Of all the gin joints in the world, Casablanca here we come. 3/5/25

Morocco has recently invested in a modern high speed train network connecting its major cities. As ever it is cheaper, more efficient and cleaner than anything that the UK can offer. For just over £20 a head I booked first class tickets for the three and a half hour journey from Marrakesk to Casablanca. Below you can see the entrance atrium to Marrakesk Station. It is built in the new town, a fair distance from our medieval melee.

As you can see this is a first class compartment with the usual corridor arrangement. I was able to book the tickets online which reserved the seats and was paper-free. This picture is in fact our return journey. Our outbound compartment was, in addition to us, filled with Americans heading for Casablanca airport. We got talking about travel, as you do, and they were amazed and inspired (so they said) by the extent and nature of our travels. When I explained that I had hired a car in Casablanca, the guy said it was the last place he would want to be driving. He obviously hasn't tried Beirut or Kosovo

Some desertly views front the train whilst travelling at 200kph towards Casablanca. 

One is much like another, I'm afraid. 

We alighted at Casa Voyageurs, the main station in Casablanca, the Americans having departed at the previous stop. The next problem was to hire a taxi to get downtown to the car hire depot. There was as usual a queue of drivers touting for business but quoting 500 Dirham for the trip. As this equates to about £40, we weren't accepting this and a bit of an argument ensued. Eventually a little chap offered to take us for 200 which we accepted. When we got there, I gave him a 50 Dirham tip and he gave me a big kiss in the middle of my forehead! Incidentally the cost of the hire car for 5 days was just over 850 Dirham.

So we set off for our accommodation about half an hour's drive south from the dreaded centre of Casablanca. Driving in Casablanca, in fact presented little problem, although crowded, the other drivers showed consideration for the rules of the road. 

This is our apartment block. It is three storey with the basement being a car park with a dedicated space for each apartment. The whole site is secure and gated. There are four pools within our particular concourse. The apartment in on the ground floor to the left as you look. The accommodation is really quite luxurious with two bedrooms and en suites, a dining room/sunroom a kitchen and a huge lounge. There are no less than seven setees in this flat!

Quite why there are two eight seater setees in our living room is something of a mystery. As it happened we only really used this room as an entrance hall, despite its size. 

A pretty well equipped kitchen but with some anomalous omissions, for example, no scissors or chopping board and a shortage of sharp knives. 

A generous bed and plenty of wardrobes. 

The nearest beach from the apartment was a bit less than one km away. It is called Tamaris. Beach life is a lot less organised here compared to Europe. Although a few parasols and wind breaks have been brought along, by and large people are just enjoying playing on the sand. The accepted dress code is much more modest. The temperature was about 22° C although the wind was cool off the Atlantic. 

We are sitting at a table on the edge of the beach and enjoying an excellent coffee. The three generation family arrived at the next table. The youngest in the centre of the picture. We got chatting with them as we had offered our table to give them more room. They then proceeded to share their picnic with us. 

Firstly there was a mixture of nuts and seeds. The latter tasted better after we discovered the woody cases needed removing before consumption! This was followed by the gift of a large deep fried doughnut. Moroccans are naturally friendly and helpful and the sharing of food is quite common. 

Back to our home for the evening and the swimming pool area is decorated with illuminated fountains which change colours regularly. I'm not sure my photo does the effect justice, but just use your imagination. 

Having the hire car available was a real bonus, not only did it give us easy access to the shops but we could plan day trips out. 

We decide to head south for about 90 kms, down towards a town now called El Jadida. Following the coast road we get plenty of sea views 

There is a sweeping bay just to the north of the town of El Jadida which is visible as the higher land around the centre of the picture. One reason why we have come down here is because this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The citation states "an outstanding example of the interchange of influences between European and Moroccan cultures. Although originally occupied by the Phoenicians in the C5, the Portuguese landed here in the early C16 and built a port and its fortified city. The sophisticated defences, still largely intact, rank in the Seven Wonders of Portuguese Origin in the World. (I never knew that there was such a list!). The Portuguese named their city Mazagan and continued to occupy the site until 1769, when it was abandoned by the Portuguese who sent the population to found a town of the same name in Brazil. The locals did not reoccupy the town until the early C19 when it was given the name El Jadida which means "The New". Its importance as a port dwindled as Casablanca was developed and became the major conurbation in the area.

A good shot of the fortifications surrounding the port.

