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Your photos are gorgeous. Makes me want to visit even more. I cannot wait until you get to Fez and Marrakech.
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Thanks, tripplanner! Fes is coming up soon enough...hopefully in the next few days I’ll be able to post them. It’s definitely a visual journey!
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Hi TP! Having read some of your TR's I think you would find a lot to enjoy in Marrakech.
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Wow, you weren't kidding when you said the theme was color! It seems like India in that regard. In fact the blue of Chefchaouen reminds me of the old residential neighborhoods in Jodhpur. And I like how you managed to frame your shots not just for good composition but also to avoid other tourists, making the mood more purely Moroccan.
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Originally Posted by progol
(Post 16737256)
It’s definitely a visual journey!
Following along with you . . . Ian |
rje, the experience is reminiscent of India with the intensity of color and texture - and Chefchaouen did remind us a little of Jodhpur because if it’s blue. Chefchaouen is BLUE and hits you over the head with it! I think Jodhpur is a little more subtle!
Ian, thanks! Glad you’re following along! The contrasts are amazing, and get increasingly so as the trip went along. |
And a few more photos from Chefchaouen - it's beautifully sited in the mountains, which also adds to the vibrancy of the color...
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...36706eb191.jpg A view of the mountains while walking through the town https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9430201605.jpg Love the fountain! https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e66e541030.jpg Another view with the mountains https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8ac1ba3b58.jpg From the Kasbah https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9fa68b2fe7.jpg And the classic Welcome to Morocco! Here at the lovely Riad Cherifa! |
Absolutely marvellous pictures Progol. The colors of the charismatic culture brought out in its raw vividness.Thank you.
There is no single definite characteristic to Morocco,its pluralistic society, the diversity of the spirit and the landscape adds to the overall experience.Quite easy for anyone to lose their way in the delightful country..A culture that is well embedded in the warps and wefts of this ancient land. May its stay the way it is. Following you!! Any details of the culinary adventure that you experiences there? Sure must have tried the Moroccan Lamb Tagine or a cup of Maghrebi mint tea offered by the rug dealer, a ploy to get you to buy his wares......ha ha !!... all too familiar. |
Rje as you rightly pointed out,as in Jodhpur, Chefchaouen too is cobalt blue. It truly stands out against the starkness of the surrounding landscape. One reason I'm told is the copper sulphate mixed with paint repels termites. Its also the color of Lord Shiva ( or 'Neelkant", one of the movers & shakers in the hindu pantheon) is blue. So the followers have painted the town blue.
A good possibility that the townsfolk of Chefchaouen worship the Smurfs :lol: |
Thanks, inquest, for your wonderful comments! Morocco is indeed a country with vast contrasts, and these photos don't even begin to hint at the diversity! We were lucky to have the most warm and open man, Salem, as our driver. He taught us much about the culture and invited us into his family home. He is a Berber, and what was especially eye-opening was learning that the country is 70% Berber, a pre-Arab culture that is itself very diverse.
Our culinary experience was also rather diverse, but not always that remarkable. We did have numerous tagines - chicken with preserved lemon was probably the most successful -- but our best (more upscale) meals were in Fes at Dar Seffarine and in a small local-style restaurant nearby, where we had the best chicken pastilla and grilled meat. We ate with Salem in several grill-style restaurants, but our favorite meal (though not the best) was in a large tent at a local event, where we sat on the floor among other local folks and ate grilled chicken and lamb that we purchased there. Photos to come later ;) We had Moroccan (Mahgrebi) tea everywhere! It was the thing! Speaking of tea, did anyone notice the teapot handle cover? This really amazed us -- these covers represent the black African slaves that were brought to Morocco who served royalty and wealthy families; and so our tea is being "served" to us by these "slaves", too! |
"A good possibility that the townsfolk of Chefchaouen worship the Smurfs :lol:"
Best explanation I have heard! Love the photo looking out to the mountains. The colors are so incredible. |
[QUOTE=yestravel;16738651]"A good possibility that the townsfolk of Chefchaouen worship the Smurfs :lol:"
Best explanation I have heard! Missed that one! That's a good one! |
I'm sure Salem was indeed a boon and made a big difference. Often hiring a local adds deep insight and a sense of fun into the journey, apart from contributing to the industry.The perspective is completely different and something even google can't replace. Fascination, as one travels, only grows when you discover more about the background which only a local can offer.
