Knotty Ewe On the Land

Early on Sunday morning I headed out to the airport to pick up Eric.  I was so excited to see him again.  I can’t believe it was already almost 8 weeks since I left Toronto.  Of course I arrived way too early in my excitement to see him.  I was also anxious because originally Morocco was supposed to end day light savings time on Saturday night, but the government changed it’s mind at the last minute (no clue why but our guide saw it on a local news cast) so I was afraid I would miss him.  He arrived safely though – looking tired but wonderful.  It felt so good to be enveloped in a wonderful blissful hug again.

We spent Sunday getting caught up and wandering through the Medina a bit.

Enjoying fresh squeezed orange juice in Marrakech main square.

Monday was another very relaxed day.  Being together again is so wonderful.  I feel like now I’m finally experiencing Morocco fully with my full set of senses back again.  We spent some time planning our motorcycle route and logistics for the trip.  In the afternoon we met up with Jeanette for a final wander through the souks and to just hang out on the lovely terrace at her riad.

Saturday was the last full day of the tour.  It was definitely a relief to not be riding camels and donkeys any more.  Though it was a lot of fun being on the beach and having such a pristine space to ourselves, it was nice to get back to civilization.

It actually turned out to be a very enjoyable but packed day.  In the morning we enjoyed a last stroll around Essouira and enjoyed the view of the ocean from the ramparts and wandering through the town.  This was definitely my favourite place so far in Morocco.

On arrival in Essouira the previous day we dropped almost all the clothes I have with me at a laundry to be washed.  As I’m continuing to travel this seems to be necessary periodically as a reset on cleanliness supplemented with some hand washing or garments at hotels.

In the early afternoon we (5 of the females of the group) submitted ourselves to a beloved Moroccan ritual – the hammam, or bath. (Sorry no pictures!)  This was a traditional hammam, not a glitzy spa at one of the new hotels and was located down a side street in the maze of Essouira.  After locking away our valuables in a locker we stripped down to our bathing suit bottoms.  The hammam consisted of two dark low barrel vaulted rooms heated by pipes of hot water under the floor.  The first room had three stone slab tables used for the treatments and the second room contained low chairs where we waited between treatments and was also the source of the copious amounts of water they used.  First step in the process was to rub us down oil, then using a black rubber mitt they vigorously scrubbed off all our dead skin all over our bodies.   After being on the camels and out on the beach it’s not surprising how much skin came off.   After being rinsed off  we were covered in a clay mud from head to toe to draw out the toxins in our skin.  This detoxification was increased by continued sweating in the hot humid environment of the room.   Once we were deemed sufficiently clean we were rinsed down once again and layed out on the stone slab tables to enjoy a lovely massage.  The hammam was a lovely experience and was perfect after the camping.

Unfortunately our time in Essouira was then at an end so we once again piled into our bus for the return trip to Marrakech.  Sadly we left Rich and Zoe in Essouira as they were proceeding by local bus for some beach time.  They were on their honey moon so they needed some down time together.

In Marrakech we spent the evening in saying goodbye.  First stop was drinks on a roof top terrace at the main square to watch the sun set and the square come to life.

Jamaa el Fna square at sunset

We then went for dinner at a local restaurant where I continued my dietary experimentations.

Pigeon tajine

Afterwards we returned to the hotel and said our goodbyes as most of the group was leaving for the airport first thing in the morning.  I was sad to see them go as I had a very good time on the tour and enjoyed getting to know my travel companions.  I really look forward to keeping in touch with them.

Today started out bright and early.  After packing up camp we moved out for a few more hours of riding. Most of our group spent the night sleeping under the stars on the sand dunes.  I was glad I didn’t though because there were huge black sand beetles crawling around and the night was very very cold.  I was happy to be snug and cozy in the sleeping tent.

After a short drive we made our way to our last stop in Essouira.  This was a lovely sea side town that was formerly a Portugese outpost.  The atmosphere was much more layed back and local than Marrakech.  I enjoyed our time here very much.

Strolling around Essouira

Local colourful weaving.

Inlaid wood from the local Thuya tree.

We enjoyed a very local experience for lunch.  Essouira is a working fishing port.  So we went to the fish market and bought fresh fish of a few varieties.  We then went to a local canteen that will cook whatever you bring them however you have to bring all the ingredients including salt and spices.  They cooked the mountain of fish that our guide Yacine selected at the market.  Unfortunately for me all the fish were cooked whole so it came with bones, heads, and skin still on and we had to eat it all with our fingers.  I have problems eating meat and knowing where it comes from at the best of times so seeing the fish staring at me meant I ate very very little.

In the evening we strolled down to the port to see the local catch being brought in sold off the boats.

Today was a full day of camel riding.  Or rather I should say the others in the group rode their camels.  Unfortunately the width of the camels combined with their deep uneven gate caused me a lot of pain in my hips.  So I switched with Tavia and she rode my camel and I rode the donkey.  It was a long day of riding – 6 hours in total.   It was lovely scenery for some of it but other parts it was just an endurance to get to the end.

We were rewarded at the end though with camping on a beautiful beach for the night. We had the pristine beach all to ourselves.  It was lovely to take a long stroll along the beach and enjoy the sunset.

