Also, almost all activities and accommodations in their entirety were pre-arranged by George Mason University.
Our Itinerary (March 6 - 12, 2010)
Saturday, March 6
Pre-planned:
-Arrival in Casablanca
-Free evening/dinner at hotel
We didn't do a whole lot on the first day. We got to the Riad Salam Casablanca around 5:00pm and then it started to get dark. My mom and I took a quick walk on the boardwalk (our hotel was just feet from the beach) to search for some bottled water, ate dinner, and then went to bed.
(None of the hotels we stayed at during the trip were memorable in a positive way. Suffice it to say that if I return to Morocco I will research other accommodations. The Riad Salam Casablanca was average.)
Sunday, March 7
Pre-planned:
-Whirlwind tour of Casablanca
-Royal Palace
-Central Market
-Mohamed V Square
-Hassan II Mosque
-Whirlwind tour of Rabat
-Royal Palace
-Hassan Mosque
-Kasbah of the Oudayas
-Arrive in Fes, stay the night
We weren't allowed to enter any palaces or mosques during our trip, but that was OK with me. The exteriors were so magnificent that I felt satisfied. Generally speaking, I didn't find Casablanca to be an extraordinary city. It wasn't too polluted or too overpopulated or any of those things. But nothing really stuck out to me, with the exception of the Hassan II Mosque. It was so breath-takingly beautiful. I'd go back to Casablanca just to see it again and to share it with Evan. It's fairly new and from what I recall, it's the third largest mosque in the world.
Royal Palace:
Central Market:
Mohamed V Square:
Hassan II Mosque:
The drive to Rabat from Casablanca was fairly short. We got there and saw the Royal Palace. (There are royal palaces everywhere.) I think this Royal Palace is considered the administrative center. Then we visited the Hassan Mosque, which was very intricate and beautiful but not as awe-inspiring as the Hassan II Mosque, in my opinion. We ended our day in Rabat at the Kasbah, which is a fortified or walled city. We all had mint tea and wandered around. My mom bought some nougat treats. Rabat was generally quieter, maybe more orderly than Casablanca. And then, we were off to Fes to spend two nights at the Minzah Zalagh Fes, which was the most rundown, unsatisfactory of the hotels we stayed in.
Royal Palace:
Hassan Mosque:
Monday, March 8
Pre-planned:
-Whirlwind tour of Fes, specifically, the Medina
-Demonstration of Pottery-making
-Demonstration of Textile-making
-Presentation of Rugs (not making)
-Demonstration of Leather-making/dyeing
Walking through the Medina was a really interesting experience. You kind of feel like you've been taken back in time. If I recall correctly, there are something like 700 different alley-ways. You could absolutely get lost in there.
All of the demonstrations/presentations were cool but my favorite part of the day was lunch. It was our one and only authentic Moroccan meal of the trip. It was so colorful and flavorful. It was like edible artwork. Amazing.
A hilltop view of Fes:
Royal Palace:
Medina:
Lunch:
Tuesday, March 9
Pre-planned:
-Drive through the Mid-Atlas Mountain Range on the way to Marrakech
-Stop in Ifrane
What actually happened:
What started out as a nice, scenic drive turned into a 15 hour nightmare. We stopped in this lovely town, Ifrane, which is a ski resort, for some hot chocolate and coffee. It had a more European feel than a Moroccan feel. It was actually quite chilly. Then as we were passing through some very rural towns it came to light that a bridge (the only bridge) we could pass to get to our destination had washed away in the heavy rains. So, what should have been a six hour drive turned into a hellish 15 hours. We basically had to turn around and drive back the whole way we had come and then drive beyond that. We didn't get to Golden Tulip Farah in Marrakech until 11:00pm. Needless to say, it was a very long day.
(The Golden Tulip Farah was the best hotel during our week stay in Morocco. I'll give it credit in the sense that it had a lot of the amenities you come to expect in an international hotel and the meals were good.)