Progol, I would not like to disrupt your sequence & thought process with my silly questions about food. Will look forward to it when it arrives during your rendering .So please do continue to enthral us with your beautiful photo narrative. I did take a look at the handle on the tea pot,in the photo, after you mentioned it. An interesting frame story.In fact I did become a 'slave' myself to the Mahgrebi Mint Chai,for I would brew and have pots of it every day, back home.Those cookies look yummy as well. |
Wow, love the blues. Such beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing!
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inquest, thanks again for the thoughtful words. I can't praise Salem enough, truly. He was a lovely companion for both of us, with (as you say) deep insight and a sense of fun. And he spoke so many languages (including Japanese, as he lived there for a long time!). Our trip was greatly enhanced by having him. No worries about the food questions - I'll answer them to my best of my knowledge with the limited experience we have had. Glad you enjoyed the history of the tea pot handle cover; some places have stopped using them because of their meaning, but they are still used. Of course, mint tea was one of the most wonderful traditions we experienced - every riad and other accommodation would bring out a pot of tea, glasses, and a plateful of cookies, just like that. Most made it with fresh tea, although a few might've removed the tea leaves. I did like it when the tea leaves were left in. I could use a pot of mint tea right now!
althom- thank you again! Glad you're enjoying the blues (I can hear the music in the background now! ;) And I'm thoroughly enjoying your photos in Patagonia -- a very different visual experience! It really looks like an amazing trip! |
And back to the trip.... time to leave the color blue behind and discover a whole new set of colors and textures... we are off to Fes today, but making a few stops along the way.
The first stop: Volubilis, a World Heritage site, beautifully sited on a foothill of the Jebel Zerhoun mountain, a fertile agricultural region. An important town, that was the home for multiple civilizations. Founded in the 3rd century BC as the Mauretanian capital, later becoming one of the most remote cities of the Roman Empire. But it's the sense of the place that is remarkable - it was clearly once an important city, the extent of the city clear from the remains of the buildings and the many mosaics that are there. I'm thrilled when we get to visit the ruins of ancient cultures, and this one was special. We hired a guide at the site, but found him to be pretty limited. We had no idea what was true or not, but he gave a rote presentation of the site. Still, the site itself is fantastic to visit.https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3707831709.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f96632fcd5.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d80318a25d.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e78aa6fbc1.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2738726c34.jpg |
The day we visited was stellar - but it was also warm and dry. The mosaics are impressive to see, but we are told that to get the full impact, we should be there after a rain.https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...51d377e5b7.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fb23202e56.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...32c73ec4f2.jpg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7d71cab070.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...850d66000d.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e94e3641a1.jpg |
And just a few more....
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...af14ce58f8.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8c58d02523.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1217eecced.jpg and what ancient goddess is this?! |
Love the photo of you among the columns.
I know you've mentioned having a driver with you helped ward away some of the hasslers. Did you had him with you in the city centers or did you wander on your own? How pervasive and persistent were the hasslers when you were alone? |
Originally Posted by tripplanner001
(Post 16740235)
Love the photo of you among the columns.
