September 29 Fes Morocco

I took it easy this morning. Did some arranging for getting to desert and a bought a bus ticket. Not that I really want an overnight bus, but they assure me that it is comfortable. This seems to be the only way other than paying a fortune to have a private driver.

I wanted to see the Bou Inania Medrassa, a school. I stopped at one place and asked a guy at the door if this was the medrassa, he said yes.

So I went in, but there were sounds of a kids playground. Yes it was a medrassa, a school, a real school. So asked a lady inside where to go for the right medrassa. She sent me off in the right direction. This was very nice, with a large court yard and the usual rooms around the outside. It is still an active mosque. You are only allowed in the main court yard and 1 of the rooms. The wood work on the roof and the huge doors is amazing, as is the all the tile work.

I stopped for lunch and then I headed off to see one of the gates recommended by a couple I spoke to at the map yesterday. But I turned to soon, got lost, but then found! The usual story. I ended up at Place Rcif, which I wanted to see anyway. It has a gate as well. I will try again to find the other gate. It took me about 1 hour to get there but a good walk, only about 30 minutes coming back and that includes going by the same shop a few times, yes going in circles. So easy to do in the medina!

I think maybe it is better to just wander as it seems I find places anyway. On the way back I wanted to check out the water clock. It was shown on the travel agent's tv. So I had googled it , and found that is was right across the street from the medrassa, the right one. So stopped by. Apparently, brass bowls were hung in the windows that would chime when it was time for prayers. The wood was something but did not see any brass bowls. And I did find this one right away!

Then off for coffee. Very relaxing.

Thunderstorm hit late in afternoon with some rain. It smells great and has cooled everything right down. It was cool this morning as well.

Went out for dinner to a roof top terrace near the Bab Boujloud. Great views but they had the plastic sheets down to keep the wind and rain out. Still very nice. The bonus was that there were 5 guys there having a bit of a jam session. Free live entertainment! I got a bit of a smile and a thank you when I clapped! They were actually pretty good, even if I did not understand the words or know the music.


September 28 Fes Morocco

I caught the 11.30 train to Fes. It was an easy 25 minute walk to station, this time the main station. The trip was only about 30 minutes, and this time there was one other guy in the car, and in the same compartment. Turns out he is a university student studying marketing. His English was very gs he has studied it in school, university and also privately by my understanding.

Taxi to hotel as it was too far to walk. The hotel is just on the edge of the medina! Too much shopping in small very narrow street with shops that have stuff flowing over into the street. Amazing. A shopper's paradise! But that is not me. Good thing most of them understand 'no shopping'!

Stopped by a travel company but they only have private tours or will arrange for a group of people. Too expensive on my own to get to desert. But they and of course the hotel will arrange by public bus.

hotel in Fes

I found the Bab Boujoud (Blue Gate) and a map at the same time. Seems there are not any other maps around! A nice Moroccan couple helped out. There is coloured routes that you can take cultural, shopping or gardens, just follow the coloured signs. Found a few signs but I think some of them are above the awnings put up by the shop keepers. It was raining today so maybe easier tomorrow. Even without shopping the medina is a fascinating place. One kid talked to me for a bit, and assured me he was just helping, no money! I guess that is the way many operate.

This guy was actually surfing on the roof for a bit.

Walked towards the Borj Nord, for a good look out over the medina but on the way met a couple from Poland that had just arrived. They had just finished a driving tour and said the country is amazing. The people are very friendly which is what I am finding. I got lost along the way so I stopped at a small shop, he did not know the way but went and asked an older guy, who pointed me in the right direction. Just one example of the people. IT was a nice view.

Had dinner at a little place just down the street. Apparently family owned and run. Brothers coax people in and wait tables, mother and sister cook and father cooks and fetches food needed. Excellent meal. Kebab (really meatballs) in a tomato sauce cooked in a tagine. But of course you get great bread and olives to start.

Off for a short walk through another part of medina, but being very careful not to get lost, it is easy to do. I ended up following a horse and cart up the narrow street. The guy was collecting all the green garbage from the various shops.

