Morocco Report(English)
I participated boldly the tour limited to only one person because of difficult situation after my elder brother's death. Morocco situated on the northwest edge of Africa excited me to go sightseeing. Before going I read books and saw movies about Morocco to gain advanced knowledges. I left Narita on January 27 and returned safely on February 3, 2020 after finishing the 8 days travel taking 20 hours flight and 1,857km running by bus. Before departure I was worried about redness in left eye and loosing back teeth, however I could returned to Japan without any problems. It was fruitful travel for me in sightseeing as well as in getting to know many people during this travel. 1. From Narita To Casablanca Airport (January 27, 2020)
It was 3years and 3 months for me to go sightseeing abroad. Time was enough to gather
at 15:10 and immigration was easy because of new image inspection. I boarded on EY871, Etihad Airlines departing at 17:10 and wholly enjoyed checking and seeing TV screen indicating flight route with the direction of Mecca all the time. I became nervous when flying over the Strait of Hormz because of disputing between Iran and Iraq. After 12Hours flight, we arrived at Abu Dhabi Airport of UAE located in the Arabian Peninsula and moved to the waiting room by limousine bus after security checking. During 2 hours transit time, I enjoyed seeing duty free shops inside the building and took EY613 flight to Casablanca departing at 02:45. When our flight passed over Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, I remembered working for two years in Jeddah 30 years ago. Presently our flight flew over the Mediterranean sea through Egypt and then arrived at Casablanca airport at 08:45 local time in January 28 after finishing 8 hours flight. I confirmed 8 hours time difference from Japan. After picking my luggage up, I exchanged Japanese yen into DH and found 22 people as the number of our traveling companion.
2. Sightseeing in Casablanca and Rabat (January 28, 2020)
"Casablanca"means "White house" in Spanish and that is the largest city in Morocco with
a population of 4.15 million people. Casablanca is the commercial city, while Rabat located next to that is the capital city called as the political city. I learned the name of Casablanca so far from movies and flowers. Our bus was waiting when going out of the airport and I noticed that my luggage was the smallest in all luggages. That was the reason why the bigger luggage could accomodate more souvenirs, I heard. We had two guides, one was a female Japanese and another was a male local guide. The Japanese guide interpreted his English and explained us in Japanese through receiver. I heard she has a talent in German and Italian as well as English. The streets of Casablanca looked like the atmosphere in Nigeria because they were so noisy and dusty with strong sun shine under the blue sky.
After a while our bus arrived at the front of Hassan Umosque facing the Atlantic Ocean
which was the biggest mosque in Africa and completed in 1993 taking 8 years. The mosque had the tower (minaret) with 200m heigh, the huge site capable of accomodating 80,000 people and the inside mosque capable of accomodating 25,000 people. The minaret with exact geometrical decoration was so beautiful that I couldn't help writing. I was surprised at hearing that it was built with national taxes and donations only for people's belief. Next we visited MohammadDplaza where took a lot of pictures and we could see the buildings such as city hall, court, and central post office queued up next to the plaza. After then we ate moroccan cuisine which was too hard for me to enjoy our lunch. To my surprise, a bottle of water was one of official order from menu.
In the afternoon we headed toward Rabat captal city 90 km away from Casablanca and
visited "Casba of Udaiya"located in the northern part of Rabat which was registered in the World Heritage. "Casba" means residential area srrounded by citadel. We went to Medina (old city) and when going through Malsa street we found the reddish brown castle wall in front. Then we entered the casba from the Gate of Udaiya. Many houses painted blue were seen on both sides of labyrinthine alley and those appearance looked like the town of Shauen visiting next, our guide said. There were such trees with fruits as pomegranate and orange in the vicinity of the exit.
