** MOROCCO BOUND **
This is the 3 Nov 2002 Edition of
this page.
CHAPTER THREE
MARRAKECH
After a better night's sleep was completed here on 22 October 2000
(just the gentle breezy
sounds from the air-conditionning unit!), I decided to get up at 6.00am - that would get me
in the travelling mood to get from FES to MARRAKECH.
Here, in Room 251, with my key-card (cunning little dvices these!) I was next door to an
Aussi-lady who'd had a mishap with her card. [Essentially, it had broken although
apparently usable!]
Our wakeup call will arrive at about 6.30am - "but it's nice to get ahead of the game" I pondered,
so I got up early, packed my items for the journey ahead - and eased myself gradually into the
day! I planned to put my case out whilst on the way to breakfast. (That would be 45 minutes
earlier than requested!!)
Before going to breakfast, I popped out onto my balcony at 6.25am
and the usual chirpy sparrow-sized birds were playing and singing in the trees - the same as
yesterday!! [ Not so much cheeky cockney-sparrows as cheerful Fes-sparrows!]
I walked to breakfast, as cheerful as the sparrows, in this beautiful morning around the pool
beneath the trees, - so beautiful I decided to 'skip' the shave this morning. Anyhow, the shaver had
already been packed!!
Breakfast, alledgedly from 7.00am, started for me at 6.45!! Not breaking any rules - just KEEN. I
indulged in a wide variety of buffet-style fare - leaving at 7.10am, fully fed and happy. On these
'quick schedules', it is not always easy 'to take things slowly' - but today I did. I felt 'full-up', too,
with no indigestion!!
I met Steve in the "birds & trees walk" back to my room - and had a little discussion on the
BERBERS - the original natives of this place who have now become fully integrated with the society. Then
it was back to my room for more note-writing and relaxation in time for our 8.00am departure for
MARRAKECH. [I will just have to miss such interesting 'outside events' today - like the Malaysian G.P. and the
touchdown of the STS92 Space Shuttle which took off on schedule earlier(Oct 11th)]
Our coach left a little late - and headed off to MARRAKECH via IMAUZZER, IFRANE,
KHENIFRA, BENI-MELLALL (where we stopped for lunch and I had an Omelette) - and
then via the winding roads up through the MIDDLE ATLAS mountains. Eventually, it flattened
out a bit and got straighter - all the way to Marrakech. A few miles north-east of the place, I saw
the WIDE-OPEN-SPACE which was so good for launching ROUND-THE-WORLD
HOT AIR balloons!!
[Before getting on the coach at FES, yesterday, there were many photos taken of our 'Group' in
the FES MARINA Market. I bought one for 20Dirhams, collecting it here!]
After our 290 miles on the coach today, we arrived at the SHERATON in Marrakech
at 5pm.. I just wandered around the hotel, its pool, its gardens (with singing and chattering
birds in the palms) and took samples of paperwork and brochures for home!
Instead of writing on a card, I wrote on hotel note-paper to my next door neighbours - and
tried to find an ordinary stamp to put on it.Markings on the envelope, and the letter itself,
indicate SHERATON MARRAKECH as the sending-point.
I joined the Phillipino girls, some American women and a London couple at my table for
an evening meal. I found the salad 'awkward' but the soup 'brilliant' - and the 'afters' was
certainly attractive. I, later, returned to my own room for relaxation, TV and bed.
23 October 2000 (Monday)
After a reasonable night's sleep, only once being awakened for toiletry, I got up and
started preparing for my day in MARRAKECH. Should be good - I'm getting excited!
Breakfast will be from 7am (with an alarm call [phone] at 6.45am) - and we depart for the
OURIKA VALLEY in the HIGH ATLAS mountains at 8 am.. There, we were to visit a Peasant
BERBER Market.
Sure, - we left at about 8.10am and headed South-East for the OURIKI VALLEY with its
several adobe villages en route and also some miniature market-areas. With a stop or two,
we managed to get some photos of the HIGH ATLAS MOUNTAINS and valleys. The main walk, there,
was when we left the coach - just short of the 'donkey parks' (used similarly to Car Parks in Europe
and the USA!) and 'stalls' - and we walked through the PEASANT BERBER MARKET (with some
photos - once permission granted!!) This trip (40kms each way) was about 50 coach-miles for the day.
This whole scene was of 'Biblical Times' in its tradition.
On returning to MARRAKECH, we went to an area where some men (and more women) were tried for
size and modelled. Several photos were taken, but I used another woman and took some photos of HER,
her friends and family.
Also, we called on a place of "herbs & spices" PLUS expensive 'natural' remedies and cures (including
their claimed equivalent of Viagra [Jinn Seng??]) - which was "good for a laugh"! The SALE (after the
demos!) reminded me of some 'years earlier' SALES in Blackpool! (Like them, these were of questionnable legality
and similarly, the then wife got 'carried away' and bought too much!)
When some stayed behind, Mohammed walked us through a fantastic-sized market, this being under cover from
the sun, but like FES, it wouldn't have worked OK in the rain!!
Ater I was back in my own room at the SHERATON (Marrakech) for 2pm, I then wandered around to find an
icecream for 30Dhm (for lunch), leaving 64Dhm for two optonal meals before leaving AFRICA! Other people
were using this 'cafe by the swimming pool' for their meals too!! Then I watched some SKY NEWS on GB TV.
In the late afternoon, I went for an 'exploratory walk' in Marrakech using the "Lonely Planet" guide book's
map (which I had on loan from the MALVERN Library). I was back in time for an 'early night'.
24 October 2000 (Tuesday)
After a few overnight toilet-visits, I got up at around 6am, slowly preparing for the day, - and also for the first
time on this trip, investigated the 'total contents' of my case!!
I slowly packed the items away - and at 6.45am the birdsong was very MUSICAL, cheerful and excited - their sexual (??)
activities taking them from tree-top to tree-top, from palm to palm - ready for their next encounters!
I was into the breakfast-room quarter of an hour early, meeting a NEW ZEALAND couple there and chatted whilst eating!
Geraldine joined us later - even more chatting over our respective walks. Then an American couple joined us and we ALL
enjoyed a good breakfast - all feeling VERY FULL!!
Now, at 8.00am, it was time to depart for CASABLANCA and RABAT where we will stay tonight at their HILTON.
Tomorrow, I return to EUROPE!!
Starting from the Hotel, we made a short stop for shops (shopaholics were buying MORE handbags) , the driver plus
'yours truly' remaining on the coach (the engine and airconditionning still running!). Whilst in this 'waiting state' we
managed to do a couple of laps of 'multiple blocks'.
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