Day 10 - Driving to Marrakesh

Our guide Khalid was ready with car at 8:30am so off we went on the long road trip to Marrakesh. Our first stop was the town of Ifrane which could be described as the "Collingwood" of Morocco. Situated high up in the Atlas Mountains, it's a popular skiing spot for those who love winter sports.



More Swiss than Moroccan!


Morocco is a country of geographical contrasts. Many people have a mental picture of Morocco as all sand and oases with palm trees but in fact it's quite different. . One moment you're in dry arid countryside and then an hour later you can find yourself in deeply forested mountains - see photo below.



The first half of the route to Marrakesh is all windy roads and Carl soon fell victim to car sickness. Thanks to a quick stop at a pharmacy in a small town, we have gravol and he's now feeling better.

We're passing through lots of small villages and towns - some certainly more prosperous than others. Lots of sheep and goat herds everywhere. Have spotted the occasional camel.

Arrived in Marrakesh - hot and tired - a 10 hour trip! Got stopped for speeding even though Khalid was being very careful. He didn't notice the reduction to 80k and was nailed. Numerous speed traps the entire way. In Morocco you don't bother to try and talk your way out of a ticket - the police are quite authoritarian so useless to argue.

As we approached the city, almost every form of transportation began to fill the roads - trucks, cars, mules/donkeys pulling carts, people riding mules, 3 wheeled bike trucks, motor bikes, bicycles - but all manage somehow to share the road. Very chaotic but Khalid, who is from Marrakesh, got us to our hotel. We're staying for 3 nights at La Maison Arabe - beautiful hotel with a lovely view from our room- see below - note proximity to minaret tower - we'll be rising with the call to prayers at 7am!





Tomorrow we tour the city. Au revoir until then!

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Location:On the road to Marrakesh

Day 9 - last day in Fes

Our final day in Fes before setting off for Marakkesh. Today we toured around the Villa Nouvelle or new city. Only in a city as old as Fes, could you find a district called "New" because it's only 700 years old.

We also went up to visit the Merenid ruins, all that's left of the Merenid dynasty which ruled Morocco in the 14th century. The views over Fes are spectacular as the photo below shows. You can clearly see the wall which encircles the medina.







Also a pic of the large cemetery - all the graves, which are always white, face east toward Mecca.




Before we leave, some final thoughts on the medina that I didn't include yesterday. In the medina you are constantly surrounded by rushing, hustling people pushing their way through the narrow corridors/streets. Stalls present everything from tall baskets of snail shells (must be a local delicacy), small mountains of fruits and vegetables, to carcasses of various animals - mostly lamb, sheep and beef. Every few seconds a push cart or some poor heavily laden donkey carrying animal hides, fabrics or food pushes past. There is constant movement and interaction between the sellers, women and children who live in this enscapulated city of 156,000 people. Small emaciated cats sit off to the side or run between your feet. Baskets of the freshest dates you have ever tasted are offered at several stalls. All this activity combined with the echoing calls to prayer from the local mosques makes for a very atmospheric and evocative experience.




Tomorrow is Marrakesh, a 7 hour drive from here but there will be stops in a couple of towns to stretch and lunch.

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Location:Fes, Morocco

Day 8 - the Fes Medina

Today we ventured forth into the Fes medina. The medina is the ancient walled centre of the city and not much has changed here in over 1,000 years. It's a maze of twisted streets, blind alleys and hundreds of tiny shops (souqs) and really is a mind boggling place to visit. The narrow streets are crowded with shoppers, donkeys carrying heavy loads, pilgrims heading to various mosques, and childrenHussein our guide grew up in Fes so he was very adept at steering us through it all.

Artisan activities such as weaving, rug making, leather making are all in full force here. The way it works is that your guide will tell you that you must learn about how rugs are made in Morocco. You are taken to rug shop where a comfortable seat and mint tea are offered. After learning how the rugs are made, the hard sell begins. Everyone is very polite and friendly but they are relentless in trying to persuade you to buy. The process is repeated at the pottery store, the linen store and the leather store. I did end up purchasing two djellabas which are the long, flowing caftans many of the women here wear. I couldn't persuade Carl to buy one for himself but if you drop by our house this winter I will be wearing one.










Below are some pics of the Riad we are staying at. Riads are traditional homes with an interior garden or courtyard. This one has been converted into the hotel. The exteriors of these houses have no windows - all windows face into the courtyard.











One of the many decorative gates into the medina.


Entrance into a mosque in the medina. Only Muslims can enter so photos at door only.



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Location:Fes

Day 7 - Rabat, Menkes & Fes

We had a quick breakfast before heading off with our guide Khalid. We will be spending the next 6 days with him as he drives us around Morocco.

Rabat is the capital of Morocco so home to many embassies and other elegant buildings many of which were built by the French during colonial times. First stop was the Chellah, a former Phoenician and then Roman site and finally an Islamic complex now in ruins - a fascinating combination of civilizations in one site. An elegant minaret is now topped by a stork's nest part of a large colony who have taken over the ruins (see photos below).