Enough for 1 day!

September 27 Meknes Morocco

Bab Monsour

A slower start to the day. No big plans.
Headed up the street towards the Bab Monsour. Wow it is not really that far when do not take the scenic route. I found the Prison de Kara, the underground prison for 30,000 prisoners, but made from the tunnels dug in the 18 th century. An amazing structure underground supported by several very large arches. At one point there was 7 km of tunnels which are now closed. Not sure 7 or 30 km, either way it is really something. Not much there but still interesting. The vents/skylights at the ground level really do make a difference for the light in the prison.

Then up the street to Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, built in 1703. This is a beautiful building with several rooms before you actually get to Ismail's tomb. Beautiful mosaics and ceilings. There are 4 tombs in the centre of the room and seem to be 4 tall grandfather clocks in each corner as well. There is no guide here so not sure.
The whole area is very quiet. I only saw 1 group.

I had lunch in the square across from the gate. Very good kabab with a salad. Great as I could also watch the people go by and the goings on in the market. Lots of pottery shops with a huge range of goods. Also in the middle was a guy with 2 monkeys. I was told there was a snake charmer here but did not see him.
Relaxed for the rest of the afternoon by the pool. Life is tough!


September 26 Meknes Morocco

I checked at hotel desk about any tour groups/company going to Volubilis but they only had an 'arrangement' with a taxi driver for 400 dirham. Seemed a bit expensive so I headed to the shared taxi stand. But as it was a tourist place no shared taxi. I ended up in a taxi for 300 dirham, the drive out, he would wait for 2 hours and drive me back. A bit of a saving. I could have saved more by taking bus but was not up to that challenge. Also on the drive out and back I noticed that all the buses were standing room only and packed!

Volubilis is a Roman ruins site about 40 or 50 km out of Meknes (it depends on what web site you look at). The drive out was very nice through a valley of farm land and olive trees.

This site was started in the 1st century AD, and occupied for 1000 years. Amazing length of time considering the Romans lost their control much earlier. This is an amazing site, 42 hectares and you can only see half of it! I ended up with a guide for about 1 1/2 hours of the 2 hours I had. He showed me several of the main places. It is well worth googling it as the pictures I took do not do the place justice. The number of intact mosaics is more than I have ever seen.

The site is something else. Orpheus, Hercules, Medusa houses, arches, main streets, ham mams, public clothes washing spot and of course a brothel! There is just too much to describe. I spent as much time as possible wandering around. I took lots of pictures of the mosaics. Another amazing thing is the entry was 10 dirham, $1.30.

I dropped backpack off at hotel and decided that I should check out the palace area. Walking for a bit and found the palace walls. There seemed to be an exterior and interior wall. I walked between.

I stopped to take a picture of one of the gates. I got stopped by the military, he wanted to see my pictures. Apparently I could not take pictures of guards so I had to delete some, but he did take me back to the gate and let me take another picture. Walked more and found a huge old building. For 10 more dirham I went in. A huge place with many many arches. They have reconstructed the roof over only about half. Turns out this is the Royal Stable. Nothing really but the arches, but still very interesting. This was next door to what looked like a parade ground. There is also a large pond near by. These are are all Royal, part of the palace complex. Very nice. I had to ask many times to get to the next place, but after 30 minutes of walking, I found it. Bab Monsour (Bab is gate) is a huge gate that is very intricately decorated. I could not go inside.

I headed back to hotel, it had been a couple of hours. Got a bit lost in the old city but ended up on the street I was on the night before. I stopped to have a coffee at a place that overlooks the main street into the medina. I ended up there for about 1 hour! I was talking to this older man about Morocco and Meknes. It was very interesting. He said there is a lot of unemployment in the city, but the unemployed are the local people. He says there is many jobs but they are being taken by people moving into the city. Sounds very familiar! His English was pretty good but he got tripped up on a few words but we figured it out. What a great way to spend some time. He said I had to make sure to see the underground prison. I will definitely check it out tomorrow. He said there was about 30 km of underground tunnels, not sure what they were used for but they were then used as a prison.

