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.