After leaving here we went to Mausoleum of MuhammadDwho won independence from
France and completed in 1973. The building was beautiful with Moroccan traditional architectural skills and sculptures. We could see two guards wearing Moroccan red uniform with a spear, on a white house, at both side of the gate. We didn't see the stone coffin in the center of the Mausoleum however approach to Hassan's tower standing face to face in the same site. I heard the tower with 44m high is the typical building with Moor style and still not complete at present though it was intended to be built up to 88m tall first. River Buregreg was flowing behind the site into the Atlantic Ocean. We checked in hotel "Liebe" in Rabat at 17:30 and gathered in a restaurant to take our viking dinner. I ordered a bottle of local beer"Flag" and enjoyed Morrocan dish which was hard to eat for me. After dinner I returned to my room and took a shower without going nearby supermarket My left leg got stuck in the middle of the night however I could have a sound sleep.
3. From Rabat to Shauen and Fez(January 29, 2020)
I awoke ahead of setting alarm at 6 o'clock. After putting my luggage in front of my room, I went to the dining room and hurried to take my breakfast. Our main schedule today was to enjoy sightseeing in Shauen and to travel 464Km by bus from Rabat to Shauen and Fez. We headed toward the mountains in the direction of northeast through meadow. On the way we could see the sunrise over the horizon. What a mysterious sight it was! We also encountered the place making salt from rocks and the sight children going to school. After a while our bus arrived at Shauen located in the North foot of Riff mountains. I heard "Shauen"means horn in Arabic. Surely we could see two mauntains with peaks like horns behind us. Anyway we took our lunch at the restaurant located on the hill capable for looking down on the streets of Shauen. I ordered a cup of strawberry juice and ate mixed kebabs as main dish with Moroccan breads annoyed me to bite them. After going to toilet I went up to the rooftop where I took pictures for the blue town seen in the distance. The town was constructed in 1471 and Muslims escaping from Spain settled down as their sanctuary without opening to pagans for long times. We entered the nallow alleys in Medina(old city) after passing through the gate of university. The mazes with white walls spreading in steps to the moutain slope were fantastic and fairy tale chick with their blue accent color. Cats were hanging around here and there, and I thought here was cat's heaven. We went round and came back to the the plaza where a grand mosque was seen in the south. After taking pictures we got on the bus and headed toward the South up to the hotel staying tonight in Fez. On the way cactus and orange fields were seen through the window of our bus. When I dozed off our bus stopped suddenly at the roadside. After then our assistant driver came into the bus with a big bag containing oranges with about 20 cm size and distributed oranges to us one by one. What a big oranges they were to see for the first time in my life ! We could arrive at Fez called the first capital city of Mosram dynasty in Morocco and checked in the hotel "Fez-in" at 18:30. My room was large and wide like suite room having a wide bath room with bathtub, washing stand and toilet next to the bedroom. We took our dinner at the underground restaurant and toasted with beer. Unexpectedly I met Mr. O who was one of TEC OB at our table and enjoyed talking with him. During dinner we were surprised at darkness due to sudden off lighting. This was the birthday celeblation for the person having birthday, prepared by the hotel as their surprise. Cakes was served to every one and we all celebrated. I heard there seems frequently to be such surprise in foreign countries. After returning my room, I tried to eat the big orange which was sweet, juicy and easy peeling.
4. Sightseeing in Fez and over the Atlas Mountains from Ifrane and Erfoud (January 30,
2020)
Fez is the old city having the towns constructed more than 1000 years ago like Nara or
Kyoto in Japan and it's old street(Medina) is registered in World Heritage. We started our hotel at 8 o'clock and visited first royal palace with a big gate rising in the wide plaza. I heard this is the place for the king Morocco staying in Fez. After seeing there, our bus ran on the hillside and soon arrived at the top of the hill with fortress where we could overlook the entire town of Fez. I took movies for the entire town in a large panorama with 360 degrees. Next we dropped at a pottery shop where we enjoyed seeing the demonstration played by the workman making artistic works using a foot wheel.
After leaving here, we approached at Bujulud Gate located in the entrance of Medina
which is the biggest gate with the geometrical patterns and built in 1913. When we went through the gate, we found lots of shops along the mazes and donkeys carrying luggages. On the way we went to Buinania theological school with the large wooden door and visited the courtyard which is paved with marbles and built with the materials decorated with geometrical patterns. After going through the small alleies, we enjoyed shopping at a metal work shop selling and processing decoration metals. We went out Nejarrin plaza and saw Murei Idoris squirrel mausoleum. On the way we found Callawyn mosque with white interior at the corner of the alleies.