Back to hotel and spent a couple of hours by the pool. Great day. For a city that I just about passed over, I am glad I decided to stop. Lots of different things to see.

September 25 Meknes Morocco

Off to the train station for the 10.30 am train. I walked, only about 25 minutes. The train was about 10 minutes late. I bought a 1st class ticket thinking that it would be busy and that I would like more room, well I had lots of room...... there was 3 people in the whole car! I had a compartment to myself for most of the trip. One guy joined me for about 10 minutes. Just long enough to tell me that he was a tour driver with his own vans, give me his number and made a recommendation for a hotel in Fes. Too funny!

The trip was interesting. Past by all kinds of land types. Rolling hills, flat farmland, some salt terraces (I think), irrigated corn, melon and orange trees, olive trees and even a forest of what looked like gum trees.
It was good to see the Atlantic Ocean. That was the second stop. A small town, Assilaa, not far from Tangier. This town seems to have many hotel/condo/houses that have been started but not finished.

But this is not the only place this has shown up. I am not sure if they got caught by the financial crisis in 2008, it seems they may have. The first stop was about 5 minutes from the main train station! Many of the towns were fairly small. The car I was in was the end of the train and most stops there was not even a platform to the last 2 cars!

The trip was 4 hours and went by fairly fast.

Many of the lived in houses I have seen in Morocco are extremely well looked after. As are the yards or space around, but that can not be said about any of the public or open areas. Way to much garbage around!

Arrived and got off the train, only to find out I was at a different station than I had originally planned! This time asking 3 times, gave me the same answer, but not the right one! Too funny. As it turned out it was a bit closer to the hotel than the city centre station. Saved a few steps. Found the hotel no problem. Spent a couple of hours out by the pool, then a quick shower and out to explore the area. I did not see it when i arrived, but next door to hotel is McD and Pizza Hut! Too funny! It is about 7.30 pm, Friday night, the night after the festival and the streets, McD, the park are packed. Even more so that Tangier! Amazing. And no one is eating, all just drinking coffee or tea! I have to figure out when they eat.

I stopped in one cafe, no food, not on Wednesday, he said.... it is Friday! He was very pleasant about it. So I will have to keep trying to figure it out.


September 24 Tangier Morocco

Well today is the feast day for the Islamic world. And interesting that in some of the empty lots there were sheep being roasted in wood fires. The wood seemed to be wood just gathered from where ever. ever.

All very quiet in the city centre until about 2 pm. No shops open and I could only find a couple of coffee shops open. And considering there are 3 or 4 in each block that is something. There is hardly a car on the road or people walking the street. Eerie! But once night fell, then everyone is out, and seem to be dressed in their best clothes. 

Many of the coffee shops are now open and packed! And the traffic is heavier than any other day! Must be the thing to do, cruise along the main street, by car and by foot.

Went to the beach today. Very few people there. A huge wide beach with nice sand but a fair bit of garbage around. Walked the length of the beach and actually found a Mcd's open. Went in and had a Mcflurry. Ok, not great. Fake Twix if you can imagine. Then tried the coffee. Ok, but certainly better coffee in the small shops but would be ok if all I could find was instant! I am such a coffee snob!

Dinner was a pizza at a place just down the street and then for a bit of a walk. Cars on the street and people walking the sidewalk. It is packed as well. Stopped in the cafe across from hotel. Not a table to be found outside but got one inside. I have started to enjoy the mint tea. It is very good, even if they keep adding sugar.
A fairly lazy day.

September 23 Tangier Morocco

I took a tour of the old city, medina and the fortress, kasbah, today. The tour started at 9.30 am so I had to get moving a bit faster than the last few days. The area is actually very close to my hotel. We walked by an old hotel which apparently was used by writers artists and spies during WWII. Then into the walled city. There are several gates. The tour went into a lower level where there was a daily market. Chicken, vegetables, mutton, fish were all for sale.

