J stayed in the apt with Corrie as he is preparing a talk to give in Crete.
The 5* La Mamounia hotel allows non staying guests to wander around admiring the decor and gardens, which were created by the founder of the Marjorelle Gardens. I fancied the tasting menu at €120, but settled with a €5 homemade ice cream https://mamounia.com/fr/?utm_medium=google&utm_source=MyBusiness I managed to leave my phone in their toilets. Of course, there, it was handed in.
In La Mamoudia hotel gardens
The Saadian tombs were walled up and left as I guess destroying your predecessors ancestors brings bad luck. Opened to the public in 2017. Some lovely plaster work, which has some parts unusually picked out with coloured paint.
Saadian Tombs with some lovely plasterwork
We wove our way to the tanneries. A self appointed guide explained that the small tanneries were right for Arab but left for Berber. Not sure about this, but he did guide us to the main cooperative. We could see men cleaning the hides and the carpet covered dying pits.
Many more small tannaries than Fez and the market area around is much more authentic than the touristy souk
A shared lunch of chicken brochette and omelette Berber. Big booze shop on the way home … the family arrive tomorrow! Yay.
We headed out to Tin Mal mosque, hoping it wasn’t hideously touristy like the Ourika valley. Kerstin had visited Marrakesh twice before, but not beyond. Tin Mal is of the two mosques open to non Muslims. With planned stops on the way. Of course things rarely go to plan. This was one of those days where things totally exceed the expectations. And led to grave reflections.
Stop 1 Asni for coffee. Hijacked by two Berber who showed us to the patisserie, then spice shops. The main one was a tiny and narrow shop where Kerstin’s orders for spices were ground up. A really authentic experience. What Kerstin saved on the spices, we both lost on the jewellery we were “encouraged” to buy. Both explained that their houses had been destroyed by the September 23 earthquake and were now living in tents.
An authentic spice ordering. Everything from dried mace to turmeric and galangal
We left the main road to find a salt mine, but aborted.
The road disintegrated. It had been built in 1930 by the French and we suspect not improved since. A major over haul. Over 40 km of rocks removal to widen. Stones being tipped into the valley. So many earth moving equipment. A very slow drive. We had thought we may go onto Tizi N’Test pass after the mosque, but not at this snails pace.
Good scenery and a picnic stopHumbling to pass modular huts and tents for homeless familiesaffectedby the September 2023 earthquake
Onto the mosque. As we pulled up, our jaws dropped. It’s a shell. With walls shored up by scaffolding. A young man approached us. He’d been a mosque guide. He gave us the history. And more. His brother in law died in the earthquake. Leaving 4 small children. His sister now lives in Marrakesh. Nearly all the villagers now live in tents, on what used to be the motorhome overnight parking. Apparently, quality tents came from the UK. But all, and the plastic coverings, are degrading with the sun. Tourism and animals were the sources of income, but no open Mosque and no shelters for the animals. The government is managing all the emergency aid, but it is slow coming through. Materials and labour are expensive. Very little evidence of rebuilding. Our guide showed us the small footprint where he will rebuild his house. One day. We would not have gone to see the post earthquake hardship had we known / done better research, but hopefully we helped the men in Asni and our guide in Tin Mal, a little. We left our tent, which the guide said he would give to his parents.
Only part of the outside walls remainOne of the rubble pilesOnly 6k from the epicentre and very cold at night. No one ever expected a quake in the mountains
Dark by the time we got home. Too late to cook. So stopped at an authentic locals place. Choose and buy your meat from the butcher. The restaurant cooks it.
New Town lived up to its name – but very pleasant. Some greenery for Corrie to wee in – and the same coffee shop twice for a break, helped with auto logging into the WiFi.
Another Bake Off bake: Paris Brest. Delicious The only building we saw of significance: the opera / ballet / theatre – impressive The train stationThe Jnane el Harti gardens were leafy, well irrigated and tranquilleNot a patch on the architecture of the new Casablanca
08/11 – Marrakesh Introduction Walk
This good self guided city introduction walk was about 7 km.
Lots of souks – the inevitable coffee stop. A bit too crowded for us. The most tourists we’ve seen anywhere. Added in are mopeds zooming and weaving through the narrow streets.
Kooutoubia mosque: built in 1147. Nice park for Corrie out the back of it Wooden scaffolding and collapsed buildings. Cleaned up but still witness to last year’s September earthquakePlace Jemaa el Fna . Past monkeys and snake charmers. But don’t take a pic, as you’ll have to pay for it! Need to put a load of coins in our pockets. The wild dog followed Corrie for a while – tagged so neutered, and friendly
Stopped for late lunch on the way back to the apartment – excellent – K had chicken skewers and I had cheese burger with drinks for €10. About half the price of the tourist restaurants. No need for dinner…
09/12/24 – Nature created and destroyed
Jardins Anima
An early start – I walked Corrie at 5.5 centigrade! Brass monkey weather! We drove through dense fog to Garden Anima – watching the commuters pouring into Marrakesh from the opposite direction. The garden was amazing and Corrie was allowed in – just freezing cold and we had no extra clothes layers. Lots of cacti, water features, hammocks, tree sculptures and excellently maintained. A real treat!
