We left the Gorges region and traveled further south towards Ait Benhaddou This scenic drive offers a glimpse of times gone by via the ruins of ancient kasbahs, former colonial military outposts, austere mountains, wide-open spaces, and valleys of palm trees and irrigated fields. En route we stopped for lunch in Ouarzazate, the film capital of Morocco.
We had a short visit to Project Handicapped Horizon, an organisation dedicated to the rehabilitation, health and empowerment of people with disabilities. This project is supported through The Intrepid Foundation.
Centuries ago, Ait Benhaddou was an important stop for the caravans passing through as they carried salt across the Sahara, returning with gold, ivory and slaves. Today, its grand kasbah is still one of the most beautiful in all of Morocco and a World Heritage site. This fortified village is a fine example of clay architecture and is also famous for its role on the silver screen, featuring in numerous films such as Lawrence of Arabia, The Jewel of the Nile and Gladiator. We walked up through the Kasbah, lined with the usual shops selling their colourful wares of scarves, trinkets, carpets and jellabas.
At our guesthouse we had a cooking demonstration of Morocco's most famous cuisine: couscous and tajine. We dined and went to bed fairly early as it was still quite cold and bed is the only place to stay warm! In the morning, we had breakfast on the rooftop patio in the morning sun. It was lovely and warm and we were treated to a boiled egg, yogurt, oranges, bread and coffee, a departure from the usual bread or Moroccan style pancakes.
Back into the van and on our way to the High Atlas mountains. We have had a lot of time on the bus lately, which has bonded us as a group and we have had many laughs and good chats with each other.I am really enjoying my new friends!
Saturday, 26 November 2011
Thursday, 24 November 2011
The Hammam Experience
As I reread the last few posts, I realise how inadequate I am sometimes in describing my experiences. I find I am always rushing at the end of a day to get the facts down before I forget them, so I apologise for the lack of imagination.
After the hike in the mountains and the amazing lunch, we were given the opportunity to partake in a traditional Hammam steam bath, Moroccan style. We weren't given a whole lot of information other than it takes place in a steam room with a bunch of other women and you are given a scrub/massage with black soap. I was completely unprepared for what took place and I will do my best to describe it adequately. Bear in mind, it will be a bit graphic!
Upon entering, we were given a scrub mitt and a blob of black soap which looks a lot like automotive grease. We were told to take off our clothes, leaving on our bottoms, and were led into the steam room, a bare tiled room. It was warm and steamy and we sat down on the floor and awaited further instruction, surrounded by a number of equally unclad women of all shapes and sizes. I was very aware of our western discomfort with nudity. A large woman with the most enormous breasts I've ever seen, brought a bucket of hot water and proceeded to douse us, one at a time and then instructed us in Berber (and hand motions) to rub the soap on our bodies. She walked away, leaving us to it and I thought to myself that it seemed a bit lacking as I was expecting some sort of massage. Since the room was completely bare, we were left with nothing to look at except each other and the other naked women in the room who seemed efficient in their ablutions, scrubbing their skin and throwing water from buckets on themselves or each other. After a time, we decided we should do the same and we bashfully scrubbed each others' backs, not saying much. Eventually, big breasted woman came back and directed us over to the other side of the room, each of us in front of a large bucket of hot water. She began with Marina, scrubbing her arm and moving on to every part of her body, scrubbing with great vigor. She was quite rough and looking at Marina's face, I was guessing it wasn't terribly pleasant! At one point she roughly pushed her into a lying down position and proceeded to scrub every part of her body, lifting and pulling limbs as necessary. This went on for a good 20 minutes as we all sat there, trying not to watch, but knowing we were next. Since there were 6 of us, she left the room to bring in reinforcements and it was my turn. I felt like my skin was being ripped off, and indeed, it was. This was exfoliation taken to the extreme! Eventually, after she covered every inch of me, I got to rinse off with the steaming hot water. It felt amazing, but even better, my skin has never felt so soft. Finally, we emerged, squeaky clean and ready for a meal....and a large drink!
After the hike in the mountains and the amazing lunch, we were given the opportunity to partake in a traditional Hammam steam bath, Moroccan style. We weren't given a whole lot of information other than it takes place in a steam room with a bunch of other women and you are given a scrub/massage with black soap. I was completely unprepared for what took place and I will do my best to describe it adequately. Bear in mind, it will be a bit graphic!