Wednesday, March 10
Pre-planned:
-Tour of Marrakech
-Bahia Palace
-Koutoubia Mosque
-Water reservoir
-Jemma el Fna Square
-Spice store
-State Store (Bouchaib Complexe D'Artisanat)
Bahia Palace:
Koutoubia Mosque:
The highlights of this day tour were the Water reservoir, Jemma el Fna Square, and the State Store. I'm not actually sure of the significance of the Water reservoir except that it's a water reservoir (surprise!) but you can actually see the snow-capped Mid-Atlas Mountains in the background. We also witnessed a very impromptu musical/dance performance at the base of the complex. It was one of the few truly authentic experiences we had in Morocco. It was a group of teenage/college age boys clapping and singing and they were having so much fun. They encouraged our group to join them.
The Jemma el Fna Square is such an integral part of what people picture when they think of Marrakech. For me, it was a feast for the eyes. I really liked to see the tall cones of the different colored spices. I really wanted to capture it in a picture but I was afraid I was either going to get in trouble or have to pay for the privilege of taking a picture. Personally, I didn't like the souvenirs that were being sold in the adjacent markets. They seemed to be of a lesser quality so I saved my money for later. Something that's part of the experience that I didn't like, were the snake charmers and chained monkeys. Those poor animals have an abysmal quality of life.
When we were taken to the State Store (Bouchaib Complexe d'Artisanat), which is apparently, a tourist haven, I could hear angels singing. The whole group was only there for an hour but my mom and I stayed for something like three to four hours. This place is a MUST-SEE for any shopper. It has three floors of antiques and extremely well-made Moroccan crafts. There's no need to go through the hassle of bargaining. There are set prices and everything's in great condition. The staff treated us like queens. It was amazing. Needless to say, we bought A LOT of stuff. And they package everything for shipment for you. We just picked it up at our local airport three weeks later.
Thursday, March 11
Pre-planned:
-Drive into the Ourika Valley
-Demonstration of mint tea-making in a traditional Berber home
-Demonstration of taragon oil-making
This was a lovely day. It was semi-authentic in the sense that we were in a traditional Berber home to observe mint tea-making (which is basically, hot water, mint, and a lot of sugar) but inauthentic in the sense that we obviously made an appointment to be there. The taragon oil-making was mildly interesting but our group was just too big to be able to see and hear everything that was going on. We had lunch in a nice restaurant in the mountains, which was the best meal after the lunch in Fes.
My mom and I ended the day by shopping some more at the State Store. We still had some little souvenirs to get. And then we walked through the Square and watched the sunset.
That evening the entire group went to this place called Fantasia Chez Ali Marrakech for dinner and a very touristy/cheesy experience. There was some dancing and then a show with horsemen and stuff. It was such a waste of money. I'm only mentioning it because I wouldn't recommend that anyone go to it. If I could go back in time I would have spent my last night in Marrakech at a local restaurant and walking around.
Friday, March 12
Pre-planned:
-Saadian Tombs
-Camel-riding
-Drive to Casablanca, stay the night, fly out the next day
This was our last day in Marrakech. We did a cursory tour of the Saadian Tombs, which I didn't find to be a must-see at all. I took some pretty pictures but I don't think I absorbed any of the information offered. Oops!
On the way back to Casablanca we stopped at an "oasis" to do some camel-riding. I did it and it was fun but I would never invest in that kind of shady operation again. It didn't look like the camels were well-cared for. Poor things. I know that other people will pay and so the business will carry on, but at least I don't have to be part of perpetuating the mistreatment of animals.
To sum it up, Morocco was wonderful. The authentic food we had was delicious, the Moroccan people were extremely welcoming and friendly, and there wasn't as much of a language barrier as I thought there would be. Oh! And the shopping was phenomenal, too! I would definitely go back and if I did, I'd have a much slower-paced vacation and maybe spend time at the beach and/or foray into the Sahara.
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