April 8–14, 2015 Remainder of Morocco

This will be the highlights for the remainder of Morocco as I have gotten so far behind with postings that it doesn’t seem I can ever catch up.

Before leaving the desert we stopped to see a Berber cemetery and learn about Muslim funeral customs. They put a flat rock at the head and foot of the grave. If it’s a male, the flat sides of the rocks face each other. If it’s a female, the flat rock is at one end of the grave facing the grave and the other flat rock is at the other end facing perpendicular to the first rock (got all that?). The deceased is placed on their side in the grave facing mecca. I believe we were told the body must be washed the first day after passing.

We travelled through the High Atlas Mtns, which is so breathtaking, as we headed to the town of Tineghir. I was rather impressed with Tineghir — seemed like a real decent town. Anyway, after arriving, we had the option of going to a hammam (bathhouse) for a scrubdown. Well, that was certainly an experience (even some of the men did it, separately from the females)! This was not a touristy spa, this was a place the locals use. All we had to do was strip down to our panties then go into a really warm room (but not quite as hot as a steam bath). There we sat on the floor up against the wall waiting to be attended to. There were other locals in their doing their thing, some with children, and apparently some of them do this maybe once a week or whenever. An attendant came over to start the process by pouring warm water over us & then putting this brown gooey “soap” on us and, since I was closest to her, I went first. She had me lay on the floor on my back in front of her…and this is when it all began! She started scrubbing me & it was truly so painful I asked the other girls is she was using a wire brush — no! …a Brillo pad — no! Someone said tell her not to do it so hard but I thought, other people must handle it okay. I didn’t want to be a sissy and cry either so I just sucked it up. I knew though, when she finished, I would be sitting in a pool of blood. Shocker! I flipped over on my stomach for more torture & then sat up — no blood! After each of us was scrubbed they poured another bucket of warm water over us and washed our hair. After we finished I suggested a group photo but the other girls declined.

In Tineghir we also were led by a local to walk in the oasis thru their fields of crops and also see ladies doing laundry in the stream. I really enjoyed that & thought it was pretty kool, seeing what real basic living is all about.

We also had an assignment in the open market there. We were split into groups, one having to buy the veggies for dinner, another the dessert (which often times was a large dish of bananas, oranges & apples) & the last group the meat. Each group was given a certain amount to spend. Then we took everything back to the hotel for them to prepare that evening for dinner. That was a lot of fun.

Also, we had a home-hosted lunch again. We had to separate into 3 groups, as usual, & go our separate ways. I know my host, and another host, were Tuareg blue men (I think all 3 hosts were). My host was a hoot! When his cell phone rang & played music, he would start doing his moves to the music. He & wife have 8 children; one son was the interpreter. After a meal cooked in the tagine, they dressed us in their traditional robes. The other families did that also & we had a group photo. It was fun.

Later that day we all had the opportunity to get a henna tattoo which we all did.

The next day we saw the Dades Valley (like a gorge) which was pretty impressive as was the drive getting to it.

We also visited a Berber imam who had just finished giving the sermon at his mosque and explained some about Islam and we were able to ask him questions.

We traveled on to the town of Quarzazate, Hollywood in the desert. This town has 2 movie studios and quite a lot of movies (@ 20 — not all US) have been made in and around there such as, King Tut, Gladiator & Lawrence of Arabia. The hotel where we stayed had to be where all the movie stars stayed because it was fabulous. Even tho I thought all the hotels up to this point had been outstanding, this outshined them all. And there was nothing around there that came close so I know the stars stayed there. Who knows, Russell Crowe & I might have slept in the same bed.

For dinner that evening we went to a French restaurant & I didn’t take my camera because I was lazy & tired of having it in my hand all the time. It was not in the greatest part of town but, OMGosh, when you walked in it was totally unexpected. It had 2 pools (1 smaller & a larger one) in the middle with the seating all around & this unique lighting on the one wall. I was so sorry I left my camera behind 😦

We continued thru the High Atlas Mtns & finally landed in Marrakech. Our riad was close to “the square”. That evening we went to the square and you would have thought you were in Times Square on New Years eve. Besides all the little businesses surrounding the square and vendor carts scattered in the middle, you have snake charmers & musicians & a guy with a monkey & “drag” belly dancers & anything else you can think of.

Those are the highlights of the tour.