Upon entering, we were given a scrub mitt and a blob of black soap which looks a lot like automotive grease. We were told to take off our clothes, leaving on our bottoms, and were led into the steam room, a bare tiled room. It was warm and steamy and we sat down on the floor and awaited further instruction, surrounded by a number of equally unclad women of all shapes and sizes. I was very aware of our western discomfort with nudity. A large woman with the most enormous breasts I've ever seen, brought a bucket of hot water and proceeded to douse us, one at a time and then instructed us in Berber (and hand motions) to rub the soap on our bodies. She walked away, leaving us to it and I thought to myself that it seemed a bit lacking as I was expecting some sort of massage. Since the room was completely bare, we were left with nothing to look at except each other and the other naked women in the room who seemed efficient in their ablutions, scrubbing their skin and throwing water from buckets on themselves or each other. After a time, we decided we should do the same and we bashfully scrubbed each others' backs, not saying much. Eventually, big breasted woman came back and directed us over to the other side of the room, each of us in front of a large bucket of hot water. She began with Marina, scrubbing her arm and moving on to every part of her body, scrubbing with great vigor. She was quite rough and looking at Marina's face, I was guessing it wasn't terribly pleasant! At one point she roughly pushed her into a lying down position and proceeded to scrub every part of her body, lifting and pulling limbs as necessary. This went on for a good 20 minutes as we all sat there, trying not to watch, but knowing we were next. Since there were 6 of us, she left the room to bring in reinforcements and it was my turn. I felt like my skin was being ripped off, and indeed, it was. This was exfoliation taken to the extreme! Eventually, after she covered every inch of me, I got to rinse off with the steaming hot water. It felt amazing, but even better, my skin has never felt so soft. Finally, we emerged, squeaky clean and ready for a meal....and a large drink!
Todra Gorges
Another amazing experience. After the long drive out of the desert, we headed to the mountains and the birthplace of our young tour guide, Aziz. This was a very special experience as we were honoured guests at Aziz's family home, a small village in the low Atlas mountains called Todra Gorges. We got settled into our hotel, a lovely, quiet place nestled at the foot of the rocky mountains, towering majestically above. Again, the friendly hospitality of the Moroccans proved to make our stay more than enjoyable. We were served more of the delicious cuisine, all made with the local produce and spices. After dinner, as is customary, the drums come out and we join our hosts for music and dancing and sometimes Sheesha. I love this about the Moroccans...everyone is welcome no matter where you come from. It is also a way to keep warm as it was very cold and they do not have heating in the rooms so it makes sense to gather together and keep warm. It was a pretty early night as we would be hiking to the top of the mountain the next day. When we awoke, it was to pouring rain. I was pretty determined to carry on with the hike, hoping that the rain would let up. Only half of the group decided to go and I was very glad indeed that I persevered as it turned out to be an amazing experience. It took about 2 hours to get up to the top, the path was rocky and fairly steep with little vegetatn. Atthe top, we visited a nomadic family who live in caves, subsisting in the harsh environment of the mountains. They graciously made us tea, this time made from lemon sage which grows in abundance on the rocky mountainside. It is difficult to imagine living this way, but is an example of people who live simply and seem happy in this lifestyle. The family consisted of a father, age 72, with two wives and 12 children. They tend goats and chickens and when they need money, they go into the Market and sell a goat or trade some of their handwork for produce or goods.
We made our way down the steep and rocky path and to the home of Aziz' family to be hosted for lunch. They run a small restaurant with the best food I have had in Morocco! It was squash soup, Moroccan pizza accompanied by about 8 little side dishes of salsa, marinated veggies, lentils, flava beans, and olives. Absolutely incredible. Aziz has one sister and 8 brothers, a loving generous mother and father and we were warmly welcomed and treated with great respect. I was invited to return someday and stay at their home.
The next activity.....a traditional Hammam!