Another long day of driving.  We headed north to the shore of the Atlantic ocean.  It was a spectacular drive along the coast.

We stopped for a break in Agadir.  This area will be where I will finish my stay in Morocco with some beach time.  Agadir itself is really just a big city on the beach that has been massively built up as a tourist resort area since it was destroyed by earth quake in the 1960s.

Agadir beach. The writing on the mountain side says God, Morocco and King

We also stopped at a women’s co-operative which produces argan oil.  The argan trees are scrubby little trees that grow in abundance in the area of the anti-Atlas in the south-west of Morroco.  The fruit is eaten and the oil used for cooking and cosmetics.  In Canada the oil is sold as Moroccanoil in salons for an insane price.  Of course we all bought lots!

Women cracking open the argan pods.

Shopping time! (Simone and Nirine)

Also close by we saw some goats grazing in the trees.  In this part of the country there is very little for the goats to eat so they climb the argan trees and eat them.  One day we had goat tajine that was very good and very rich because the goats fed on argan.

Goats grazing in the argan trees.

Late in the afternoon we met our camels who provided transportation for us for the next few days.  We all donned our new Berber head dresses (we eventually learned how to tie the scarves which provide great protection from the sun and dust) and boarded our ships of the dessert.

Me and the camels

The view as we rode along the coast.

Zoe on Jimmy the most chill of the camels.

Tavia’s camel was hyperactive so she rode the donkey for the day.

Our camp for the night.

This has probably been my favourite day of the tour – it was packed with fun active stuff that kept us engaged and busy all day but also exploring new areas of Morocco.  Yesterday we came down from the High Atlas to the Mid-Atlas.  The market centre for this region Tafraoute which is a small town of about 3000.  We stayed here two nights to explore the area a bit.

Our exploration of the country side was done by bicycle.  We had a local guide who took us out of the town and into the back fields.  Because it is September everything is very brown and dry.  Even though it continues to be quite hot by our terms (30C) it is dry heat.  In total we did a 30 km loop around the town.

Picking up our mountain bikes in the morning. The guy in the black tshirt is our local guide Hicham who owned the store.

Our group (minus one)

The dry rocky countryside was interesting territory to explore

Yacine, our tour leader

We stopped to explore an area where a Belgian artist about 30 years ago painted many rocks blue and pink.  We climbed one of the rocks for a better view.

We stopped for a yummy picnic lunch in the shade of a tree.  We have been able to get and eat many more fresh fruits and vegetables now that we are out of the major city.  We were just outside a cute little town called Aday so we climbed up the hill to enjoy the view.

Enjoying the view from Aday (lovely models are Jeanette, my roommate, and Simone)

Picnic lunch in the shade

We finished our bike adventures by early afternoon.  After a quick shower we headed out into the town to explore the small souk a bit and to wander the area.  We ended up in the souk for the locals – there seems to be one for the tourists and one for the locals.

Tafraoute square

Kitty chilling in the souk

Vendor at the local souk

Local souk

I mentioned my room mate above.  Because our group has 5 women who are travelling solo, four of us have been paired up and are sharing rooms.  The 5th paid the single supplement to get her own room when possible.  We’re all getting along really well so sharing a room has not been a problem at all.

On a previous day as we were driving close to sunset we saw that local women gathered on outcroppings of rocks to watch the sunset.  As we have some avid photographers in our group we decided to climbing the rocks above the town to watch the sunset.  The climb was fun which compensated for the not so spectacular sunset.

We went to dinner at a local restaurant and after dinner we were joined by some local Berber musicians who shared some local music with us.  We got to try out the drums.  Definitely not one of my hidden talents!  We were also joined by two young Berber women, one of whom actually drummed and they joined in the singing.  Our guide told us that this is the first contact he has had with local women in 12 years of being a guide.  It is very rare and very new for women to come out in public and interact with strangers.   Unfortunately I was so busy listening I didn’t take a picture!

This evening we finally arrived at a hotel that has wifi so I am finally able to get caught up on my blog postings.  The place we stayed at for the past two nights, though lovely, had neither internet connection nor cell phone connectivity.  I know it is good for me to be disconnected for a while, but it just felt very strange to not be able to talk to people at home.

Today was a day of transit as we moved from our nature retreat in the High Atlas mountains to the Anti-Atlas mountain range.  We will be here for a couple of nights while we experience the area.  We left our hotel bright and early being picked up by “local transport”.  On market days the van usually carries shoppers and vendors (with their chickens and sheep) to the local market town.  Coming down the hills took 20 minutes to drive which the other day took 1.5 hours by mule.  I don’t think we appreciated the scenery quite as much though.  At the junction of the main road we then picked up our private, more luxurious, van (ie it has cushioned seats instead of wooden benches!).

We made a few stops along our 8 hour driving route to stretch our legs.  First stop was the 12th century Tin Mal Mosque.

As we were arriving at the mosque, a group of motorcycle riders was leaving.  It was reassuring to see motorcyclists on the road today as this was the first I’d seen.  I was starting to get worried that we would be the only ones on the road when we head out in a week or so.  The only people who ride full motorcycles here are tourists.  The locals ride scooters or little motorcycles and almost never with a helmet or protection.

