along the river are all of the maritime activities. Lots of fishing boats. They go out early in the morning and are already back in dock.

Our last stop is the Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V. The Hassan Tower was to be the tallest building in Africa. Unfortunately the builders were forced out of power so the tower was never completed. The mosque to accompany it was destroyed in an earthquake. The Mausoleum was open today which evidently is not always the case. Royal guards are posted at the entrances of the Mausoleum. Additionally guards on horseback are standing at entrances to the grounds. Each stands guard for 90 minutes. The horses and guards looked very bored.

Then it was back to the hotel with a free rest of the day. We walked about a block to a complex of restaurants and had a cheeseburger and chicken burger. Both were cheaper than home. Rob went for extra water and laundry soap on our way back. It appears that most of the population in this area of the country drink bottled water. The afternoon gave us time for a nap and to do this writing.

Day 1-2 October 15-16, 2024 Boise Idaho to Rabat Morocco too many miles

We got up at 4:30 to prepare for flights to Casablanca Morocco. We took the long route by flying to Los Angeles, then to JFK in New York, then to Paris and finally to Casablanca in Morocco. But there’s more. We then took a mini van for a 1.5 hour drive to Rabat. We got to our hotel room about 6 pm. The welcome meeting was at 7:00 followed by dinner. We were both ready for an early bed time. There is also a 7 hour time time zone difference to help with the sleep deprivation.

When we got to Casablanca a Gate One representative met us outside the airport. We were eventually joined by two other travelers in our same tour group. Two other travelers were there also but they were part of another Gate One tour.

We were eventually met by a minivan driver who took us to the hotel. The roads traveled were in great shape. Most of the way was on a toll road. There were several roundabouts with lots of cars and trucks. Everyone seems to know what to do thankfully. The terrain is mostly flat with very little vegetation. When we got closer to the ocean, huge apartment complexes appeared. Rabat sits on the Atlantic Ocean.

When we got to the city we observed that the men all dressed European and the women wore a variety of clothing. Some were in a traditional dress with head cover. No face covering however. Some wore European clothing with a head covering and some wore European clothing. The country is predominantly Muslim but they are either more liberal or not practicing.

Cars are small and traffic was very congested. Lanes are an optional use. They do drive on the right side. The semis only have one trailer. Didn’t see any horse drawn vehicles today. The population of Rabat is nearly 2 million.

Day 16 September 28, 2024 Gettysburg to Philadelphia 136 miles

We had very noisy neighbors last night. We had to go out twice to ask them to be quiet. The second time was at 12:30. They did finally go inside.

A gentle rain was falling when we left. Several of the folks going more south were concerned about the weather affected by the hurricane. We had rain off and on but not too serious. The fog was worse. It was really thick for awhile. Luckily it left when we came to the area where we saw all the Amish buggies. We have seen more than twenty buggies. Some had roofs, some were more enclosed. Far more men than women. We didn’t get good pictures of them. Too many rain drops.

A minor accident of some kind occurred on one of the roads. At least three cars were involved. They were completely off the road on grass. A fire truck and police cars were on the scene. The ambulance left just before we arrived but they weren’t in a hurry.

We stopped for lunch at what we thought was a small diner. Turned out to be a small food court. We did get lucky with a parking spot just across the street. We decided on Canadian bacon and pineapple pizza. Not really all that good. We have been spoiled by Flying Pie pizza in Boise.

The last 30 miles took us nearly two hours. We did arrive at the storage unit in time to get our spot. Rob got the car in without too much trouble. Another customer was so excited to see the car. He looked all around it. Then we went out and ordered an Uber to take us to the hotel. We were set to go when Rob noticed he didn’t have his phone. He returned to the car but no phone. Turns out another customer found it on the road and turned it into the office. Boy were we lucky on that one. This was Rob’s first missing phone event.

The traffic in Philadelphia is terrible. All the lights are backed up at least a block. Then to make matters worse people run red lights. We saw at least three enter the intersection on full red and the other light was green. They sometimes don’t even try to speed up. If they don’t speed up they drive extremely fast.

The hotel is not far from the storage unit. We will need to go to bed early because we have to get up early. The flight boards at about 6:30 in the morning. Nite all.

Day 15 September 27, 2024 Gettysburg 120 miles

Hoorah the car started on the first try today. Connie wasn’t fully ready to go. Normally it has taken more time to get going.

Today was tour metal bridges day. The weather was drizzle which meant intermittent wiper would have been really nice. The Woodie wiper has one speed and is either on or off. The clouds are hanging low but still above the bridges.

We drove over 10 different metal bridges and one of them twice. These are historically significant. Most were built prior to 1920. Two are on the National Register of Historic Places. One of the bridges was blown off its embankment with hurricane Fran. They used a crane to lift it back on its embankment and then made repairs. We also crossed through one of the covered bridges we missed the other day.

During the drive we saw three roadkill deer. It must have been a bad night for the deer. Don’t know what happens to the carcasses.

We were among the last to arrive for coffee break. We still managed to get a few goodies and a cup of coffee.

The car did start to overheat once. It has a leak in the radiator that must be getting bigger. Rob added more antifreeze and the engine cooled right down.

Lunch was at a large buffet restaurant. We had our own room so it worked very well. They also had a large parking lot. This is obviously a popular place.

After lunch several optional sights were given but we didn’t visit any of them. One of the Model T Fords had some tire problems and Rob helped with our tire pump. Then in the evening was the closing banquet. Once again we were recognized for driving our car the furthest to get to the tour. (2,636 miles)

Day 14 September 26, 2024 Gettysburg 141 miles

We left our hotel at about 0730. The weather stayed reasonably dry today. It did rain overnight and Woodie’s engine was wet. Therefore it didn’t want to start. Rob wiped everything dry and sprayed it with Wire Dryer. Then the car started right away. We still have a small leak in the radiator so Rob had to add about 1/2 gallon of antifreeze.

We are headed to the Antietam Battlefield which is located in Maryland. The trip down was on narrow one lane roads with lots of hills and curves. Rob really got a work out with the driving. We didn’t know there could be so many backroads. All these backroads had houses scattered along the way. Some of the driveways go steeply upward and some go steeply downward. I would hate to drive any of these roads in snowy weather. We go in and out of forest areas. Some houses are old and some are new. Some are small and some are very large. We also went through many small communities. We are definitely not in the city.

Coffee break was at a Lutheran church. Unfortunately they ran out of coffee. We were late in arriving at the location so we didn’t have time to view their quilts. A quilter’s nightmare.

When we arrived at the Antietam Battlefield we had to park in the overflow lot. The National Parks pass worked here. We watched a 30 minute movie about the battle. That sure helps when you drive through the area. We were able to spot several of the areas described in the movie. Just like Gettysburg the area is very large. The terrain here is more rolling hills rather than low and high areas.

The drive to the lunch location was challenging to us. The directions on how to exit didn’t seem to match the roads we were seeing. Then we saw several other cars and decided to follow them. That worked for a ways but the road combined with their speed we soon lost them. The road kept getting smaller and the lines have disappeared. We must be lost. We started to turn around when another car came up and said we were going the right way. Well we did make it to the lunch location and enjoyed a sack lunch.

On the same grounds were two small museums. One contained farm equipment and the other cars and bicycles. Both were interesting.

More narrow roads, curves and hills to the afternoon break. That was a creamery with locally made ice cream. The break felt good. The ice cream wasn’t too bad either.

The remainder of the drive wasn’t quite as challenging but we didn’t get back to the host hotel until 5:30. We checked to see if we won any of the baskets which we did not. Our donation went to a good cause.