There were also specialty stores for olives. Huge displays of different kinds. The olives actually are in barrels that must be 45 gallons! Then into the old part of the city, No cars, just very narrow streets that go up and down the hill. It is really something. The doors are all painted in different colours, some of which are very fancy. Stopped briefly at the bakery. Here a guy was working in a pit, baking bread that people bring to have made. They have their own ovens but this oven is wood fired and they want the flavour given by the wood fired oven. It was very hot.

The streets were a maze and we seemed to be walking in circles. It was a pretty good tour that last about 2 hours but that included at a stop at a "workshop". No one making carpets but the sales pitch was pretty hard. They had knotted ones but also the berber made "paintings" were quite nice. I did not buy. Also stopped in front of the tomb of Ibn Battouta a very well known Muslim writer and traveler of the 1300s.
Went to train station to get ticket for Friday. Not a very big place but was fairly busy. Only a 30 minute walk from hotel.

Lunch and then back to hotel. But once again a few sheep being lead around or driven in the back of the motorbike type trucks.

Many shops and restaurants are closed today and some for the rest of the week for the Islamic festival. Tomorrow is the day of the big feast after prayers. It will be interesting to see what is open. Lots of people out on the street tonight after being very quiet this afternoon.


September 22 Tangier Morocco

The hotel is a bit busier today. 4 Spanish guys, a couple and a family of 4. So much for my private hotel.

Tangier

I have breakfast and say good bye and head off to the train station. When I get there they tell me that there are not any trains today! So I head back and stop at a small cafe. The guy is very good about telling me about taxi or bus. In Spanish! Go figure. Anyway he gets me a small taxi which takes me to the shared taxi stand. The small taxi was $1.30, a bit high i think. But he found me the taxi to get to Tangier. It is shared. So pay 15 dirham, about $2 to get to Tangier but I have to share the taxi with 4 others. There is one guy waiting already so we have to wait for others. The driver said he could fit 6 but the last one is in the trunk! He has a bit of a sense of humour! After waiting about 30 minutes, we head off with 4 in taxi. Shortly after another guy jumps in. Now this is a very old Mercedes Benz, not much left for shocks, mirrors over the front a/c vents and 1 handle to pass around to roll down the windows. Quite funny actually.

There was not much head room in the back for any of us so it is a good thing the ride was only about 45 minutes and there was a really big guy in the front! Good thing.. He dropped us off at the shared taxi stand in Tangier and I really do not know where I am, but do know that I am not far from hotel as I saw the train station as we came in. I walk in the general direction I think and stop a few people along the way for direction. The best news is that not one of them headed me off in the wrong direction, I just missed the street as I can not find street names, they are only a few street signs! I did make it. It only took about 20 minutes to walk.
The hotel is on one of the main street not far from the old town. I will head there tomorrow.

Lots of shopping to be done here, and everything seems to be on sale. Lots of coffee shops as well. I have coffee while room is getting ready. Just like Ksar Sghir, the men line up with backs to the wall and watch the world go by and drink coffee. That coffee cost me 16 dirham including a small bottle of water. I found another place that was 8, but no water! And the 8 coffee was very strong and very good! i will go back there again.

For dinner I had a durham cordon blue. Which is a wrap with chicken doner, tomato, lettuce and cheese. It was even toasted panini style. Very good. The young waiter was very attentive and pleasant, which is consistent with every I have dealt with. All very nice.
While having dinner on a little side street just up from the hotel another sheep goes by. This is the city centre! I should say that the sheep was in braking mode with all four legs locked and hooves sliding along sidewalk and he was being pulled along by his horns. More free entertainment. I think it was taken into the apartment building next door.

September 21 Ksar Sghir Morocco

Another morning, slowly easing into the day!

Another day of bright sunshine and NO wind. What a treat!