We then moved on to visit the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, who was the grandfather of the present King. The king's father Hassan II is also interred there. Beautiful marble building with traditionally dressed guards. The carved
plaster and tile work is stunning. We could look down into the tomb from a gallery.

















Then off to Meknes, approximately 90 minutes by car. Big modern highways link all the big cities. Endless groves of olive trees, long undulating foothills, road side stalls selling small mountains of pomegranates are some of the sights as we drive along. At Meknes we visited the mausoleum of Morocco's greatest ruler, Sultan Moulay Ismail who died in 1727. The tomb hall is a lavish showcase of Moroccan craftsmanship. We could take pictures but non-Muslims are not allowed to approach the tomb itself.











Then on to the Roman ruins of Volubilis. The Romans built this city around 40AD and at its height approx 20,000 people lived here. The highlight is the incredibly well preserved mosaic floors of several homes,all still in place. The sun is brutally strong however, so one does not linger and even the guides slather themselves in sunscreen before leading the tourists up there.










After about 3 hours of driving today, we arrive at Fes. We are staying at the Riad Fes, which is simply stunning. I will post pics on the next blog.

Before we sign off, some impressions of Moroccan food. I love Moroccan food and cook it quite frequently at home but I couldn't believe the intensity of the flavours here. It must be the spices, and very likely has much to do with the skill too, but all the salads and tagines have been so delicious. The Moroccans themselves have been so friendly and welcoming since we've arrived, I can't say enough about them.

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Location:Fes

Day 6 - Madrid/Casablanca

Our midday flight was cancelled and we ended up being rescheduled to a later flight which meant we would arrive at 8:30pm instead of 2pm on Saturday. As a result we will miss seeing the King Hussein mosque, one of only two mosques in the world that allow non-Muslims to visit. The upside is that we can get some much needed sleep. Adjusting to 9pm dinners has been a bit of a challenge.

Sadly We said adios to Madrid and headed to the airport. Now writing this while on the Royal Air Maroc. Just now up from the bar in our Rabat hotel, a lovely rambling place. Much of it is open and filled with the smell of flowers.

Location:Madrid/Casablanca/Rabat

Day 5 - Madrid

One of Madrid's specialties is decadent hot chocolate and pastries known as "churros". This is thick creamy stuff is delicious for dipping or sipping. We skipped Los Gines the heavily advertised tourist site in favour of the local recommendation Los Riojano.



After breakfast we jumped on the excellent subway system. We visited the palace of a Carlist marquis where we saw his exquisite collection of Murano glass lamps, china, sculptures and paintings including Greco's Ecstacy of St. Francis. This was a short visit so we could down to the Reine Sofia, Madrid's museum of modern art.



The star there was of course Picasso's Guernica, a massive canvas that only came to Spain only in 1981 after Franco's death. It tells the story of the Nazi bombing of the civilian population of Guernica. It was actually painted in Paris and during WWII a German officer searching his apartment angrily asked "Did you do this?" Picasso replied "No you did!" Above is his Woman in Blue, an early Picasso that simply dazzles.

Overall we moved quickly through the very large collection. While there were many fine pieces especially from the Spanish school to stop for, much of it did not speak to us. Still we were three hours.

From there, we headed back to El Retiro Park, the site of Phillip II's palace but now a gorgeous park on the scale of NYC's Central Park. Madrid has a huge amount of space devoted to parks and squares and fountains. They are used heavily by all ages. The young in particular are present at all hours perhaps due to their 25% unemployment rate but always look like they're enjoying themselves.





Before dinner we stopped into a sherry bar called La Venencia. It was famous as a Republican haunt and Hemingway apparently wrote Civil War dispatches from there. The old and dusty bottles and casks that lined the walls seemed at least as old as the Civil War. We had fino sherry (Tio Pepe) the first night in Madrid and neither of us were impressed. However, La Venencia's Amontillado sherry was lovely and nutty and it converted us.


We had a wonderful seafood dinner at La Combarra. Delicious turbot and cod with the always present sardines and olives.

Streets are packed again tonight. Can't get over the number of people, all ages congregating on the streets or in the very numerous bars and restaurants throughout the city. This is not a town that shuts down at night!

Location:Madrid

Day 4 - Madrid

Very busy morning. Our tour bus picked us up at the hotel at 8:15am and approximately an hour later we were deposited in front of El Escorial. El Escorial was the summer home for generations of Spanish monarchs especially in the 16th and 17th centuries. It's both a palace and a monastery - built as a religious retreat for Philip II and stands in an exceptionally beautiful site north of Madrid. The architecture of the very austere looking palace reflects Philip's strong religiosity. It's built around a basilica and has the unique feature of the monarch's bedroom doors opening directly onto the church altar allowing him access at any time. The palace is perfectly preserved with many of its original furnishings from the 17th century. A truly fascinating place to visit.

Unfortunately no photos are allowed of the interior so we had to settle for a couple of exterior shots.