I know you've mentioned having a driver with you helped ward away some of the hasslers. Did you had him with you in the city centers or did you wander on your own? How pervasive and persistent were the hasslers when you were alone? We had guides with us for part of the day in Fes and Marakech; only city-licensed guides are allowed to to take you around. Salem is not a city-licensed guide, so he didn't provide that service for us. He was hired as our driver by the small company I worked with directly. If I were to go back, I would work directly with Salem and his company (Moroccan Family). And as to the pervasiveness and persistence of hasslers when we were alone --- constant! Especially in Fes and in Marrakech. This was one of the difficult aspects of the trip. The hustle is aggressive, with people (generally young men) sometimes attaching themselves to us, following and talking with us about something they want us to see/buy/do. At times, we actually did go along with it, and naturally (!), we would be asked (or told!) to give them something for their services. Sometimes, it was uncomfortable, other times, we just went along with it. But it was pretty constant. Saying "No" barely stops anyone! It was very wearing after a while. It's why I commented at the beginning of this trip report that my feelings about the trip were complex. I hope this answer helps. |
More wonderful photos. It's so interesting about the quality of guides and drivers. The driver that took us to Volubis got a guide for us there and the guide was great. Very knowledgeable and added alot to what we saw. Some of his dialogue was clearly rote, but he went well beyond that and answered alll our questions.
tripplanner -- I completely agree with progol's description of the constantly annoying hustlers that were the worst in the cities. It was just about impossible to discourage them some of the times. Despite being very polite we were greeted with some not so nice comments when we said, no thanks. I've traveled to lots of places with touts and Morocco had by far the most bothersome touts. So much so that it severely impacted our feelings about our trip. |
Thanks for your thoughts, yestravel. Dealing with the agressive hustle is an aspect of the travel that isn’t talked about much, and I think it would’ve helped us if we were better prepared mentally. And, like you, we’ve been elsewhere with aggressive touts, but our experience in Morocco was definitely in a class of its own.
About the guide at Volubilis - Salem had called ahead to see if the guide he knew was available, but unfortunately, he was not, so we took one of the guides at the site. I’m sure some are better than others, |
It's true about the agressive hustle not being mentioned alot when researching our trip to Morocco. When we went to Turkey it was common to read about the touts in Istanbul. Interestingly when we go to Turkey the touts didn't really bother me. So perhaps you are correct that expectations may have played a role in my feelings. While I knew there would be touts, I didn't expect them to be as aggressive and obnoxious as they were.
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yestravel, we felt the same thing about Turkey. Of course, it was a number of years ago, but we never found it as hard to deal with as in Morocco
One more photo of Volubilis before moving on! https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1736685efa.jpg |
Thanks Paule and yestravel. Morocco looks so beautiful and it's one of the places on which I've had my mind set for a long time. Just not interested in having to deal with touts constantly. I've been to Turkey twice - Istanbul and Cappadocia - although I may have lucked out as it was not bad.
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tripplanner -- Plenty of people go and don't seem to be bothered by the touts. Everyone has a different level of tolerance for these type of things & everyone's experiences are different. We had some pretty crazy encounters. We just had a friend here who spent a week in Fes and it didn't faze her at all. Was surprised at out strong reaction. As I mentioned above, Turkey didn't bother me at all.
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tripplanner, Ditto to what yestravel said! I don’t want to discourage you from going to Morocco - truly, we did have a wonderful trip, and loved the diversity of experiences. And it very well may be that if you anticipate the hustle, it won’t be nearly as wearing for you as It was for yestravel or me.
Another suggestion is getting a driver or at least a guide for part of the time. For us, having the driver was not simply the transportation, but also great companionship and a window into the cultures of Morocco. |
We made a quick stop for lunch at Meknes, one of the 4 imperial cities of Morocco. We stopped in front of the stunning Bab Mansour gate, with its ornate mosaic designs and inscriptions, the grand entry that was built under the sultan Moulay Ismail.