Headed off the the beach. Only about 6 people on the whole stretch and still a bit of a military presence but no where near as much. I was told that it was yesterday that the officials went by, I missed them.
I did enjoy the day at the beach though. Still did not go in the water, too cold for me.
For dinner I was given a tagine of chicken, potatoes, onions, zuchini (I think). Very good. The last few nights i did not order just ate what was given to me. Definitely no Complaints! The food, the owners, the staff and the hotel , Villa Marine, have all been excellent.

After dinner off for my last walk along the boardwalk. On the return, I was called into one of the restaurants. It was the older man that I had spoken to yesterday and earlier today. He is a friend of the hotel owner. He is a retired guide and speaks 7 languages. His English is very good, and he just wanted to practice. We talked, or he talked would be better description, about my travels in his country. He is very proud of it and has basically planned my whole trip and told me what are the best places. He said I must vist the 4 imperial cities - Casablanca, Fes, Marrakesh and Rabat. Also the Atlas mountains and to make sure I see a sun rise on the desert. I just hope I can arrange all of this! He was a very interesting man to talk with.


September 20 Ksar Sghir Morocco

A very slow morning, yes slower that the past few.
I am sitting on the balcony watching the house across the street. They have just unloaded a sheep from the back of a van, it took 3 guys to pull it out and drag it into their yard. Quite the entertainment! They even had a bale of straw. I am guessing that it is the festival that is for later in the week. I will have to work out what the festival is.

Also there is a very large police presence. There are about 10 vans parked out on the street. The police station is just down the block. Apparently the King of Morocco and the President of France are passing through. That explains why there are also many police along the main road and a helicopter keeps flying overhead. I have not heard what day.

Birds in apple tree in garden in front of hotel

The wind is no where near as strong today so I headed to the beach. I did not get sand blasted. The water is very cold so I did not go in. It was very nice just to walk along the beach, but it did cloud over later in the afternoon. A very relaxing day.

After dinner I am off for my usual walk and the owner of the hotel introduces me to 2 young boys that live across the street. There is much teasing and while talking they switch from French, Spanish and English, all in the same sentence.... confusing for me! But still interesting. One was eating sunflower seeds and insisted I have some!

September 19 Ksar Sghir Morocco

Well off to the weekly souk (market) today. It was further than I thought, I had to walk up a hill, but just followed the people.

What an amazing place! It was huge and packed with people. People arriving in cars, buses, taxis, van, on foot, donkey and even a horse! Several of the ladies in traditional dress but did not take any photos, I am sure I will get another chance. If you want it, you could get it here - jack hammers, drills, wrenches, furniture, clothes, shoes, fruits, vegetables, sheep, goats, pot handles, school supplies, spices, all kinds of plastic wares (brooms, pans) and you could also have repairs done, I saw pots being repaired and shoes fixed.

It looks like potatoes, tomatoes and peppers are in season. There is a walled off area for the market but it spreads out to twice the size. I could not even guess how big it was. 2 football fields? Huge, and so many people. The road was a traffic jam of cars and the amount that people bought would fill 2 or 3 shopping carts. It is the event of the week.... there seemed to be lots of greeting and chatting going on. Of course there were cafes as well. I should have stopped but I had just finished breakfast...

There was a bit of rain this morning. Strange as the roads do not even look wet but there are small mud puddles along the side of the road. Also, the shining tiles are very slippery!

For dessert tonight I was given a special treat! It was caramelized fruit done In a tagine pot! Excellent, but there was way too much. Very sweet and very tasty!

The guy that works at hotel and has waited on me every night said that he was going to his home in Agadir tomorrow. It will take him 10 hours by train and taxi to get there. So I left him is tip under my plate. He came out to the deck where I was finishing my wine and shook my had, gave me the traditional both cheek touch and thanked me very much! A bit of a nice surprise!


September 18, Ksar Sghir Morocco

Once I finally got mobile I headed off towards the beach towards Tangiers. I took a round about way, and cut through a field to save walking around the peninsula by the pier. I walked down the bank from the road to the beach and the walked along the beach. Actually several beaches with rocky outcrops separating the beaches. All very nice, but very quiet except for the military watches and a few fishermen along the way. I probably walked about 5 km out, and then had to come back!

