We spent three nights in Marrakesh. It was a great first experience for Morocco. The kids had been looking forward to Morocco because it is the first really unique and exotic country we have been to. Sure, Nicaragua and Honduras, as well as the European countries were different than home, but people basically dressed the same, the houses and buildings looked familiar, the writing was recognizable (if not understandable), and the music was generally something we might hear at home, if you did not listen closely to the words. Morocco, though, is different in all of those aspects, and it all started on all arrival in Marrakesh. We started our exploring the first day with a walk around the souk, the ancient market. It did not disappoint. Whether by usual custom, or to please the tourists, many dressed in traditional ways, with long robes. The souks are narrow and winding, all lined with shops with merchants hawking their wares. Most offered “special tourist prices” with an opportunity to negotiate on everything. Our two days in Marrakesh were pretty low-key, though. Our activities were pretty much confined to walking the souk and visiting an old palace (Bahia Palace), which, sadly, has been allowed to badly deteriorate.
Following our three nights in Marrakesh, we took the bus to Essaouira. That was a bit of an adventure. Getting a taxi in Morocco is a maddening experience to the rookie, unless you know ahead of time how much something should cost. No meter is employed, though the law does say they are to be used, just your negotiating skills. We did manage to negotiate an appropriate amount to the bus station, but en route we got hijacked to the other bus station, ostensibly because the bus we wanted to take was full. Not knowing the truth, we allowed ourselves to be dropped off at the other station. Though we were assured that this bus would be cheaper, quicker with only one stop, and would leave within a short time of arrival, we found that only the first condition actually was fulfilled. We saved about a total of four dollars, but left nearly an hour later than they claimed, mainly to wait for the bus to fill, and stopped many times, and subsequently arrived a few hours later than we were supposed to.
On our arrival to Essaouira, we were met with the traditional throng of people hawking taxi rides, as well as those pushing you to stay at their hotel. This time we gave in, since we had not booked a room yet, and followed someone who promised us a nice apartment at a good price, and with no obligation. Surprisingly, he delivered on what he promised. We found a wonderful, roomy apartment, with a great view of the ocean. We visited the souk, viewed the ocean and sunset from the top of the old city walls, walked the beach, and hiked and played in the sand dunes. We enjoyed it so much that we extended our stay by an additional day, and could easily have stayed longer.
From there it was on to Ait Ben Haddou. The guide book very accurately describes the setting as a fairy tale. The old village, comprised of mud brick buildings, climbs it’s way up the side of a large hill. Though there are no longer many people who live there, and it exists mainly now for the tourists, it is still a fascinating place. Though I am not much of a shopper, the time spent in visiting the shop of a Toureg (one of the desert nomad tribes) merchants is one I will long remember. It started with accepting his invitation to sit for some mint tea. While sitting there, he started showing us the old antiques. He trades with desert people, giving everyday necessities for their old jewelry and other objects that made up his shop. Though it is hard to know the real truth in such things, the objects did look the part. The bracelets and boxes with different animal bones, old navigational guides with Arabic writing, knives, mirrors, rings, and earrings sure did look old and unlike anything I had seen before.
The area is so picturesque that Hollywood has used the setting in multiple movies. In fact, Hollywood likes the area so much that several studios have set up shop in the neighboring town. Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, The Last Temptation of Christ, Ben Hur, Lawrence of Arabia, Kundun, and Jewel of the Nile are among the movies that have been filmed there. We took a very entertaining tour of one of the studios. It was a kick seeing places that one has seen in movies, and seeing what it looks like on the back side of a set, and for that matter, above what is shown in the movie.
Now it is on to Merzouga, and the activity the kids have been looking forward to since our arrival in Morocco, a camel trip into the dunes.
-Mitch
October 12
long4adventure