One of the reasons I wanted to stop at Meknes was to see the mausoleum of Moulay Idriss, but was told it was closed for restoration. We took a quick walk around inside the gates, and then across to the very large Lahdim Square, where there were some vendors set up. By this time, we were hot and tired, and though we didn't really get to explore much of Meknes, we were ready to move on to Fes, where we stayed for the next 3 nights. A few shots of and around the Bab Mansour gate: https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5987291d15.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e8eec59639.jpg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8f1e15d36a.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fe649a80a2.jpg |
At last, we are in Fes! Michael says that he finally feels Morocco in Fes. It is a sensory overload, but first, let me take you to Dar Seffarine, the stunning guesthouse that we stayed in for our 3 nights in Fes. And the photos just do not give the place full justice. This is an old house that has been restored by an architect/graphic designer couple (he is from Iraq, she is from Norway), and the attention to detail here is nothing short of amazing. We stayed in the Kobbe Suite, which is its creme de la creme set of rooms - and the entire place is museum-like in its beauty.
My review on TripAdvisor: The moment I read about Dar Seffarine, I knew I had to stay here. This is not just another pretty riad/dar -- but as others have said, a work of art that is lovingly restored by its owners. Truly, it is an honor to stay in a place that is so exquisite. Waking up in the Kobbe Suite is like waking up in a far away time in a dream. Staring at the details of the the work just takes one's breath away, and it almost feels like one should just stay in the room the entire time to soak up the atmosphere! But there is more - the rooftop terrace is set up so that one can hang out and relax over a great view. And meals - we had 2 of our best dinners of the trip here that is served communally. This place isn't for everyone; rooms are not locked and wifi was limited (but easily accessible in the public spaces). But those are small inconveniences next to the sheer thrill of being able to experience this special place. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5126cc63dc.jpg The courtyard https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4d6bbeaae0.jpg A warm welcome (note the handle of the teapot!). Love the Moroccan tea! https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...75a3044daf.jpg The courtyard https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cbaa3320be.jpg The detail in the floor tiles https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0b2d7ccfe4.jpg The view of Fes from the terrace https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c1f0d43160.jpg The view of Fes from the terrace |
We ate at Dar Seffarine 2 nights out of 3, and these dinners were some of the best meals we ate on our trip, which they offer to their guests only. If you go, definitely have at least one meal, which is served at a long table with other guests.
The Kobbe Suite - or our very sweet suite! I only wish the colors really came through - I'm not kidding when I said it was an honor to stay here. I would look up and around the rooms, just awestruck by the beauty here. The owners' album of the before and after pictures really tells the story of their love and commitment to restoring it. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8f1afe6b4d.jpg Looking into the bedroom https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...aefba0cb2a.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d3d625d6bc.jpg The view from the bedroom https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6e19e5f31a.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6041be5ca3.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...21516aa857.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...09b32d29ef.jpg Morning view |
Do you see why we had to stay here? It was traveling to another place and time, and truly a joy to be able to take in this remarkable place.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e8706997ef.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...acc40b0acf.jpg |
Wow! Absolutely beautiful. Just looking at the photos of the place gives me sensory overload - in a very good way.
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Thanks, TP! It still thrills me to think about our stay there. It was like being transported to another time - in a very good way! ;)
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what wonderful photos, progol - and a very interesting account of your trip. I've joining in late but so glad I did.
It's hard to pick out a favourite, but I noticed those mosaics particularly as they reminded me very much of the mosaics at the Villa Casale in Sicily, which I think you've been to as well. There of course they have someone come round with a mop to highlight the colours, rather than waiting for the rain! |
The suite at Dar Seffarine is beyond amazing!! Good food too? Wow, wha a perfect choice!
Gotta love the terrace! Did you have to climb into it? The ruins...the mosaics! (I think you may be disappointed when you get to herculaneum!) Again, as with the Rif Mt photo, I amstruck by the greenness--it isn't a color I recall seeing much of in my brief time in the area. |
Gorgeous place! One thing that stood out were the wonderful restorations of the riads and dars. Some, as the one where you stayed, were just stunning. And staff in all of them that couldn't be beat. So welcoming and helpful.