There are are some original canons still standing on the redoubt. Capturing the gull in the centre of the picture took some doing!

The old town was really rather quiet, apart from a couple of well trod touristy streets with the usual shops and cafes. Once you get off those, there were some interesting original features. For example the doorway below with its gothic arch and original Portuguese tiles. We could almost be in Lisbon.

This is the "main drag" through the old town. The old Cathedral lies to the left of this street. It is dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption. An earthquake in September 2023 did some structural damage so entry is now prohibited.

There is quite a maze of little allies with few people about, but maybe it was the heat of the afternoon and most sensible folk were indoors.

This is the Portuguese Cistern and, I confess, not my photograph but one that I have downloaded. The Cistern is a large 30 metre square space with five rows of columns and pillars supporting a late gothic vaulted ceiling. Its original function is unclear, but possibly built as granary, armoury or barracks. The round opening serves to collect rainwater, resulting in a thin layer of water that covers the floor and creates fine, and ever changing reflections in the otherwise dark vaulted chamber.

The visual qualities are such that several films have used the setting. Orson Welles's Othello being the best known.

El Jadida is still an active fishing port and as a consequence has a number of very popular fish restaurants. We didn't turn up the opportunity and were served up masses of food, a lot of which we couldn't recognise, but it tasted good.

The white car in the foreground is our hire car for the five days around here. If you remember it cost about £10 a day. We are parked outside the old citadel, in the modern town centre square. you are parked up by attendants, however when you come to leave there doesn't appear to be any charge. We travelled back to our apartment via the peage to Casablanca. A less scenic though swifter return.

The next day it was time to get the car back and catch our train to Marrakesh. The car hire people organised an Uber for us back to the station which cost 10 Euros (remember the taxis who wanted 50 Euros for the reverse journey a few days ago).

Our train was an hour late because apparently there had been a fire on the track which had delayed things, however the onward trip was uneventful and we stepped out of the station into the main station square in the new town Marrakesh. I had booked an apartment across the road for just one night prior to our departure next day.

Of all the gin joints in all the world, thirsty in Morocco 2/5/25

 The Portuguese girls of the Ourika valley trip mentioned to us that the previous day they had gone on a trip to the desert, when they had ridden camels, gone driving on quad bikes, enjoyed a sunset dinner with entertainment. They had booked it through Booking.com. and we thought it sounded like a plan. 

On our return I duly arranged the trip for the next day. The area where this all takes place is the Agafay desert which is about 30 kms south of Marrakesk. 

The picture below shows the famous Cafe de France in the Djemaa El Fna Square where we decided to have dinner on the night prior to our desert adventure. It is also the usual departure point for excursions for people like us living in the old town. As our departure was in the afternoon, the Square was closed to vehicles and we had a longer walk to meet our minibus. 

Our group all gathered in the minibus and, as usual it was cosmopolitan and multilingual. Our first chance to get to know each other was this stop for a snack and another chance to see the workings of the argan oil trade. 

Here you can see a portion of the Agafay desert that has been reserved for these tourist activities. There is an inevitable cost to this special and isolated environment to allow dune buggy racing, camel trekking and overnight camping to take place. Better for all, I suppose to confine it to a relatively small area and leave the vast majority to nature and the indigenous population. 

The surface is not soft sand like the Sahara, but more pebbly, dusty grit, as you can see in the foreground of this picture, above. 

Below, we have finally mounted our camels and the sun is dropping in the skyline. In the immediate foreground is my camel's snout. The had a twenty minutes wander along a well worn trail. 

You can see why it is called a camel train. Like horses, I've always been more comfortable on a static beast. 

This, however is a different proposition, I trust machines more because they more or less do as they are told. Bold of Helen to trust me after "never again" in Thailand. The buggies were really exciting and I would do this again anytime. The terrain was very rugged and driving was made more difficult by the "pea souper" dust being created by all around. 

The sun set and the temperature plunged. We were served an evening meal at a table which we shared with a mother and daughter from Aachen in Germany. There was supposed to be be some entertainments, the viewing of which was precluded by a combination of the temperature and their indifferent nature. The minibus got us back to Marrakesk by 10,30. All in all excellent value for €20 a head. 

