Morocco - back to Marrakech

The sea fog had burned off and we had a sunny breakfast by the beach and then back in the van to drive back to Marrakech.

Pam and Tina had been able to get some pictures of Storks but this was the only one I got. Multiple nests, with Storks on some, on a cell tower.

This route took us through an area that was slightly less arid, a bit more fertile. There were crops growing here and far more fields cleared of rocks (repurposed into walls). Tomatoes, corn and other crops I didn't recognize.

Transportation was a sight upgrade too. Although there were still plenty of donkeys, ridden and pulling carts, there were far more horses in use. More of the little pick up trucks and I actually saw a few tractors on the bigger fields.

Abdullah mentioned that the further north you go in Morocco the more valuable the agriculture and that northern Morocco is called the "useful Morocco" as most of the fruit and vegetables that are exported are grown there.

We drove via the airport and dropped Joe off at his hotel there and then made our way back into the Medina, the old part of the city.

We stopped in a square and were met by this gent with his luggage cart

to lead us through the streets and alley ways

to our hotel for the last night.

As is usual here, it was a pretty unassuming door, in an alley, and then down steps into subterranean opulence. 

We sat in the lobby,

served tea and cookies, while they inputted our passports into the system.

Then, as our rooms weren't ready yet

we were shown out the back door as it was closer to the restaurant we wanted to got to for lunch.

As this was my first real meal for a couple of days I took it easy. Wholewheat pancakes and fruit.

The others weren't so cautious.

Then back through the alleys (we were getting good at this now) to the hotel. This was the door to my room.

The sink was a work of art

as was the toilet paper.

My window

looked out into a little courtyard.

The plan had been to go to a garden and we had bought timed tickets before we left Marrakech but I didn't feel that I could trust the bathroom situation there or how good my energy would be, so Dave went instead of me and Mark and I planned to visit the minaret which was close by. 

First a quick look at the rooftop. This hotel appears to be made up of 3 Riads linked together as there are at least 3 courtyards and it is a bit of a maze.

I could see the minaret from the roof.

The minaret is part of the Koutoubia mosque

We walked across the main square and learned that the best way to get across a busy road is to position yourself next to a local and rush across just behind them.

Non Muslims cannot go in the mosque and, aside from being large, it isn't much to look at.

We wandered through the gardens surrounding it

taking pictures of the minaret 

from all angles. Then Mark suggested we go to see La Mamounia Hotel. Abdullah had told us it was voted the best hotel in Africa. 

I had to leave my camera at the gate to the hotel and for some reason the pictures that I took on my phone wont load up. So, you just have to take my word for it... it was the height of luxury and quiet snobbery. We had a glass of wine (Mark) and a fizzy water (me) and it was a ridiculous price. I will say though that the art work was fabulous and hope to get the pictures to load up somehow.

The next morning we left the hotel at 2:30am (not much sleep!) and took the first flight out of Marrakech at 5am. At Charles de Gaulle, I separated from the others who were going to Ottawa, Tunisia (Nic and Dave) and I was going to Toronto. The flight home was uneventful and I had arranged for a driver to pick me up. Exhausted, I fell into bed.

Morocco - Oualidia

This hotel was lovely

and my room was also lovely

with a window looking out on this walkway and arbor, covered with flowers. 

 

The bathroom was also better than most we had had, which was a good job as I spent most of the night in it. A Moroccan Montezuma's revenge had hit hard.

Luckily we had a free day and I spent most of it in, or close to, my room while the others explored.

Some walked to another beach and reported that it was spectacular  with no-one else there (Photo by Dave)

I took photos from the terrasse area of the hotel

Some of the others went exploring the town and came back reporting that not much was open and there wasn't a huge selection of restaurants, but the hotel had a good one.

Mark went swimming or rather, as he said, "getting knocked over by the sea". His expression says it all. Photo by Nicola.

Photo by Nicola.

Photo by Nicola

I joined the others to read on the terrasse and was able to order some toast. Retired early, hoping that things would improve. Luckily I had some medication with me that I hoped would do the trick. That  night was moderately better.

Morocco - Sidi Kaouki to Oualidia - Safi

 

The drive up the coast continued. First through a protected forest area. Goats and sheep are not permitted to graze here and trees were a little larger and lots of undergrowth because of this.

It gradually became more agricultural, walled fields, cattle as well as sheep and goats. Some fields were quite large and I even saw a tractor plowing one. More horse drawn carts here than donkey drawn.

Sand beaches that stretched for miles and very little development. There were high end homes and villas, "for foreigners, escaping the northern Europe cold".

A stop to take pictures and

I saw my first traditional toilet. 

We drove through a very industrial area, dominated by Phosphate production

Morocco is the world's second-largest producer and leading global exporter of phosphate rock, phosphoric acid, and phosphate-based fertilizers, holding roughly 68% to 70% of the world's total confirmed phosphate reserves (about 50 billion metric tons) from AI summary

We drove into Safi, it also has a Portuguese history and when Abdullah realized that most of us hadn't eaten at the last stop

he found a very pretty Riad for lunch

As usual there were olives and bread

and I had 2 salads; tomato and cheese,

avocado, shrimp and mango and a very refreshing lemonade made with ginger and mint.

Revitalized we were off

to the pottery market through

an area that had been badly damaged by a major flood a year and a half ago. We could see the restoration work on the stores along the way.

Because of the flood the pottery Souk had been moved and was not very big. A large deposit of clay near the town has meant that most pottery sold in the markets all over Morocco is made here.

We walked and admired and chatted with shopkeepers

but pottery is difficult to take home

and none of us were in the market for it

even if it included a cheap cat! Photo by Dave

Another hours drive and we were unloading at a lovely hotel in Oualidia, right on the beach. Lunch had been late so I had no need for a meal but had wine on the terrasse while listening to crashing waves.