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Hi Progol,
It takes really a lot of work to do all this detailed Visual Journey " trip report", Thank you so much for sharing such a lovely pictures as well takes me into your journey step by step, really interesting. |
annhig, thanks so much for your comments! I'm glad you're enjoying the "trip"! Volubilis is a wonderful site, and seeing the mosaics did bring back memories of the Villa Casale, although the mosaics at the latter are much more extensive. But seeing Volubilis here, in Morocco, in such a lovely setting really was delightful.
CaliNurse, we loved Dar Seffarine! It really was a special place! Now you commented on the greenness of the countryside - this will change soon! The diversity was remarkable, and one of the amazing aspects of the trip. yestravel, the riads and dars were amazing to experience, weren't they? And yes, the staff were generally wonderful. Dar Seffarine was in a class all its own; the restoration work by the couple who bought it was amazing, and it really was like staying in a museum. Alex, thanks so much for your words! I'm pleased that you are enjoying the "journey"! |
Fes
In so many ways, the trip felt like it started when we arrived in Fes. We spent 3 nights, staying in the Medina, the old part of the city that consists of hundreds of small lanes and narrow streets in maze-like patterns, which are crowded with tourists exploring, vendors hustling, workers with carts or donkeys transporting goods. We are constantly jumping out of the way in this crush of people and animals! As Michael said, “Now I really feel like we’re in Morocco!” It took a while for us to decide if we enjoyed the experience - and definitively, yes, we did! It was an amazing place to be, as intense a place as we’ve visited. We found it fascinating and exhausting at the same time. It was also physically tiring as it was surprisingly hilly from one end of the Medina to the other (a health problem affects my walking, and hilly places are challenging). I found taking photos difficult - partly because it was often hard to stop and take a photo in the crowds, but also, we often experienced a hostility to photography, making it harder to even try to take a photo. A tour guide had been arranged, but unfortunately, he was not very engaged with us and I have no memory of anything he told us. We were given the standard tour: walk through the medina; the tanneries; a visit to a ceramics tile factory; a stop at a viewpoint over the city; a visit to the Mellah (the old Jewish area); and seeing the royal palace gates. The latter are stunning work and a popular stop - but entry into the palace is not allowed. The exposure to these places were worthwhile - I didn’t mind the factory tour - in fact, it was interesting to see the work in progress and, surprisingly, there was no real hustle here. It’s in the Medina where the small vendors are aggressively trying to grab our attention. We did like the tanneries far more than I had expected - and the smell was a lot less pronounced than I expected. A sprig of mint was given to us to hold under our noses to mitigate the odor, but it really wasn't that stinky. We had one of the more bizarre experiences with an aggressive merchant in Fes. We got drawn into a place not far from Dar Seffarine by the proprietor of an antiques and other memorabilia shop, and the moment we walked in, he overwhelmed us with a manic energy, telling us he was one of the “last Jews in Fes!” Once we told him that we were also Jewish, he jumped up and down and hugged my husband, and gave us the line that this was a sign and that we had to buy something from him! Why we stayed beyond this point, I’m still not sure, but somehow, he managed to keep us there, and the moment he saw me looking at a necklace, he offered it to us at what I considered an outrageous price. But he “got” my husband and, even as we both tried to end the bargaining, he managed to “get” us. And he “generously” (she says, sarcastically) threw in some earrings if we would buy the necklace , too! By the time we walked out, we had spent more money on something that I really didn’t want and the whole experience left us feeling uncomfortable. But it didn’t really make me mad until I got home: the moment I put on the necklace, it fell apart! And I can’t even look at the earrings without cringing! So Welcome to Fes! Be prepared for what is an exciting and exhausting adventure into a medieval world with modern overtones! |
Around the medina
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...efdcbc0334.jpg Seffarine Square, known for its metalwork https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...db3c5f7ae5.jpg carrying its burden https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0f80f31521.jpg Fes Gate https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...779475a4aa.jpg A slow walk https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8fed650b01.jpg One of the many lanes in the medina https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6ed2e189eb.jpg Doorway |
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