Of all the gin joints in all the world, thirsty in Morocco 30/4/25

Before we left home I booked a day trip through Booking.com which because I have reached genius level 3 came with a 50% discount. We were promised transport, a guide, Berber breakfast, a camel ride,  lunch, and walk up to some waterfalls. Seemed like a snip at €10 each. Having breakfasted in the Riad we rendezvoused with our group outside the Cafe de France Djemaa El Fna Square. Off we set for the Ourika valley. 

This is a spot on the Ourika River where the locals like to picnic. You can hire the blankets and tables for a modest sum. Below we are heading into the High Atlas mountains and the sky looks slightly threatening. 

Time to stop for our Berber breakfast. This consists of bread, olive oil for dipping,  argan oil and peanut butter. All these ingredients were locally produced by hand. The picture shows two Berber ladies hand grinding the argan nuts and peanuts to make the above. I must tell you some more about argan oil. It comes from what we would recognise as the nuts from the prickly pear plant. The oil has many more uses than a cooking ingredient, primarily in the cosmetics industry. Apparently, depending on what you read, it is a wonder product. The oil is rich in amino acids, vitamins E and K, and powerful antioxidants called betalains, unique in the plant world. It is used on the skin, nails and hair. It is touted as the next big thing in the anti aging market. 

The best thing about breakfast wasn't the food but the fact our group all sat down at one table and we all talked to each other. We were the only British,  but sitting down with us were Dutch, Portuguese, Germans, Italians, and French. One thing we all agreed about was what a crazy and damaging decision Brexit was especially in the light of subsequent world developments. 

After our second and rather late breakfast of the day we went on to experience a fully dressed up camel trek. I didn't even realise that it was on the programme!

T E Lawrence with a two day beard and one of his followers. Looks like he would benefit from some of that argan oil. Incidentally he has been warned about riding motor bikes.

Driving the train 

You can see the green growth of the spring time wild plants many of which were producing colourful flowers of yellow and red. After that bumpy, tricky leg over experience, I am grateful that no-one will ever recognise me. Next we drive up the valley to the village of Setti Fatma where we will have lunch. 

Our restaurant with a view. There is a ski resort up here but I don't fancy the off piste. The Berber people who live up here used to be wholly dependent on agriculture but like the upland dwellers of the Alps, tourism is now responsible for at least half the local economy. 

There are a series of seven cascades up the valley. The largest and lowest is a steep thirty minutes walk with improvised bridges and large rocky scrambles. Without the assistance of our excellent guide Driss and the constant encouragement of the Portuguese girls we might not have made it! We were, of course, at least twenty years older than the next oldest on the hike. 

Pretty knackered but still smiling.

A final shot of in Setti Fatma where tomorrow's lunch is sunbathing!

To close this blog I must say something about the trip. Firstly it was excellent value for money. Our thanks to the guide Driss for his caring concerns and our safety . His talks were interesting and informative and contributed to a memorable day out. 

Of all the gin joints in all the world, thirsty in Morocco 29/04/25

As our Riad is right in the middle of the many souks we don't have any choice but walk through them, daunting though this is. The challenges are multiheaded;  the vendors pushing their wares, the motorcycles constantly weaving through, pack mules, laden hand carts and the occasional ambitious delivery vans. Elbows, toes, ears and pockets are most at risk here. 

These areas go back to medieval times and were basically manufactoring workshops where the same trades clustered together hence the tanneries, the cloth dyers, the tinsmiths, the tailors, etc each had their own locale. Make and sell leads to retail that attracts crowds who are serviced by the eating and drinking outlets. Local people still rely on these areas but, of course now a large proportion are tourists, to whom many of the outlets cater. 

It's not easy to capture the sensation of exploring the maze with a camera but here are my efforts. 

Right in the middle of the bustle there is an oasis of peace and tranquility. Appropriately it is called Le Jardin Secret.  One of the most beautiful palaces in the Medina but everything has been restored between 2012 and 2015. The site previous to the restoration was a tip full of rubbish and unscheduled buildings. The incredible hydraulic system almost completely lost. The lost garden also had virtually no plants. Thanks to the dedication of experts and donations, phoenix-like the gardens and palaces live again to thrill and fascinate. Like all great Islamic architecture it's the relationship of the water, the air and the light that delivers the magic. This first picture is taken from above, looking down on the traditional Islamic garden and across to the second palace.

You can see the green zellige tiling and the bejmat terracotta bricks. This layout has been traditional in Morocco since the C12 and represents heaven. This is why it is a sacred space laid out along strict geometric lines with its four part structure surrounded by walkways and a series of water channels, pools and fountains. The water comes from the Atlas mountains along specially constructed channels and aqueducts. The whole system is gravity fed and needs no external power. The picture below is looking at the reverse of the first 

The second garden is called the exotic garden and has plants from all over the world. 