We made our way down the steep and rocky path and to the home of Aziz' family to be hosted for lunch. They run a small restaurant with the best food I have had in Morocco! It was squash soup, Moroccan pizza accompanied by about 8 little side dishes of salsa, marinated veggies, lentils, flava beans, and olives. Absolutely incredible. Aziz has one sister and 8 brothers, a loving generous mother and father and we were warmly welcomed and treated with great respect. I was invited to return someday and stay at their home.
The next activity.....a traditional Hammam!
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
The Sahara Desert
This few days I think will be the highlight of my trip to Morocco. When I decided to make Morocco my next trip, it was to experience the sandunes in the desert and for the opportunity to be in the high Atlas mountains and the past few days have delivered in spades! I'll start with the long drive from Fez to the edge of the desert. As we got closer to it, the landscape changed dramatically and it was a bit like driving through the prairies; not much to see and it seemed endless. At last we could see the reddish brown sand dunes off in the distance, and I began to feel the anticipation of a truly amazing experience. The plan was to park the van at an Auberge at the edge of the dunes and ride by camel about an hour to our campsite. We packed our sleeping bags and only the most necessary items like toothbrush and a change of clothes. There were no facilities so we wouldn't be able to bathe or wash. I have to admit, I was pretty excited at the idea of riding a camel. I know it sounds touristy, but I knew that we were going to a very rustic place, surrounded only by sand dunes and the sky, and that this would be something I will likely only experience once in my lifetime.
Getting onto the camel was interesting. The shepherds make them go down onto the ground (I love the way they fold their legs up underneath). You mount the camel and when they get up, they go up on their back legs first, thrusting you forward and then up on their front legs, thrusting you back! I thought I was going to fall off, but it seems they know what to do. It was about 3pm by the time we started off to the camp, making our way slowly into the dunes. In the hour it took to get there, I was enchanted by the beauty of the red sand, the curves and shapes of the dunes, made more interesting by the changing light and shadow. By the time we got to the camp, it was dusk and we dismounted our trusty steeds, where they gracefully settled themselves for the night.
The camp was indeed rustic. It was very cold and we were greeted by the men who were to cook for us that evening, welcoming us with a cup of Moroccan tea. It was pretty cold so we huddled around the table, sitting on mats around a low table. We were served chicken tajine and fruit, and of course, the delicious mint tea we have become so accustomed to. As in Canada, everything tastes so good when you are camping and you are ravenous! After dinner, we took the blankets off our camels to wrap ourselves in while we sat in the total darkness under a clear sky resplendent with bright stars. As is customary in Morocco, the drums came out and both the shepherds and the camp caretakers sat with us and we played and sang together under the night sky. At some point, I have no idea of the time, we made our way into our tents and went to sleep. It was magic. We arose at early light, in time to climb to the top of a sand dune to watch the sunrise, and then mounted our camels and made the journey back to the edge of the desert for breakfast at the auberge where we left our van.
Next stop, the High Atlas mountains....
Getting onto the camel was interesting. The shepherds make them go down onto the ground (I love the way they fold their legs up underneath). You mount the camel and when they get up, they go up on their back legs first, thrusting you forward and then up on their front legs, thrusting you back! I thought I was going to fall off, but it seems they know what to do. It was about 3pm by the time we started off to the camp, making our way slowly into the dunes. In the hour it took to get there, I was enchanted by the beauty of the red sand, the curves and shapes of the dunes, made more interesting by the changing light and shadow. By the time we got to the camp, it was dusk and we dismounted our trusty steeds, where they gracefully settled themselves for the night.
The camp was indeed rustic. It was very cold and we were greeted by the men who were to cook for us that evening, welcoming us with a cup of Moroccan tea. It was pretty cold so we huddled around the table, sitting on mats around a low table. We were served chicken tajine and fruit, and of course, the delicious mint tea we have become so accustomed to. As in Canada, everything tastes so good when you are camping and you are ravenous! After dinner, we took the blankets off our camels to wrap ourselves in while we sat in the total darkness under a clear sky resplendent with bright stars. As is customary in Morocco, the drums came out and both the shepherds and the camp caretakers sat with us and we played and sang together under the night sky. At some point, I have no idea of the time, we made our way into our tents and went to sleep. It was magic. We arose at early light, in time to climb to the top of a sand dune to watch the sunrise, and then mounted our camels and made the journey back to the edge of the desert for breakfast at the auberge where we left our van.