We then headed further south through the Tizi N Test pass which is one of the major passes through the High Atlas mountains.  We stopped at the top to enjoy the view and hope we didn’t fall off the edge.  The pass crosses the mountains at 2100 m.  You feel you are on top of the world.

By late afternoon we reached the Anti-Atlas range which is lower but no less dramatic for scenery.

This evening we arrived in Tafraout which is the local centre for exploring this part of Morocco.  We are actually further south than the resort area of Agadir where I will finish my journey in a few weeks.

I’m feeling much better.  I still have a cough which gets aggravated by activity and too much talking.   It is hopefully just winding down though and will run its course soon I hope.

Sunday we explored the mountain area in the most traditional way possible – on foot.  After an early breakfast we headed out energetically following our local guide Said.  It was a beautiful hike but the first part was almost straight up hill, which combined with the higher altitude and my continued cough, was very difficult.

We finished our hike by enjoying a yummy lunch of tajine and bread at one of the homes in the village.  Unfortunately GAdventures somehow misunderstood my dietary restrictions and had me down as a complete vegetarian so for the first few days I basically ate potatoes and bread.  I’ve cleared this up though now so it’s better.

Given that our hike was about 6 hours, after lunch we all returned to the hotel and just collapsed and enjoyed a well deserved lie down in the sun reading our books.

Saturday was the first active day of our tour.  We started out bright and early from Marrakech heading south towards Toubkal National Park.  Toubkal is the tallest mountain in Morrocco.  Three members of our group just finished a four day trek to the top of the mountain just before this tour.  It sounded like a lot of effort (can’t describe it as fun sounding!).

Our first day though of activity was pretty easy.  We stopped at Azni where they had their weekly market to pickup the fixings for lunch.  We quickly found that you have to buy everything by the kilo it was easier for us each to pick up something (grapes, bananas, apples, bread etc) and share it communally.

After driving for a couple of hours we reached the point where we needed to leave the main road and head up into the mountains.  We were met by local Berber 4x4s (aka mules) which carried us for about 2 hours up into the hills to our hotel.

We then spent the afternoon enjoying the lovely view from the hotel terrace and taking a stroll through the local village.

View from the hotel terrace

Today was ostensibly the first day of my “active adventure” tour.  However, it didn’t really start until this evening.  In the mean time I spent the day taking care of business.  First thing I moved out of my hostel in the central Medina out to the new part of the city to the hotel from which the tour starts.  My idea was to do some wandering in the new city to see the difference with the cramped chaotic older section.

After moving locations, before I could move on to pleasurable pursuits, I was going to take another try at getting a local SIM card for my phone.  I purchased one yesterday, but upon trying to install it in the evening I realized it was the wrong type of card.  Unfortunately cutting it down didn’t work and so today I was on the hunt for one that was the proper size for my phone.  In the central medina I was unable to find a proper cell phone store to assist me as it seemed all SIM cards were sold by the corner store (not much help when you are having troubles).

Luckily just a couple of doors down from my new hotel is a proper cell phone store.  They were very helpful in identifying the right option for me and we were all set to pop in the new card and activate everything when it turns out the SIM card tray for my phone was broken.  The helpful young man sent me along the street to the local phone repair guru.  I had to leave my precious phone in this mans custody for a few hours while he repaired it.  I was resigned to the fact that I would not see my phone again.  Luckily though when I returned at the appointed time my phone was not only still there but fixed (lovely man!).  I then returned to the cell phone store and got everything sorted out there.  So I now am up and running for phone and data for the next month in Morocco.

In the few hours while I waited for my phone to be repaired and to alleviate my mind of custody issues, I went to take a stroll in the lovely Jardin Majorelle.  The gardens were originally created in the 1930s by a painter (Majorelle) but were then purchased by Yves St Laurent and his partner.  His ashes were scattered in the gardens when he died in 2008 and there is a monument to him.  And in keeping with high fashion the boutique sells massively over-priced but classy designer souvenirs.

The gardens were a blessed shady retreat from the intense sun that blasted down today.  I saw a sign that said 30C but after all my tramping around it definitely felt much much hotter.

My attempt to explore this area of the city was a failure.  I think I was in the wrong part of it as it was singularly uninspired chaos and concrete apartment blocks.  I don’t think I would have been well rewarded anyway, but it was a very hot exploration of nothing.

This evening we had our introductory meeting of our tour group where we filled out paperwork and got an overview of our tour.  There are only 7 of us in the group and only one of those is a guy.  We have a tour leader who will be with us for the entire trip (Yacine).  All of the women on the trip are individual travellers (except the woman who is with the guy) so we are sharing rooms.  My roommate is from the US.  There is quite a mix of people – the couple is British, 2 American women, 1 German, 1 Swiss, and me the lone Canadian.  So far everyone seems really nice.

We went out to a local restaurant for dinner and it was fun to get to know each other.  I’m looking forward to the next 10 days with these people and look forward to getting to know them better.  Sorry – I was too busy talking and forgot to take pictures of people at dinner.  Time enough for that later.