A small square where the light of day gets the chance to shine down. These are the hand carts that are used for delivering everything from bags of cement to tourists suitcases. 

The usefulness of some objects is not immediately apparent. Anyone suggest what the blue items in the foreground might be for?

Enough on the souqs, after we are living right in the middle of them. 

Of all the gin joints in all the world, thirsty in Morocco. The plan and background.

The flag of Morocco, unusually for an Islamic state, there is no reference to the crescent moon. The flag instead features a green pentangle for the 5 pillars of Islam. The red background represents the blood of the ancestors and unity. 

We are planning a twin centre trip, visiting Marrakesk, the erstwhile capital and Casablanca on the Atlantic coast. Morocco is a country in the Maghreb region of Northern Africa. The area has been populated for 300,000 years. The modern state of Morocco it is ruled by a constitutional monarchy with King Muhammad Vl on the throne. His dynasty has been controlling things since 1631. With a population of about 40 million, the Mosques are pretty full as over 99% of them subscribe to the Sunni branch of the Islamic religion. 

Looking across the Djemaa El Fna square at night with the Koutoubia Mosque dominating the scene. 

It has the 5th largest economy in Africa and ranks 120th in the world Human Development Index, my favourite comparative measure, as compiled by the United Nations. 

Morocco also claims the disputed area of Western Sahara, a huge area consisting of over 250 thousand square kilometres.It is one of the world's forgotten territorial disputes which has been going on for 50 years. 

There have been many attempts at colonisation over the years. The Otterman Empire tried  but failed. The Portuguese controlled some harbours in during the C17 and C18. It was a French protectorate between 1912 and 1956 which has left a significant cultural impact. The Spanish also maintained a Protectorate in the northern coastal region around the Rif mountains. Indeed they still possess enclaves on the Mediterranean coast. 

So what's Morocco like today? Read the next blog to find out more. 

Of all the gin joints in all the world, flight and arrival in Morocco Monday 28/04/25

The Windmill, a Wetherspoons pub at Stansted Airport. Even at 4.30 in the morning, the place was doing a roaring trade and seats weren't easy to find. 

Ordering the mobility assistance for Helen proved to have been an excellent idea. We were given a wheelchair and told to follow the purple line. This took us straight to the front of the passport and security queues. Help arrived to get Helen onto the apron from whence she could climb the steps into the plane. 

Now this is how to fly, you have to fly economy. As you can see Marrakesk wasn't the most popular destination for folk at 7.55 on a Monday morning. The result was we had a very comfortable and well attended flight. 

The Mediterranean coast of Spain 

Followed,  of course by the North coast of Morocco 

 

Finally some north African desert. 

We met up with our taxi driver who we understood was to take us to our Riad. However when we got out, our cases were loaded into a handcart and we walked through the narrow, crowded lanes to the Riad. Apparently four wheeled vehicles are not allowed at peak times. Two wheeled vehicles are, however more than welcome and continually swoop up and down the lanes like bees entering and leaving a hive.

Riads are traditional houses built by the better off merchants and now often used for accommodation of tourists. They are built around an internal courtyard, often featuring a garden with fountains or a pool. The outside walls are solid and for reasons of security and privacy. All the rooms face into the courtyard. Have a look at some shots of our place. For traditional also read slightly scruffy and doesn't quite work. 

Our courtyard with it's pool. Water and the movement of it plays a central role in Islamic architecture along with pierced screens, which whilst light and airy also offer a slightly seductive privacy. 

Looking from the roof garden down into the courtyard. 

Our place in the sun.

Looking from our bedroom/livingroom  through to our toilet and shower room. Note the pierced decoration.

In the central part of the Riad there is a desk with the visitors books and a pictorial record of the restoration of the building. You can also see a portrait of King Mohammed

VI, and  just in front of this you may recognise the slate calling card with the word "welcome" in Welsh! Not my gesture I hasten to say, but some previous guest from Pay de Galles.

Meet the permanent resident. Like the Major in Fawlty Towers, he was ancient and amiable, but did have the habit of coming to greet by tapping his mouth against your toes. 

We were never given a front door key, but instead relied upon our host responding to our knocking on the ancient front door.