Spoffords Travel

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.

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.