Morocco
We landed in Casablanca after a 7 hour flight and very little sleep. Nonetheless we were taken to tour the very impressive mosque Hassan 11.
On day 2 we drove to Rabat where we visited the outside of one of the king's many palaces. He was visiting that day so there was a cross section of guards from all of Morocco's security forces on duty. Because it was Friday, the start Islam's sabbath, there were many men dressed in their best traditional light caftans over their western clothing. This clothing was beautifully tailored.
We also visited the Jewish quarter or what was historically the Jewish quarter as there are few Jews living there now, having been ousted from Morocco in the 50s-60s. We walked through the streets and visited a garden in Rabat as well. We ate dinner at the hotel where we enjoyed the first of many dinners of tagine and couscous, couscous and tagine. Before the main course, there is always an array of Moroccan salads which include olives, eggplant, carrots, zucchini and other tasty items. Generally, wine is unavailable in most restaurants as Morocco is a Muslim country.
It was pointed out that you could tell a Jewish home from a Muslim one by the exterior. Jewish homes had balconies but Muslim homes have shutters so that nobody from the outside can see anything inside. Another interesting fact was that many of the doors had two knockers, one of which was heavier and higher on the door than the other. The smaller one was for females and the larger, heavier knocker was for the males. That way when there was someone at the door, the people inside could tell whether a man or woman should come to the door.
Francine and I-50 years of friendship!
Day 2/3 Our next stop was Chefchaouen, also known as the Blue City.
We wandered around the old souk (market), a beautiful area, up and down winding streets and steps. If you are not in decent shape it is likely you would be after a long stay. This old city area of Chefchaouen basically caters to tourists so there are lots of shops with scarves, leather goods, brass and copper etc. Francine saw some ladies waiting for their kids to finish off a class. She motioned to them asking if we could join them on the bench and take a photo. They agreed and here is the photo above. We left saying thank you and they gave us blessings, or at least that's what it sounded like.
Day 4-
Fez was next and we spent a few days here at a very nice Riad (inn) built in the 11th C, but thankfully renovated beautifully. One of the lovely traditions, which we experienced at each of the riads, was that while we were waiting to register at the hotel, we were seated and offered nana (mint tea) and delicious cookies. We had to go up about 30 steps to reach our beautiful room with a balcony overlooking the centre of the riad. There are no elevators in these riads.
Fez was next and we spent a few days here at a very nice Riad (inn) built in the 11th C, but thankfully renovated beautifully. One of the lovely traditions, which we experienced at each of the riads, was that while we were waiting to register at the hotel, we were seated and offered nana (mint tea) and delicious cookies. We had to go up about 30 steps to reach our beautiful room with a balcony overlooking the centre of the riad. There are no elevators in these riads.
We were invited to our driver, Hisham's home to meet his parents, sister, niece and nephew who all live together in an apartment, which seemed quite a good size. We were offered mint tea and cookies and were warmly received by the family. We spoke in French and English.
In the words of Hashim, in reference to the good care he took of the SUV he drove us around Morocco, “Take good care of your donkey. Maybe next year he will bring you to Mecca!”
During the few days we spent in Fez we were able to visit the Jewish cemetery, the souks and various workshops where we saw ceramics, carpets, coppersmiths and a centuries old tannery. We also saw a stall where a woman was preparing filo, a little different from what we buy in the frozen section of the grocery store.
We had a guide to navigate through the souk as there are 10 000 streets which have shops and residential quarters, restaurants and mosques. The area has been around since the 800s and some of the side streets are so narrow, one can only walk in single file. The souk is divided into sections, so one street has all the gold and jewellery shops, another has fabric, thread, bric a brac, and then there are the streets with the tannery and leather products, the food items, the wool dyeing, etc Although all the merchants we visited all tried to sell us their products, there was no real hard sell here the way there was in India.
We were taken up to a shop where we were shown the tanning process from a balcony high up above the vats. It smelled so terribly we were given a clump of fresh mint to hold under our noses so as not to vomit from the stench!
Navigating the narrow passages.
Yes, you can buy a camel head if you like!
Day 5- Day trip to Volubilis and Mecknes from Fez
When we arrived at the next Riad, one of the owners suggested that we watch the setting sun so we got back into the car and drove 2 minutes to the sand dunes. We removed our shoes and made the steep climb up to the top of the dune where we were able to see the date trees below and the sun setting behind them. It made the 7.5 hour journey in the car all worthwhile!
We ate dinner in the courtyard and were able to see a sprinkling of stars in an otherwise cloudy sky! Such a lovely experience!
Day 7- Sahara exploration
We decided to travel to the desert camp by camel which took about an hour. We had a Berber guide leading our little caravan of 4 camels. It wasn't the most comfortable ride but it certainly was a thrill to experience the desert while on a camel. The contrast of the sky and the sand dunes was breathtaking! We even got up extra early to watch the sun rise.
Day 8- Todra Canyons, Rose Valley, Skoura We left the desert behind to continue on to see various sights along the way. Unfortunately any sight worth a stop also has many vendors pedalling their wares.
Day 9-We went to a Berber village and stayed at a magnificent Riad. One would never guess what an oasis lies behind the walls of the hotel. As always, upon arrival, we were led to a very nice sitting area and offered Moroccan scotch- same joke every time we got served mint tea! There is some ceremony around the pouring of the tea which is always poured from high up into the same size glass, which looks like a tall shot glass. First, one glassful is poured and returned to the teapot a few times. Once the server is happy with the results we are offered tea and delicious cookies. 
We were given a guided tour of the village, shown the fields and learned about their ancient irrigation system. We were also toured through the casbah or fortress of the area dating back hundreds of years. Later, we were invited into a Berber house to see the baking of bread in clay ovens. The breads are huge and baked vertically against the oven walls. We were all amazed that the bread didn't fall into the coals below. We were then led upstairs to the dining room where tables were set up for lunch. Apart from the tables, there was no other furniture. We sat on the carpet on the floor whee we were served appetizers- big platter with Moroccan salads- beets, carrots, beans, rice, the delicious freshly baked bread and then the ubiquitous tagine!
ancient olive press and clay oven for bread baking 
enjoying Berber hospitality!
Day 10-unbelievable scenery on the drive toward Marrakesh by way of the High Atlas Mountains. We were all so happy that Hisham was driving as the road was narrow and terrifying in places, with lots of switchback roads because of the steepness. We saw lots of isolated villages clinging to the mountainsides.
-gorgeous room in a beautifully renovated Riad. We had breakfast in the courtyard/lobby. Below are street scenes typical of Marrakesh and the bigger cities.
Day 12- day trip to Essaouira, a coastal Portuguese town full of charm. Day 13/14 We drove from Marrakesh to Casablanca where we wandered along the beach and prepared for our journey home very early the following day. What a wonderful trip we had with our dear friends, Francine and Marcel. We enjoyed ourselves and were so happy to have had the opportunity to visit Morocco. It offered a completely different culture, good food and a completely different landscape!
Making file dough on the left.
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