So for the February break we decided that we wanted to travel somewhere exciting and more importantly somewhere warmer than france! So we decided on Africa and set out for Morocco. Mhairi, Rachel and I (ME) flew from Lyon into Marrakech and we saw a pretty amazing African sunset. (all ordinary things were now African to us! African airplanes, African toilets, African taxis, we were kind of excited). We took out some dirhams from the cash machine and then headed out of the airport to find our hostel. A man asked if we needed a taxi and told us to wait and he's be right back, so he ran off to get his unmarked car in a far a way parking lot then when he came back we hoped that he wasn't planning on selling us into underground prostitution...no worries we made it alright. So we were dropped off in the Medina, which is the main city surrounded by walls. We were right in middle of the square and what is the largest outdoor market in the world. There was a lot to take in! There were so many shops and the people looked different than what we're used to and obviously we looked very different! There were a lot of hotels and so many streets that we couldn't find out little hidden hostel but luckily this nice boy about our age said he could show us the way no problem. He was really nice and chatting to us and it took about two mins to get to the hostel then we thanked him and walked inside. Well then he freaked out that we needed to pay him for being a guide but we only had big bills so he stayed outside the hostel yelling at us! Sign in for the hostel was intersting...we went into the tea room that had all these tables and colourful cushions and people smoking hookah and having mint tea and our little friend (who we named pepito) who spoke a little french and english to us, signed us in then took us up to our room. There were three beds and it was just like the three bears, a double bed, single bed and like a half a single. So he explained to us that little mhairi would have the small bed, Rachel the single and I could have the double and then he showed me with his hands 'because you're so big' thanks buddy. Then he went over to Rachel who is 100% English and saying 'chinois, china (pronounced sheeeena) and pointing at her eyes! This was hilarious but confusing for Rachel because over the next few days other people yelled 'konichiwa' at her! So far things were sketchy but we decided to check out the market at night and it was pretty obvious that we were tourists. Everyone was yelling at us 'hey spice girls' 'ahh gazelles' 'winner winner chicken dinner!' 'ahh princesses' and to mhairi 'short...but amazing anyway'. So we found a restaurant where we had a delicious shawarma. We got to eat outside, which was a nice change, and we were up on a terrace where we could see out over the market.
The next morning we were woken up before 6 by chanting from the mosque. Its amplified all over the city and was honestly pretty scary in the morning! We went back to sleep for a few hours then had some breakfast in the tea room. We had mint tea (which was available everywhere, with big mint leaves in the glasses) and moroccan bread and honey. The bread was everywhere! It was really cheap too, a loaf was about 10 cents and men pushed around carts full of it all over the city! Ahh and the best fresh orange juice of life was 30 cents! We were excited to get back to the market and do a little shopping. Things were going well until we were looking at some jewelry and a man offered to show us the main square because it had much better quality stuff. So after last night we were hesitant to go with anyone and we said we weren't looking for a quide and he assured us that it was no charge and we weren't far away. So this guy was totally charming and he ended up taking us through a maze of the souks (the alleys behing the square. sounding safe yet?) he did take us to a tannery though which was kind of cool. They were making leather and there were all these guys in holes in the ground stepping on it. It smelled absolutely awful but they gave us some mint to hold under our noses. Our 'friend' then tried to take us to a store where they made carpet but we knew he was going to want money from us so we tried to part ways with him. So he was really sweet and said 'no problem' double kiss blah blah then we went to walk away and his face complety changed! He was so crazy looking and demanded that we give him some money. then he made two fists and cracked his neck (did i mention he was bragging about what a champion boxer he was?) so we had to give him something and he left us along then we were totally lost! So when I say maze, I mean we were walking around for actually over 2 hours and everything looked the same! It was cool to see the people and the diffferent kinds of shops but we were a little concerned. Especially one disgusting street ! Let me try and give you a visual, there were piles of rotten fruit and swarms of flies and baby kittens on the side of the road in a box! it was horrible! then the real creeps came out and were following us and yelling at us 'you want sex?' one guy even got to second base with Mhairi! So that was the worst part of the trip! We found a nice guy from London and he took us home. We stuck with the tourists then and went into see 'Palais du Rahba' an old palace that was really cool. The walls were all really colourful tiles and it had a really nice garden where we took a little break. When we got back in town we got some food up on another terrace. The food was always delicious and really cheap! We got a moroccan salad (which became our favourite food) couscous and for dessert local oranges with cinnamon! We decided to get some henna. That was pretty neat, only we hadn't really mastered the bargaining so I think we payed a bit too much but it was still cheap. One more scary thing happened that day. I bought a big bottle of water and i was carrying it under my arm and this guy came up behind me and tried to knock it out of my arm. So I thought that was weird but he just kept walking but then he came back at me and tried to pull it out again and I actually had to fight with him to keep it. But i'm happy to say that none of us were ever robbed! Morocco was actually a really beautiful place and there was a lot to see outside the medina.