The gardens opened in 2010, created by Andre Hellier as a place to make people smile. And they did. Really enjoyed just wandering the narrow paths to see what was around the corner.
Ourika valley
The afternoon went downhill in an uphill sort of way… up a valley in search of waterfalls. The track was through tatty cafes and shops with not nice wares and lots of rubbish – unpleasant really. We saw 3 places we could have dressed in Berber costume and had our photo taken. So much crap commerce, it was actually hard to see the river. The final straw was badly and boldly painted rocks at the first waterfall. Soldiers insisted that K delete an innocent photo. Time to about turn and get the hell out of there. Driving back down the valley, we swerved at least 30 times avoiding men and boys trying to get us to park and eat.
Back to the apartment via a cheese and crackers lunch in our not ancient Merc and to reflect on our day of nature created and destroyed.
10th December – Kerstin & Marrakesh
I collected Kerstin from the airport. She managed to smuggle more than her wine quota in by telling customs that she was travelling with the man behind!
Always a welcome visitor when she comes laden with white chocolate!
Back to our lovely apt for lunch. Then we had a wander in Marrakesh. J nobly drowned in cokes whilst K and I went into the Medersa, university accommodation, and then the Bahia palace.
The Ben Youssef Medersa: Koranic school accommodation and prayer rooms for 900 students. Built mid C14 and rebuilt C16. Very similar to the one I visited in Fez. The much later, late C19, Bahia palace. Using Moroccan materials and craftsmen. I particularly admired the painted wooden ceilings. Kerstin’s new money making scam. Get punters to pay to stroke Corrie. She earned 5MAD!
4th December 2024 – Imi N’ifri natural stone bridge
“An hour and a half each way just to see a bridge!! ” said my daughter. But it was worth it. Amazing stalagmites, which looked to be made of dirt. We approached from the top, which still involved lots of steps. Dispensed with the guide that tried to tell me that as it’s dangerous, the government states all visitors need a guide. BS! Non, merci after 20 times finally got the message through. J aborted due to the narrow ledge and sheer drop. Vertigo. I went most of the way in and returned to him. Then descended even more steps to the lower end and walked up and under Definitely worth it. It is spectacular.
A quick stop in Demnate to buy chicken and veg for chicken tagine cooked back at the tent.
5th December Ouzoud Source
Not far from the campsite is the source of the magnificent Cascades Ouzoud. But there were no cafes open there so we headed straight out. We returned to Ouzoud for omelette brunch.
Finally back to the Source. We walked up the gorge. A couple of streams joined. A merest trickle. Till all dry. Tea sat in the sun on the return leg.
Some waterLittle waterNo water
We cleaned the tent, as tomorrow it will be taken down for the last time on this trip. A good investment at £225, even if the quality of Vango isn’t what it used to be … the thin sewn in groundsheet now has numerous gaffer tape patches where stones have perforated it.
6th December – onto Marrakesh
4 hours only, including picnic time, to our apartment south of Marrakesh. Lovely apt, a bit more expensive than what we’re used to paying. A combination of location and wanting a 2nd bedroom for when Kerstin arrives. French / Moroccan couple. It’s really quality … even a heater in the bathroom. The sockets all work and aren’t falling out the way. Lovely.
J a little improved but really not well enough for the reservoir walk I’d planned – low energy. So we decided to go straight to Ouzoud.
Our MA sim 60gb nearly depleted so a quick stop at the WiFi shop before we left this sizeable town. First shop all shut up. A lovely young man walked 5 mins with me to an alternative. Mohoosive queue. And J minding the car, with no internet so I couldn’t tell him about the queue. Bugger. No passport, should’ve known. And would not accept my digital version. Back to collect J and Corrie. An even longer queue! Finally sorted. Had coffee and cake as a reward.
The first choice campsite had a group booking arriving tomorrow so no room at the inn. Really not worth erecting the tent for one night. . Finally found an alternative up a long track. Would not have wanted to bring our motorhome up here, so another win on this trip for the car.
Wow. Terraced pitches with views and space. The owner is German so extras that we’ve not seen on other Moroccan campsites, such as full camper’s kitchen, relaxing area, gas bbq and pizza oven.
With no light pollution, the stars and Milky Way made a night toilet trek less of a pain.
Really did save the best campsite to last.
Hair is the result of too many hair ideas popping up on my FB feed. J described it as “interesting”!
3rd December – Ouzoud Cascades
No cake today! But omelettes for brunch, whilst watching bus loads arrive on day trips from Marrakesh. The alighted en masse. Used the toilets en masse. And petted Corrie en masse.
Hadn’t had an omelette Berber for a few weeks!
J walked to the falls and then sat in a cafe whilst Corrie and I walked down river past rock pools, which in the summer would be full of swimmers. Tallest MA waterfalls and definitely worth visiting, despite the tourists.
Tallest in MarocAll tourists going a very mini boat ride, we don’t consider ourselves tourists, so didn’t!The scenery on the walk downstream is very similar to Crete
Supper was a tinned sardine and vegetables home cooked Tagine. I borrowed a campsite tagine to see if I liked cooking with it. No point buying one if it’s going to sit on a shelf. Delicious. Will try a chicken one tomorrow.
Clune Gap Years 