Going further into the maze, we arrived at the town of dyeing craftman called "Tannellie"
which means tannery in French and looked down the people working busily in the same manner as the old age from the top of the building next door. However I couldn't stand a strage smell coming from the site. On the way to the downstairs exit, there were many shops selling leather goods or fabric products etc.
After leaving here our bus kept running toward the South and arrive at Ifrane located in
the Mowaian and Atlas Mountainside above sea level 1650m and constructed in 1929 as a health resort under French colonies. I heard there are many summer resort villas for VIP or millionaires including the king now. We entered through a big gate and took a rest on a bench while seeing the streets with French style. Finally next we started for Erfoud near Sahara desert to make 395 km running over Atlas Mountains. The bus went up the mountain road while keeping speed and we saw mountains covered with snow over there and found persons enjoying skiing. Before running on the mountain road I wonder if the road is frozen but I was relieved after all. After stopping at the hotel in the mountainside for taking a rest, we headed toward the South and reached at the "Hotel Erfaud"in Erfaud at 21:15 and went directly to the dinning room. I also ordered a bottle of beer and ate a piece of turkey which annoyed me as ever. I went to bed soon after taking shower because of early start tomorrow morning. I heard Erfaud was the town once prosperous as the base to Sahara desert.
5. Watching the sunrise in the dessert and To Ouarzazate via Todra gorges (January 31,
2020)
We left the hotel at 6:15 on a 4WD. It was colder than I thought outside. Our car went on a
path without road in the darkness heading toward Melzuga large dune in Sahara desert. After about 40 minutes drive, we arrived at the vicinity of the entrance to the dune and got off the car. From here to the sunrise point we including 2 men and 3 women took the optional tour going by camel and I was on a camel for the first time in my life. I wearing winter clothing with mask, grasped tightly the handle fixing on the back of the camel so as not to fall. 5 camels were tied respectively with one rope and pulled by one berber. We arrived at the hillside in about 30 minutes, got off there and went up the top of the hill on foot. It was not easy to walk because the sand like powder clung to my feet. The another group walking on foot had already been waiting on the top of the hill. After a short time, far distant mountains were getting brighter and cheers came up at sunrise. I took movies at this moment and on our way back we came across a fantastic scene that the sun was projecting our shadow on the hill. One of women suddenly sang "Tsukino Sabaku" Japanese nursery rhymes so we felt like prince and princess. It was a wonderful experience that I couldn't experience in Japan. We returned to the hotel at 9:00 and after breakfast we restarted at 10:30. I found our hotels was two stories with a pool in the center and palm trees and Bugembiriya etc. were planted in the garden.
Our bus left the hotel and headed toward Todra valley in the West. On the way we got off
the bus at the desolate land and visited ruins of irrigation canal. We entered a winding moutain road through Casbah highway and then a steep rock wall appeared ahead. This area was Todra valley. We enjoyed sightseeing on foot along Todra River. Lock climbers were climbing the huge rock wall. The contrast between the red rock and the blue sky was very beutiful. I ordered one water bottle and at last I ate about half a meat tagine for my lunch. I could see almond flowers like cherry blossoms blooming along the highway. We dropped in the rose perfume shop and I bought a necklace for my wife. After leaving here the bus kept runnig toward the southwest and finally arrived "Hotel Ouarzazate Riad" in Ouarzazate at about 18:30. There was a pool in center of the hotel and my room was wide and deluxe with two beds.
6. Sightseeing from Ouarzazate to Marrakech via Ait Ben Haddou(February1, 2020)<Last
sightseeing day>
We took breakfast at 6:30 and left the hotel in Ouarzazate at 7:30 hurriedly. Today would
be the last day of our sightseeing because times tommorow would be exclusively used for our movement to Casablanca.