Next stop, the High Atlas mountains....
Wednesday, 16 November 2011
Fez
Our tour guide today was a woman named Hakim. She is well known, and seemingly well loved in Fez. Apparently there are very few female guides here. She has a good sense of humor and is very knowledgeable. She and I had a good conversation at one point and she asked me if I was a famous person in Canada. I didn't dare ask her why she thought that!
First stop was the Royal Palace: 14th century, 82 hectares with huge rooms, shops, swimming pools and golf course. The entrance has 7 doors, seven floors, seven skies all with some significance to the seven days of the week.
The city of Fez was built in the 8th century and the medina is the largest imperial city in Morocco. It has the oldest university in the world. The medina is a veritable maze of streets, all interwoven and absolutely no pattern to the layout. It would be impossible to go into it without getting lost if you didn't have a proper guide! Inside, we visited a metalwork shop, a food market, Koramic school - no longer in use, a blacksmith, textile factory where they weave scarves and tablecloths, and a mosque. Later on we went to a ceramic factory and saw the entire process of how tiles are produced - from the clay to the wheels to the painting with dyes made from all natural ingredients: aloe Vera, saffron, indigo, henna, poppy flower, mint; to the kiln and finally, the finished products. It is all done by hand and the people who work there apprentice for 5-7 years before they become master craftsmen.
We drove up to the military site where there is a spectacular lookout point over the entire Medina. The entrance to the medina is a magnificent tiled archway, the outside in all blues signifying the national colour of Fez, and the inside in green, the colour of peace. We learned that 98% of the population is Muslim, almost all practicing.
We then visited a carpet factory inside the medina which was situated in one of the older homes in the city. Upstairs we saw one of the carpet weavers who painstakingly weave the carpets by hand. There are 1500+ members of the cooperative and the bigger ones take 8-10 months to complete. They are made from wool, cotton and silk. I learned that silk also comes from the aloe vera plant!
Lastly, we visited a tannery where they cure the skins of camel, goat, sheep, and cow to make clothing, purses, bags etc. I cannot begin to describe the smell of this place!
We had lunch at a restaurant in the Medina and it was one of the best ones yet! I can't get over the incredible flavours of the Moroccan cuisine. One of the specialties of Fez is pastille, which is meat pie. Very tasty.
Tomorrow we head for the Atlas Mountains. The weather has been quite cool and will get even cooler in the mountains. I hope I will be warm enough.
First stop was the Royal Palace: 14th century, 82 hectares with huge rooms, shops, swimming pools and golf course. The entrance has 7 doors, seven floors, seven skies all with some significance to the seven days of the week.
The city of Fez was built in the 8th century and the medina is the largest imperial city in Morocco. It has the oldest university in the world. The medina is a veritable maze of streets, all interwoven and absolutely no pattern to the layout. It would be impossible to go into it without getting lost if you didn't have a proper guide! Inside, we visited a metalwork shop, a food market, Koramic school - no longer in use, a blacksmith, textile factory where they weave scarves and tablecloths, and a mosque. Later on we went to a ceramic factory and saw the entire process of how tiles are produced - from the clay to the wheels to the painting with dyes made from all natural ingredients: aloe Vera, saffron, indigo, henna, poppy flower, mint; to the kiln and finally, the finished products. It is all done by hand and the people who work there apprentice for 5-7 years before they become master craftsmen.
We drove up to the military site where there is a spectacular lookout point over the entire Medina. The entrance to the medina is a magnificent tiled archway, the outside in all blues signifying the national colour of Fez, and the inside in green, the colour of peace. We learned that 98% of the population is Muslim, almost all practicing.
We then visited a carpet factory inside the medina which was situated in one of the older homes in the city. Upstairs we saw one of the carpet weavers who painstakingly weave the carpets by hand. There are 1500+ members of the cooperative and the bigger ones take 8-10 months to complete. They are made from wool, cotton and silk. I learned that silk also comes from the aloe vera plant!
Lastly, we visited a tannery where they cure the skins of camel, goat, sheep, and cow to make clothing, purses, bags etc. I cannot begin to describe the smell of this place!