April 15, 2015 — Marrakech — Tangier

This morning is the next step in my big adventure — I’m all on my own now. All the group is leaving Marrakech this morning. Most are flying out, most to the US, a couple on to Lisbon & 2 other people are staying in Marok another couple of days. Myself, I’m going to try to catch the 9:00-ish train to Tangier — I have no ticket yet. Our guide kindly offered to drop me off at the train station on the way to drop the others at the airport. Big help! Arrived at the station @ 8:15a & I was able to get on the 8:45 train for $31US, 1st class no less, for a 9–1/2 hr trip. What a deal! I wasn’t sure what the food offering would be so the night before I bought 2 French pastries & 1/2 kilo of almonds. They actually had a cart with soft drinks & croissants on the train & I think they had a kitchen car where you could get sandwiches. Anyway, the ride was much better than I expected — comfortable & the scenery was beautiful hills with green pastures & wildflowers along the way. In the beginning, it was just myself & this young man (in his 20’s I would say) from Saudi Arabia in our compartment. After some silence & then some light conversation, he told me about what happened to him the night before. A girl came up to him while they were in his room (not sure) & sprayed him with something (sounded like mase) & he fell back. By the time he came to & got up she had left with his cell phone & all his money. He said he had to cut his stay 4 days short because he didn’t have any money. When it got to be lunchtime I offered him some almonds & a pastry but he declined (why? it sounds so tasty!). He said he just wasn’t up for eating after what happened. He was quiet & slept most of the trip. He was getting off at the station before mine so when he got up I followed him into the hall & gave him $100 dirhams (gotcha! only $10US) & told him that was in case he got hungry. I had to stop in Casablanca & change trains. I wasn’t sure of the wait time but by the time I found the restroom, used it & got to my landing, the train station man pointed to the train & said that was mine. Got on & waited a bit, then on my way again. I had asked what time I would arrive in Tangier & I understood him to say 4:30p. I had had no contact with my Tangier homestay host since I booked it & I really needed to give him/her a heads-up that I was on my way. So while sitting on the train at Casab station I decided to give the internet a try &…voila! — internet! I quickly sent him a message. Didn’t arrive until 6:30 & host met my taxi driver close to his house & I understand why — like finding a needle in a haystack. The host was nice & spoke a little English & his wife spoke none. He showed me my room which was not luxurious but very adequate. I did some things on the computer & then started working on trying to get my phone service back. I was doing a live chat with Tmobile for about an hour & the result was I still didn’t have service. It was 10:20 so I went to bed. I did not talk to my hosts at all once I arrived. I slept well.

April 16, 2015 — Morocco — Spain

I wanted to apologize to my hosts for my rudeness last night so when I saw Zakaria (the man) this next morning I explained what I had been doing last night & apologized — I don’t think he understood a thing I said.

I showered, then breakfast with them on their patio overlooking the surrounding hills & it was so pleasant because there had been a light rain last night & everything was so fresh and it was pleasantly cool. When I joined them for breakfast there was a young lady, Khalissa, & her 4 yr old son, walking in the yard, then they joined us for breakfast. Thank goodness she spoke good English. I thought all along that she was their neighbor but she was a homestay guest also which I did not find out until later. She offered to give me a ride to the ferry port in town as she was going to visit her parents. What a delightful young woman — so nice & exudes personality. Zakaria showed me around his property, to his other buildings which he rents out in the summer, I guess because it’s cooler at his elevation. After that, Khalissa, who lives in France near Bern, Switz. (but born in Tangier), her son & I left for town.

At the port found there was a ferry leaving at 10a for Tarifa, Spain (@ 1 hr port to port) so that gave me @ 15 min to get my ticket, go thru immigration, security & get on the boat ($39US). After grabbing my bags from security, this man says, “4 min, door close”. I thought, no problem, I can get to the end of the pier, no sweat! HA! This porter was scurrying with my bags & I’m trying to follow & I see it was not where I thought. You also had to go down all these stairs & at the end of this other pier. I am running & about to die because I don’t know how much longer I can last. My porter gets to the ferry ramp, stops & gives me the sign that I can slow down. AHHH! I’m on the ferry, looking back at Tangier, thinking…girl, do you know what you’re doing?! No, was my answer but the rest of my answer was, you must keep going & I want to keep going. So, GOODBYE MOROCCO……

and HELLO SPAIN

As I was going through immigration in Spain, I thought I heard English, asked the young man behind me but he said he was from Australia but said the couple next to him, Ryan & Lindsay, were from Oregon — another wonderful couple! Can you believe Ryan & Lindsay accidentally met the Aussie 3 times on their travels — Barcelona, Morocco & the ferry!