We set off the next morning to see the Atlas Mountains. The drive was exciting because we saw camels and lots of different people. The actualy driving was crazy. It was like in a movie where you're winding up a mountain and the road is on right on the edge, minus a guardrail...When we made it to the mountains a young boy acted as our guide and we got to climb up a little waterfall, just over rocks and flimsy bridges! But when we made it to the top there was a cafe with mint tea! There was even a man in a hole in the mountains carving different souvenirs from the rock. At the bottom there was many different cafes and for most of them you had to walk across the river on an Indiana Jones bridge (my dream, i know) So we spent the afternoon there enjoying the sun. We got to try a tagine, which is a special pottery dish that they cook the food in. We took lots of pictures on the drive home and got a tour of a pottery shop. That night we got some Aladdin cocktails and worked on our bartering skills at the market. I think we were pretty impressive. The next day was the best because we drove out to the Cascades (waterfalls)! It was about a 3 hour drive and there was a lot to see on the way! Apparently our driver had some connections because he set us up with a local boy our age who took us all around the waterfalls! It took a few hours and we got to see it from all angles. We started at the top then he took us through a field of olive trees where it was actually raining olives on us! can't complain about that. We walked right down where there used to be water from the falls and took a boat across the bottom an walked back up to the top. Our guide (Samir) told us all about his family and showed us a typical Berber mud house and we saw monkeys! and he even told us terrible jokes! Anyway it was pretty exciting but the best was still to come. We got quite the hookup when we got back to the top and we got to have our lunch in the VIP area! We ate outback of the restaurant at our own table overlooking the falls! and we had more moroccan salad! good day! And of course Samir then professed his love to Mhairi (she picks up a boy/stalked everywhere we go!)
On our last day in Marrakech we just wanted to enjoy the sun but it wasn't worst staying the market because of all the comments so we found this tour bus that had an open roof so we got up there away from the locals. We got to see some more of the city and the crazy driving! I dont think there are any rules to the road! There are buses, mopeds, bikes, horses, people pulling carts on the road just going everywhere and kids just darting inbetween! Ah and a lot of the men wore these, well i'm not sure what they're called but, dresses that were long sleeved and to the floor with pointed hoods! It looked like the KKK was walking around. So we got to enjoy some more camels and palm trees. We had developed a little relationship with our hostel worker friend Pepito so we asked if we could get a picture with him. He said he was busy and he'd come up to our room later. So later we were sitting on the bed when the door busts open and pepito sprawls out on the bed with us. We all thought he was falling for Rachel AKA Sheena but he professed his love for me because he 'never sees girls like me in Morocco' oh sweet pepito. but then he started stroking my hair and telling me about my 'big hair, big lips etc.' thanks little friend. On our very last day we got the train to Casablanca! how romatic! It was about 3 hours and the train cost less than 10 dollars! I watched the movie before we left but the city didn't quite meet my expectations...it was so industrial and not really nice at all but I'm glad that I can say I was there. We had a horrible time at the airport with flight delays but we finally made it back to Lyon airport where we spent a freezing night waiting for our morning train. We slept in a booth in a cafe! I felt like such a homeless person! Plus it was Valentines day, so we spooned ahah romantical. So even though the trip started off a little bit sketch, we had some amazing times and shared a lot of laughs!
I'll post the pictures in the link.
-Papa Bear
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