We had lunch at a restaurant in the Medina and it was one of the best ones yet! I can't get over the incredible flavours of the Moroccan cuisine. One of the specialties of Fez is pastille, which is meat pie. Very tasty.
Tomorrow we head for the Atlas Mountains. The weather has been quite cool and will get even cooler in the mountains. I hope I will be warm enough.
Tuesday, 15 November 2011
Rabat, Meknes
We began the morning touring the 3rd largest mosque in the world - Hassan II Mosque. It was built in the early eighties and took 5 years and 30,000 labourers to build. Many modern day technologies including a high tech speaker system, sliding roof to let in light and air, and heated marble floors. The titanium doors weigh several tons and open electronically. At 200meters high, the minaret is the highest in the world. Apart from the Italian chandeliers, all the materials are Moroccan. Inside the mosque, I was overwhelmed with the sheer size of it - able to hold 80,000 people! I couldn't help but wonder what would you do if you really needed to go to the loo!? It truly was an amazing sight with it's polished marble floors and intricate hand made tile work.
Afterwards we got the train to Rabat, the Capitol city of Morocco, where we toured the Market and the centuries old Medina before moving on to Meknes, a 10th century city founded by the Berber tribe of the Meknassis. We arrived in time to eat dinner and get to our hotel to sleep before spending the day there.
The first stop was the Hari es-Souani, the granaries that the King built for his 12,000 horses over a thousand years ago. It is basically in ruins except for the first few vaults which have been restored. I find it fascinating that they could control temperature, direct and regulate the flow of water in these massive buildings so long ago without any technology and using the power of animals and rudimentary tools. After that we walked to the mausoleum of Moulay Ismail. Beautiful and peaceful.
Another wander through a very large, very busy, and very colourful market where I bought some frankincense and amber. The meat section was interesting and made me swear off meat until lunchtime where I ate a camel burger. When in Rome....as they say!
After lunch, which was delicious by the way, we took a bus to the Roman ruins on the way to our next stop, Fez. It is hard to fathom seeing floor tiles in intricate patterns that have been uncovered after 2000 years. Only a third of the ancient city has been unearthed and restored (started in the 1920's) but there are plans to uncover and rebuild the rest of it in time. Truly amazing.
The food in Morocco is sensational. The Moroccans really know what they're doing with spices. The tangines are fragrant with spices, tender meat and often cooked with figs, vegetables and couscous. A highlight today was eating a fresh pomegranate.
Just heading out to eat dinner. I'm told that lambs head is on the menu.....!
Afterwards we got the train to Rabat, the Capitol city of Morocco, where we toured the Market and the centuries old Medina before moving on to Meknes, a 10th century city founded by the Berber tribe of the Meknassis. We arrived in time to eat dinner and get to our hotel to sleep before spending the day there.
The first stop was the Hari es-Souani, the granaries that the King built for his 12,000 horses over a thousand years ago. It is basically in ruins except for the first few vaults which have been restored. I find it fascinating that they could control temperature, direct and regulate the flow of water in these massive buildings so long ago without any technology and using the power of animals and rudimentary tools. After that we walked to the mausoleum of Moulay Ismail. Beautiful and peaceful.
Another wander through a very large, very busy, and very colourful market where I bought some frankincense and amber. The meat section was interesting and made me swear off meat until lunchtime where I ate a camel burger. When in Rome....as they say!
After lunch, which was delicious by the way, we took a bus to the Roman ruins on the way to our next stop, Fez. It is hard to fathom seeing floor tiles in intricate patterns that have been uncovered after 2000 years. Only a third of the ancient city has been unearthed and restored (started in the 1920's) but there are plans to uncover and rebuild the rest of it in time. Truly amazing.
The food in Morocco is sensational. The Moroccans really know what they're doing with spices. The tangines are fragrant with spices, tender meat and often cooked with figs, vegetables and couscous. A highlight today was eating a fresh pomegranate.
Just heading out to eat dinner. I'm told that lambs head is on the menu.....!