I stopped at one small beach and sat for a bit, after the morning cloud had disappeared, the sun came out and was quite nice. It was a bit windy and you had to find a place out of the wind or get sand blasted! A short walk back to hotel.

They have really shut down for the winter. At 9.30 last night they were dismantling the little houses that were along the beach. Not much left to remove!

September 17, Ksar Sghir Morocco

The usual relaxing morning and then off to the Roman ruins which are just across the street on the beach. Interesting as the gardener in front had to looking for the guy that sells tickets. The ticket price 10 durham ($1.30) and he did not have any change. Fortunately I had the right change. The 2 of them lead me into the display area. A large newer building with a few artifacts. While I was in there this older man was sitting at the front door. Turns out he is my private guide! He only spoke French and with a hard to understand accent.

I am sure he was describing the sight to me, but I do not know. I did figure out that he was in the military. The area is huge and dates back to the 5th century but most activity in the 11 to 15 centuries. This one had a Portuguese influence. Very large inner city with a pier-like wall that ran into the water. There are at least 20 men on site mostly getting rid of weeds which seem to have taken over everything. But there are a few that are building up the exterior stone wall.

Then I walked along the beach. The sand part is not that big but kept walking climbing over the rocks. I went as far as I could. There is a strong military presence along the beach.

Then to the shop for my hair cut. This is the shocker, I pay $10CDN at home, I paid 10 euro in Spain and here I paid 10 durham (about $1.30). The pricing is hard to figure out! 6 durham for a bottle of water (1.5L).

I stopped for lunch at one restaurant. Seems to be the thing to do as this one had tables lined up outside along the sidewalk and all the men were sitting with their backs to the wall! An interesting sight! I joined them! Apparently this is an all day breakfast place as that is all they had.
I ordered 2 eggs expecting 2 fried eggs, but it looked just like the omelet I had yesterday. These also came with the great bread and olives.

I then continued on along the other beach, through the fishing dock which was built with help from the US and then
along more rocks to another small beach. On top is some old bunkers that have been built into the rocks and also covered up with rocks. Very difficult to spot from a distance. From this beach I could see the naval base. Very quiet.

Today was a much nicer day, although it did rain in the morning. I missed it. Cloudy for most of the day but cleared up late in the afternoon.

September 16 Ksar Sghir (near Tangier) Morocco

A very lazy morning. I am now called Mr Coffee! But it is so good!
I did get moving. I made the mistake of telling the hotel guy that I liked walking so he said I should take this trail to the top of the mountain. Only a couple of hours! Well I thought I was doing pretty good getting there in an hour until this 70 plus year old goat herder was making his way up the mountain as well! Not really a mountain that I am used to but still a good climb and the view was really nice. You could even see Gibraltar - and yet another view, the Atlantic and Med as well as the port I arrived.

You could also see the new naval port but there were not any boats docked, so I am not sure if it is used yet.
On the walk I actually got a close up view of a cork tree. The rest was very low brushes and not much else. I have no idea what the goats feed on.
I took a different route back. Amazing, on the top of a hill with no roads around there is a cemetery and a football field!
Got back into the village and stopped at a local place for lunch. I had an omlette which turned out to be 3 fried eggs with a hunk of cheese, but also got some great bread, the same as in Algeciras, olives and mint tea. All very good, especially the price, CDN$2.

I kept walking up the street and found the market street. The usual stuff, plastic good, clothes, fruits, vegetables, but also 3 or 4 barbers all in a row!
There is also a very nice walk way along the little river. On the other side are roman ruins so I crossed the birdge and walked along the outside of the fence. They are doing a lot of reconstruction. I will have to visit.
Walked along the beach and then back to hotel. I showered and had a great nap.
Same as last night the sparrows roost in the bushes in the garden and they make a lot of noise getting settled in, but quiet once dark.

Dinner tonight was fish tagine. A Moroccan dish, similar to stew that is cooked in a clay pot. Very good. Fish, potatoes, green peppers, and onions. And some spice but not sure what.