From there our bus took us on a 20 minute ride to the Valley of the Fallen. The Valley or Valle de Los Caidos is a type of war memorial built by Franco between 1940 and 1959 to commemorate those who died during the Spanish civil war. The monument is a catholic basilica built deep into the mountain over which a 300 foot stone cross stands weighing over 200,000 tons. It's controversial in part since 10% of the construction workforce were political prisoners who had fought against Franco during the war. Franco's tomb is inside the basilica. Frankly I found the place rather creepy. The basilica has a very fascist style particularly in its architecture and sculptures. Given Franco's bloody record during and after the civil war, it's very strange to see this monument to a dictator which essentially honours him.

Carl really enjoyed the visit because it was the location of the climactic scene of Graham Greene's late masterpiece "Monsignor Quixote". It was a comic assault on fascism and the Catholic church's collaboration with Franco whose grave Carl trod on. The security guy gave him a dirty look.

Once again, no photos of the basilica were allowed so here are some exterior shots.








Great dinner tonight at La Castela. Dined on braised bull tails and a delicious prawn and chickpea dish. We're enjoying all the Spanish wines...and we're loving Madrid. Really an amazing city to visit.

Our hotel from the Prado street.


Watching foreign TV can be weird. Who'd have thought we'd see the Jays highlights on Al Jazeera TV. Must be Bautista's beard. P.S. Carl wrote this, can't you tell!

Location:Madrid

Day 3

We spent the morning today on a fascinating tour focused solely on the Spanish civil war in Madrid. Almudena was our tour guide - one of the most passionate and enthusiastic guides I've ever met. She was also a true believer in Communism. Almo walked us all around the city centre pointing out various sites where events linked to the civil war occurred. Spaniards generally do not discuss the war and its never commemorated in any way - very strange. At the Madrid university where battles raged for several weeks, many of the building walls have bullet and shrapnel damage - very obvious in many places - yet when Almudena stopped some students to ask them if they knew why the walls were damaged, none of them could say why!

Here's a photo of me with Almudena, and below that is a photo of one of the very few monuments in Madrid that commemorates the International Brigade, volunteers who came from all over the world to fight with the Republicans against Franco. My great uncle was one of those volunteers and was later killed during the final phase of the war in 1938.












In the afternoon we visited the Museum Thyssen-Bornemisza that houses an amazing collection of art assembled by Baron Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza and sold to the Spanish state in 1993. It's regarded as the most important private art collection in the world. Among its 1,000 paintings are masterpieces of Van Gogh, Titian, Goya and Picasso along with a portrait of the baron himself painted by Lucien Freud.

Here's a photo outside the museum which is a former palace.




We had dinner tonight at very authentic tapas and wine bar called La Dolores. Delicious tapas, heavy on the chorizo, Manchego cheese, and seafood. The place is very popular with the after work Madridelenos who don't leave work until 7:30 or so but before you think they're workaholics you need to know that they don't start work until 9:30 and then usually take 2 hour lunches.

Weather continues to be hot with cloudless skies.

Tomorrow we're taking a tour to the Escorial (home of the Spanish kings for centuries) about 45 mins from Madrid and then on to the Valley of the Fallen, a very controversial site where Franco happens to be buried. More on all that in tomorrow's blog.


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Location:Madrid

Day 2

A very good day 2 for us. Few of you would enjoy 7.5 hours in an art museum but we managed it today (including breaks). An incredible collection in the Prado with masterpieces Fiona had only read about. In particular, Goya and Velasquez were featured which was great because they are rarely seen elsewhere.



Then a lucky phone call came in. Our good friend Allan Chan called to say he'd just landed at Madrid and were we in the city? Our dinner was just up from his hotel so we had a wonderful time catching up over ham and sea bass. Our walk back gave us a photo op in Plaza Espana.

Location:Madrid

Day 1

We arrived at the Westin Palace hotel around 1:30. Flight was excellent and we managed to sleep 5 hours of the 7 hour flight - not bad! We are in the heart of the city with a good blend of local businesses and historic sites.

We set off on a long walk through the city centre and found Mercado San Miguel, a large warren of tapas and wine bars where we washed down bites of tapas with sangria. It's all very convivial in the mercados. Madridelenos love to huddle at long bars in tapas places, chatting away while eating tapas and drinking wine.

The streets here are packed with people, even though it's a Monday night. Madrid impresses as a very vibrant city with a big social life. Weather is hot and very sunny. Nice to be able to continue wearing summer clothes.

Then onto the main cathedral, rather ugly, and Europe's biggest royal palace. The ticket lines were long so we passed to get ready for dinner.



Had a very authentic Spanish dinner at El Senador. A bit off the beaten track and we took some wrong turns but we prevailed, despite some locals giving us wrong directions, and finally found the restaurant. In Madrid no one eats dinner before 9pm so we have to adjust our dining hours to lunch between 2-3pm, dinner around 9pm and a quick breakfast at 9am or so. I don't think we will have much difficulty getting used to that!

Tomorrow we have booked a good long visit to the Prado art museum - one of the world's finest.

Location:Madrid