Vicy's Morocco Trip

Monday - The drive from Merzouga to Rissani, Tinerhir, Dades Gorge and Ourzazate

2007-12-29T13:25:00.000-08:00

In the morning we set off for a long drive at 8am. We headed for Dades Gorge, driving back through Rissani, through Erfoud, and Tinerhir. The drive was long, but there were many beautiful sites and views. After Dades Gorge and a nice rest and food, we headed to Ourzazate, where we found a decent hotel, and spent the evening shopping and eating!

Mohar - Owner of the Sahara Auberge - a fantastic host!

Me and Mohar
Rissani

A strange building

A rock
Moroccan clouds lol
If you look closely, you can see the Kasbah carved into the rocks in red.
The valley, on the way to Dades Gorge

Women washing on the banks of Dades Gorge

The start of Dades Gorge
Dades Gorge - Spectacular, photo does not do it justice (and couldn't fit it all in!)
The drive took hours, and hours, and hours.. but lots of desert shrub land to see!
Finally! View from top of hotel in Ourzazate

The next day (Sunday?)

2007-12-29T12:35:00.000-08:00

In the morning we got up at 5.30am to watch the sun rising over Algeria, was way too sore to climb up the huge dune again, so made do with a smaller one to sit on as it was freezing!

We trekked on the camels to the Sahara Auberge where we were staying. I was lovely to have a nap, sunbathe and have a swim in the pool. In the afternoon we went to the village to get some food, but it was pretty much a ghost town, nothing was open apart from a small amount of shops, selling not a lot.

We had a fabulous evening meal, where we also met a belgian guy called Jos, who has kindly offered to take me back to Marrakesh via some other destinations as he had a car on hire.

Back at the Auberge

View of the back garden
Camels getting ready to set off from camp
Sunset over Algeria The dunes turn red at sunrise

The back of the auberge

My camel - Justin (note the Justin Timberlake hair!)
Me and Justin (the camel)
Laughing Jamel
Merzouga village

Merzouga village (like a ghost town)
The pool at the Auberge
Sunbathing in the desert? hot hot hot!!
Back of the auberge, breakfast area

Berber Pizza! The night in the desert dunes

2007-12-29T11:40:00.001-08:00

Berbers dancing

Me doing an african war dance
Chris and Sayward doing a Ghana stance
Japanese girl - forgot her name
Crazy berber

Berber music, partying hard in the desert

Making the Berber Pizza - dough filled with grated carrots and mince with spices
Placing the pizza dough onto to the hot sand and ashes, and covering with more sand to cook it
Taking the now cooked pizza out of the sand
Slicing the Berber Pizza Maffia, the Berbers' kitten

Day 4 Merzouga/ Sahara Auberge

2007-12-29T10:53:00.000-08:00

Well, we started the camel trek into the desert about 3.30pm in the afternoon - allowing us to get to the camp in order to see the sunset. We trekked for a couple of hours, and finally got camp with sore asses lol. The camels were great, I called mine Justin, becasue he had Justin Timberlake hair!!

When we got to the camp, we climbed the tallest sand dune to watch the sunset. This was great, an amazing opportunity to stretch our muscles!

The sunset was beautiful. We could see over the Algerian borders. The desert is an amazing place - so peaceful and tranquil and silent. There is no noise, not even birds! The only sound you can hear is if to turn your head slightly so that your ears can pick up the quiet blowing of a slight wind. Shanti!!!

Anyway here are some pics of the trek on the way to camp, and the sunset.

Two of the best nights sleep I have ever had in my life were in this desrt!

Beautiful dunes - I have so many pics but only putting up a few!

Beautiful Dunes

Approaching our camp for the night

Sunset, the Algerian borders

Chris and Sayward chilling on the dunes

Feeling Tranquil

Sunset on the sand dunes

View from high Sand dune at sunset, over Morocco

Day 3/4 Marrakesh to Erfoud and Merzouga

2007-12-29T10:41:00.000-08:00

Had breakfast and fresh juice, and made my way to the bus stand. Bought my bus ticket to Erfoud, bus due to leave Marrakesh at 3.45pm, so spent time shopping, relaxing, eat sweet cakes and drinking coffee and tea.

The first bus broke down, so had to wait a while for the replacement bus, not overly excited about the 4 hour bus trip (memories from India keep coming back to haunt me!). Finally set off about 5.00pm

Made friends with a few people, a chinese couple, an american couple and a couple of Berbers, so made the journey a little more bearable. We finlly set off, I hadn't realised the trip was round the north of the atlas mountains, via Tamelelt, Bzou, Cascades d'Ouzat, Ouaouizarht, Kasba Tadla, Midelt (Ireached here 5am) then finally Er-Rachidia, then Erfoud.