Lindsay & Ryan so graciously took me under their wing (they’re seasoned backpackers). We all needed to accomplish the same thing — buses! — them to Malaga (to fly home), me to Seville. My new friends told me we need to go to Algeciras to get a bus but the good news was the bus ride there was free if you had a ferry ticket. Well there are 2 bus terminals in Algeciras, one at the port & one about a half mile towards town — guess which one we needed! Off we go pulling our bags, get there, can’t buy tickets because we still have Moroccan money and we need euros. We did find out that their bus leaves at 2p & mine 2:30. Good! It was only like 12:40 so Lindsay stays with our bags & Ryan & I go looking for a bank. After a hike (uphill I might add) we find a bank/ATM (no money exchange to get rid of our Moroccan money). Ok, we’re back at the bus station, I go to buy my ticket for 19.50Euros (it’s 1:25 now) & the lady says 5 min (she can’t speak English either). I said, so the bus will be here in 5 min & I wait on it for an hour before I leave? She said, no, and points to the rear of the building. And then I remember a couple of days ago overhearing someone saying there was a time change in Spain. YIKES!!! I went to tell Lindsay & Ryan & they told me they missed their bus, also forgetting the time change. We exchanged hugs and I dashed off. How invaluable they were to me!

Now I’m on the 3 hr trip to Seville. Oops! Somewhere along the way I missed lunch, and dinner last night (had my stash of almonds & a candy bar Judy gave me in Kenya) & only a light breakfast. I deserve a good dinner tonight! There are beautiful mountains, farmland, fields of lavender & wildflowers along the way, much like Morocco, plus a light rain about 1–1/2 hrs into the drive.

Arrived at the bus terminal in Seville at 5:15p & stopped next door at a coffee shop that I thought might have WIFI — they did, I tried to get on it but it was down. I had no lodging arrangement so I really needed the internet to look up homestays or something. The barista didn’t know of any hostels in the area. I started walking & stopped at a bar about half a block away (all this in the rain). No WIFI & didn’t know of any hostels in the area but this gentleman suggested I go to the tourist office (I’m thinking the Dept of Tourism), I look at my watch which says a little after 6 & I asked if they would still be open. He says he thought they would so I went trekking again, 2 looong blocks (when you’re walking, dragging 2 suitcases, in the rain). On the way, after walking awhile, I zoom in on a Starbucks & I know they have WIFI. I go to get out my computer and…NO COMPUTER! My heart sank! I felt so stranded because my phone didn’t work & now no computer. I was sure I put it back in my bag at the coffee shop & I didn’t remember taking it out at the bar. Did someone take it out of my bag while I was walking down the street, maybe when I was stopped at a light?

I had to stay focused on getting lodging first. I continued on to the tourist office which was just a short distance away now. They are actually just an office that sells sightseeing tours & can book you a hotel. I asked about hostels when I went in & the girl goes on the computer & is looking up hotels. I said no. So she ends up saying there was a hostel at the back of their building. I later discovered there are at least 15 hostels within 5 min of the tourist office. I got my hostel ($20E/nite).

Ok, now what should I do about the computer? Should I backtrack or assume someone took it. Without my computer I either have to go home or buy another one. I went with backtracking because I would always wonder. It’s back to the first coffee shop & this time it didn’t seem quite as long without the bags. I get there (the young girl doesn’t speak English) & in sign language I asked if I had left my computer. She went behind the counter & came back with my computer. I started crying and she hugged me. I offered her some money but she refused. People are good!!!

Once again I’m connected to everyone back home and the world and I have a “home” for a couple of nights. I treated myself to dinner. It’s 8:45p, I’m at the restaurant heading back to the hostel. It’s still light out & the evening is wet but beautiful since I am back on track. The hostel has 3 sets of bunk beds, a toilet/shower in the room & more down the hall. Later that night I met my only roommate, Area, from Brazil (guessing maybe 35 yrs), taking a 1-wk course at the university, one block away.