We visited first this morning the village of Ait Ben Haddou located in about 33km west
from Ouarzazate and called one of old "Kusal (embattled village) "built with dry bricks. This area was constructed in three dimensions using the slope of the hill beside the stream and still lived by 3-4 berber families, I heard. And this area was famous for using such movies as 'Lawrence of Arabia', 'Sodom and Gomorrah', and 'Jewel in the Nile' etc and was registered in the World Heritage of UNESCO in 1987.
After visiting here, our bus headed toward the west aiming at Marrakech 200km away.
Marrakech is located in above sea level 450m of the center of Morocco, its Medina(old city) is the North Africa's largest scale and is the second oldest town after Fez. On the way, we got off the bus at the shop of Algan oil on a hillside in the mountain, and saw squeezing oil from Algan seeds. I heard the Algan very rare oil is made from seeds of Algan nuts with only 1L producted from one tree and used for food and medicine. I bought two soaps of lavender as a souvenir.
Our bus entered in Marrakech before long. First of all, we visited Majorel garden in the new
street. I heard that the garden was built in 1920s by Jack Majorel painter of France. After his death late Eve Saint-Laurent designer bought and restored the garden. We could enjoy seeing such tropical plants as palm trees, coconuts, bananas, bougainvillias, cactuses etc. I heard the bamboo trees at the entrance were brought from Japan. The wagons for sightseeing were running busily out of the garden. Then we visited Papia palace in the old streets. The palace colorfully tiled inside with miniatures painting on the ceiling was built as Prime Minister's private residence in the latter half of the 19th century. When moving further inside, we found the courtyard surrounded by bright colored and stylish buildings.
After leaving here, we strolled through the old streets of Marrakech registered as the
World Heritage and reached Place Djemaa el Fna where was the public execution place in old days and many people got together one after another in the evening. After drinking a bottle of orange juice at the rooftop of building looking down the plaza, I went for a walk with Mr.O to see stalls and snake dancing etc. and we returned to the meeting place in time.
Afterwards, all of us walked to the tower of Ctubia in the west while taking dazzling sunset.
The tower (minaret) with about 77m high was standing so as looking down the palm trees and old city. We arrived at the hotel "Jaldan Du Ragdarl"(with 5 stars) after 6 :00 pm which was gorgeously built like a royal palace for example having big pools and palm gardens in the center of vast premises. To my surprise, bathtab was seperated by glass windows.
I hurried to take dinner and gathered at the entrance before 20:30 because we had to
start to participate in the fantastic drink show as our OP tour. After about 40 minutes drive by 4WD car, we got off at the front of the huge gate shining with neon in the dark and got inside where there was a big space like a playground surrounded by cafeteria streets. We were guided to reserved seat and took a glass of wine, then Mroccan band and dancers came to our table. According to their invitation, I joined dancing to the Moroccan music while shaking my body. After then we moved to the open space where we enjoyed seeing a show by a dancer and horse riding corps in the playground. It was already past 23:45 when we returned to the hotel. I took a shower and before sleeping I set alarm on my clock and asked wake-up call. Fortunately I could have a sleep and get up not to be late without panic in the morning.
7. Moving to Casablanca from Marrakech and leaving for home(February2-3, 2020)
I waked up before 3 am and went to the direction of entrance hall pulling my luggage, but I
could not find the way to the hall because the site inside was too wide to reach the hall in the dark. When I was rushing right and left, I happened to meet a young man looking like an hotel boy who was kind enough to show me the way to the entrance hall. Fortunately I could collect my meal box barely in time but finally. I hurriedly got on the bus starting to the airport of Casablanca at 4 am in the dark. The bus kept running toward the north in the distance of about 235km. Most of people were tired and fell asleep in the bus. About 4 hours later we arrived at MuhammadX airport in Casablanca and proceeded luggage check-in, security check and immigration control, and gathered at waiting room where I spent all the local money for my gifts. I could get on the EY612 at 10:00 as scheduled and transfered to EY878 at Abu Dhabi airport of UAE. Finally I could return to Narita at 12:45 on February 3, 2020 without troubles except tooth failure. This was a wonderfu and memorable travel for me.(The End)
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