I was knackered getting into Erfoud at 8am as the bus had broken again, delaying us even more. I should have stayed on, as everyone else was getting off at Rissani, but realised after the bus left - so got a taxi to Rissani.

Finally caught up with the American couple Chris and Sayward, and ended up travelling to Merzouga with them, and staying in the same guesthouse - Sahara Auberge.

Day 2 - Marrakesh

2007-12-29T09:01:00.000-08:00

Well, day two of Marrakesh! Today got up at 12.30pm, needed the sleep after all that travelling! Went for a long walk through the bazaars, getting lost in the souks and did some shopping. Plenty more mint tea drinking and coffee, and freshly squeezed orange juice.

Caught a taxi to the Mellah - the Jewish Quarters and had a good look around there. Saw the Palais El-Badi, a beautifully restored building and gardens. Walked through the narrow lanes and saw the the oldest Synagogue in Marrakesh. Then went to the Jewish Cemetery (Miarra) where there were hundreds of white tombs spreading out as far as the eye could see.

I then walked around the spice markets, where they sell things for culinary use, and the dark arts (old afrikaan blak majik), saw a lot of Mosques also.

In the evening after tea (Cous Cous and flat bread) I made my way to a local Hammam - a sort out baths/steam rooms.

Waaa!! Was not prepared for this! Was told to sit down on the floor (undressed), scrubbed all over with olive soap and a mit, then had buckets of luke warm water thrown over me. I was then scrubbed again from head to toe until I was bright red, then sploshed with buckets of water again. What an experience - that was called the massage... lol... not what I call a massage!

A sleeping view of the Palais El-Badi ha ha ha

Inside Palais El-Badi

Beautiful ornate ceilings in the Palais El-Badi

The entrance to Palais El-Badi

Not sure what this is, but was painted on the walls in the Mellah

An extremely long alley way in the Jewish Mellah, went on for ever! Reminded me of the Labyrinth!

The Jewish Cemetery (Miarra) in the Mellah

The spices stalls - how do they get them like that!?

The mosque at the main square

The Main Square

Choices of kebabs at the food stalls

The food stalls in the medina at night - yum! Where they rip you off and add extras onto your food bill, like bread, sauces etc. Lovely food though - and cheap.

The main street at night Medina

Marrakech

2007-12-29T08:06:00.000-08:00

After arriving in Marrakech in the morning, I caught a taxi to the medina. Managed to find a hotel for 80DH a night - pleasant room in a riad with shared bathroom etc, was beautiful there! Spent the day walking around the medina, Djenaa el fna, and the souks. Tried the local soup (Harim) and tangine with dates - yum!

Spent the evening drinking cinnamon tea with locals, watching the music and activities on Djenaa El Fna, spiced cake and icecream :)

Had an early night, very tired after being awake all night! Here are some pics of my first day.

View of Djena El Fna at night

Entrance to Mosque in the souks

Olive Stalls in the Medina

Snake Charmers in Djena El Fna

The Koutoubia Minaret

Mint Tea

A Date Stall in the Medina

Flying in to Marrakech

2007-12-11T13:33:00.001-08:00

Pictures from Marrakesh

2007-11-08T08:54:00.000-08:00

NB Connection is crap will upload all photos when i get home sorry

My First 2 Days

2007-11-08T08:46:00.000-08:00

Im in Morocco safely, but these keyboards take some getting used to as all the keys are shuffled around lol.

Got into Marrakesh at about 9am yesterday, and got a taxi straight to the Medina where I have found a nice hotel staying here for 2 nights.

Had a good walk around the souks and bazaars, triued out the tangines and local soups, mint and cinnamon teas and been hassled lots. People here are friendly, but I have found a few problems with men being generally rude and everyone speaks french or arabic... hardly anyone speaks English, so Im blagging my way through :]

Anyway here are some pics of the flying over the Sahara which was amazing, and of Marrakesh, the medina etc will type more when I get home as these keyboards are well confusing; chat soon ça va bien

2007-11-05T13:37:00.001-08:00

Hi!

2007-11-05T13:30:00.000-08:00

Well - I have set up another blog, just incase anyone is not on facebook or travbuddy.com to see my pics! Will be updating shortly on Morocco with all the pics and experiences!! -x-