Sep 14, 2012 - Morocco

We are now in Casablanca ready to start our journey through Morocco. Casablanca is quite a dusty city full of crazy drivers and have discovered where old Mercedes end up after their used by date and that is as a taxi. We don't know any more at this stage and not sure whether we will have wi fi at other hotels on the wa. But if we do, we will do an update. So, wish us luck on this adventure.

Jun 4, 2012 - Morocco

Morocco - what a fascinating, different, colourful and vibrant country of  60 million.  60% of Moroccan's are of Berber origin,  about 40% are Arab.  Most speak  Arabic, and French as a second language as well as Berber.  The currency is dirham, 8.5 to the US $.  In Arabic we say Salam alekum (hello) and shukran (thank you). We have just completed a 15 day Intrepid Travel trip starting in Casablanca, and travelling in a circle to Meknes, Fes, Midelt, Erg Chebbi desert dunes, Todra Gorge, Ait Benhaddou, Imlil, Essaouira and Marrakech.  There...

Nov 20, 2011 - Marra to Casa

A travel day today. To Casablanca on the Marrakech Express. We went out for our last breakfast of crepe, jam, butter, bread, coffee, tea at a local coffee shop. Brian did the check-in for our flight on Monday. We packed and made our way to the train station in pouring rain. This is the first rainy day of our whole trip! We had bought 1st class tickets and had a comfortable 3 hour train ride back to Casablanca. We arrived in Casablanca at 2pm and took a taxi to our hotel with Khalid who had also traveled on the train. He starts the same...

Nov 14, 2011 - A full day in the Medina at Fez

Monday morning right at 08:00 Yousif's friend Mohammed was there to take me to the auction. We drove around the city outside the Medina and it is a very interesting city with buildings that are several hundred years old: It is also located on very "hilly" terrain so we were going up and down like on a mountain trip. We first visited the "Women's Coop Carpets Weaver". We saw the loom where the women do all the work on these intricate designs which takes almost two years to complete. Of course I was expected to purchase an expensive rug - you...

Nov 12, 2011 - Saturday in Casablanca

Saturday morning having breakfast in the hotel - incl. - At 10:00 sharp Khalid, my cab driver was at the door of the hotel. I had another view of the city and at 11:00 the tour of the mosque "Hassan II". It is an enormous complex and it was completed only 18 years ago. Of course it cost many billions but nothing is too good for Mohammed!!! It can hold 25000 people - men of course - in prayers and the hall is enormous; there is room for a few thousand women in upper "bleaches"! The tour leader was well informed and one learned a lot about...

Nov 6, 2011 - Captivating Casablanca Encapsuled

Throughout the night and this morning we heard a lone sheep down the street from our hotel bleating off and on. We were aware of the animal living out his/her last days somewhere tied up outside a house or apartment. We woke up to a bright morning and after a "typical" Moroccan breakfast we were picked up at 9.30am for our private tour to explore the 3rd largest Mosque in the world: The Hassan II here in Casablanca. The mosque was built by the current king's father and named after him. What an amazing building and as well as the huge...

Nov 5, 2011 - Casablanca; here we are!

Well, we have arrived!! We have been calculating how long we have been on the road (and in the air). It has been 21 hours of travelling and by now we have been up about 35 hours. To say that we are tired is an understatement! Our travels have been mostly smooth. Flying Air France has been a good experience - the food was good and they came around with second drinks. Waiting in the Charles De Gaulle airport for 4 hours was a drag, but we made the most of it and relaxed with something to drink and to eat! Driving into Casablanca from the...

Oct 7, 2011 - Safe arrival in Casa

EARLY morning arrival in Casablanca. The flight touched down around 05:45. It took awhile for the bags to be off-loaded, but my suitcase arrived, so I'm happy. The drive into town took about an hour or so. Since I arrived so early, the room at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers wasn't ready just yet. I was checked in by 10:15 though so that's not bad. Nap time before lunch and lots of water. I'm attending Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur services at Temple Beth El in Casablanca (not Charlotte!). It's Orthodox, so it should be interesting! I'm just going...

Jun 23, 2011 - Casablanca

Rick: If she can stand it, I can! Play it! I head out to the Hassan II Mosque, grabbing a red petit taxi, who as is standard practice picks up another fare on the way. As I approach the tower, the tallest of its kind in the world, I keep my eyes on it, and such is the size of the thing that I don't feel like I'm moving, like I'm on a treadill. To my left, a lighthouse looms out of the morning haze on the other side of the bay. After having a quick lookaround, I follow a determined tourist-looking couple and go down some steps to enter a...

Jun 22, 2011 - Everybody goes to Ricks

Narrator: ...then by train, or auto, or foot across the rim of Africa, to Casablanca in French Morocco Before walking to the station, quickly grab one last bit of wifi in the hostel and download a map of Casablanca, then leave. The streets, while not dead, are certainly a long way from alive, but I manage to grab a fresh pain au chocalat and a couple of small packets of biscuits for a dirham each - a pleasing parting memory of Essaouira, a town I have thoroughly enjoyed. As I leave the medina, a stiff sea breeze cools me as a goodbye, my...

Apr 16, 2011 - Casablanca

We walked all the way to the port and then to the Mosque Hassan II via all the digs, which in scale reminded me of the Big Dig in Boston, but you could see only a very few people working and using quite primitive equipment. The Mosque is huge, but rather new. It was paid for by the citizens through a special tax collection. In the afternoon we took a small taxi (50 Dirham) to move to the Swiss Hotel which was the tour starting point. This hotel was a lot better and in a better location, but it was quite far from the downtown. This part of...

Apr 3, 2011 - A day of rest and some rare rain

A day of rest. Saw the results of the world cup on the television, updated our journal and the wandered the streets. Unfortunately started to rain so returned to the comfort of our hotel. In the evening we meet some of our new tour members. Aussies, English and Irish. We buy some groceries for tomorrows train trip and have our first meal together. Another Tagine for me. Less spicy than I would have imagined.