Sunday, 13 November 2011
Morocco
Well, I made it to my destination and what a crazy day it was! Early start of 4:15 to get to the airport by 5:30, flight at 7:45. All good. I arrived in Marrakech on time and got through customs no problem. Got to an ATM and found the bus to take me to the train station. So far so good. I met a young man from USA who was also going to the train stn and even taking the same train but going to Rabat. As it happens when travelling, you become fast friends very quickly. When we got to the train stn, it was just before 1:00 and I thought I would have just enough time to get my ticket and get on the train. We were met by huge crowds lining up for tickets and the kind of chaos one finds in a busy, economically challenged city such as this.we got in line, knowing the next train was scheduled for 3:00 and I hoped it would be on time. In the line up, we met another young man from Belgium who was stopping in Casablanca and who could speak French as well. I decided to stick to him like glue. Turns out he was a very nice guy and he helped me out enormously. At 2:15, a porter started yelling and whistling for everyone to line up for the train. I thought this was a little odd but along came the train and Jerome, who has been here for a month, told me to get up to the front and push my way in. There were hundreds of people on the platform and I was feeling a little claustrophobic. There are compartments that hold 8 people comfortably but we had 12 in ours. The windows wouldn't open and it was very hot and stuffy. People kept crowding onto the train and here we waited until 3:00 when we finally started moving. It was interesting to see the Moroccans dressed in wool coats and many women in full burkas. I couldn't imagine how hot they must have been.
It became clear that I was not going to make it to my hotel by 6:00 so I asked Jerome to call my hotel (at £1.75 per min!) and leave a message for my tour leader that I would be late. We didn't get to Casablanca until nearly 8:00 and it was absolute madness getting off the train! There were people and baggage everywhere, even in the aisles and we had to step over them with our bags, shoving our way through out into the dark platform. I needed to negotiate the petit cab and again, Jerome came to the rescue. It was insane! No seatbelts and I prayed I would make it to the hotel alive. Jerome and I parted ways amidst the chaos and noise, having exchanged emails on the train. We lost Mike on the platform getting on the train and didn't see him again.
When I got to my hotel, everyone had gone out for dinner but the host didn't know where. He gave me directions to a nice restaurant "around the corner". I set out, acutely aware that I was a very White woman walking alone in a busy city and felt for the first time on my travels, a little nervous. A lot of men tried to speak to me but I ignored them and did not make eye contact, almost turning around, but I had not eaten since a coffee and yogurt at 6:30 this morning and was starving. I kept going and ended up at a really nice quiet place where I had a beautiful lamb and couscous dinner. The waiter spoke French and kept coming back to my table and kept repeating the words "après" and "bise". I finally figured it out - he wanted to meet me afterwards and kiss. Needless to say, I got the hell out of there fast and he followed me to my hotel - I think to make me think he was getting me there safely. I finally shook him off and got to my hotel safely. Eventually I met my team, briefly, and am now in my room, safe and sound and ready to explore Marrakech in the daytime!
It became clear that I was not going to make it to my hotel by 6:00 so I asked Jerome to call my hotel (at £1.75 per min!) and leave a message for my tour leader that I would be late. We didn't get to Casablanca until nearly 8:00 and it was absolute madness getting off the train! There were people and baggage everywhere, even in the aisles and we had to step over them with our bags, shoving our way through out into the dark platform. I needed to negotiate the petit cab and again, Jerome came to the rescue. It was insane! No seatbelts and I prayed I would make it to the hotel alive. Jerome and I parted ways amidst the chaos and noise, having exchanged emails on the train. We lost Mike on the platform getting on the train and didn't see him again.
When I got to my hotel, everyone had gone out for dinner but the host didn't know where. He gave me directions to a nice restaurant "around the corner". I set out, acutely aware that I was a very White woman walking alone in a busy city and felt for the first time on my travels, a little nervous. A lot of men tried to speak to me but I ignored them and did not make eye contact, almost turning around, but I had not eaten since a coffee and yogurt at 6:30 this morning and was starving. I kept going and ended up at a really nice quiet place where I had a beautiful lamb and couscous dinner. The waiter spoke French and kept coming back to my table and kept repeating the words "après" and "bise". I finally figured it out - he wanted to meet me afterwards and kiss. Needless to say, I got the hell out of there fast and he followed me to my hotel - I think to make me think he was getting me there safely. I finally shook him off and got to my hotel safely. Eventually I met my team, briefly, and am now in my room, safe and sound and ready to explore Marrakech in the daytime!
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