Moroccan Odyssey Part Two

Day Five of our Sahara Adventure concluded at 5.00 p.m. in Fez: A long, long nine hour journey. Memories flooded back: of the quirky young Hassan, “My English is crazy”,  who by now had endeared himself to the girls, and gave them his Facebook details; of Hassan our 4W driver who told us he now had to, I suspect forced to, by his boss (his wage-a miserly 100-150 dirham’s per day) drive back to Marrakech, 500km and a further 10 hour away; of the authentic desert Auberge Chez Tihri 'Suerte Loca'  where they had to light the fire for a hot water shower; beautiful Ifrane, located near Fez, that resembled more a Swiss chalet and George who we all have missed terribly.  

Upon arrival, I was feeling much better, but my camera was still not talking to me and inoperable, but we found comfort in Antony, an Aussie owner/manager of the Dar El Waha, the newly restored Dar, which was to be our home for the next four nights. After the obligatory formalities we were off to dinner. Typical of the labyrinths of the Medina I was sent into a dark alley by the girls, much like a canary down a mine, to find the cafe. In time it turned out to be our favourite and every bit the description of Lonely Planet; “Cafe Clock was love at first sight. In a restored townhouse, this funky place has a refreshing menu...and their ‘Clock Culture’ programs include {belly dancing} calligraphy and conversation classes”. A great vibe: something akin to Newtown, with free Wi-Fi, and owned by an Englishmen, Mike, with alternate offerings such as Camel Burgers. 

The Preface of the excellent book, FEZ from Bab to Bab {Bab = gate} describes the 1,200 year old medieval Medina as “not merely to be visited. It is to be savoured as one’s senses engage in a journey through time and space”. It concludes by saying; “After visiting the Medina, you will never be the same. You will have had an exceptional experience, causing you to respond, in your own way, to the appeal of the perseveration of this world heritage site”. Even walking through the unceasing and at times torrential rain on our first full day, the Medina did not fail to disappoint.  We postponed our guide to the following day, due to the rain (twenty five hours non-stop and counting).

On our second full day in Fez the weather was overcast but the rain had abated, and our guide Ali met us at 10.00am at our Dar. For the next seven hours he would weave his magic and help us uncover the beauty of the Medina and Islam.  He was charming and had a good mind and a good heart and for 400 dirham the experiences were priceless: Bab Bou Jeloud; Fes El Bali; Kairouine Mosque and University; Medersa El Attarine learning about the geometry and theology of Islam; the sights, smells and shopping at the Tanneries; 14th century water clock, the home of Moses De Maimonides (A 12^th century philosopher and pillar of Judaism); Zawiya (shrine) of Moulay Idriss II; the brass makers square Place as-Seffarine; Qu’ranic Pre- Schools chanting among other things “Ossie, Ossie, Osie, oi, oi, oi”; visiting and eating at medieval Bakeries and so much more.

I asked Ali how he coped with the complexities of the labyrinth called streets in the medina. He pointed to his head and whispered “GPS.”

Our last full day in Fez was somewhat of a parody.

Colie had decided to stay at the Dar for the day. The rest of us went to Meknes, an hour train trip from Fez. A whistlestop tour and it went against the grain of everything I believe is good travel.

In the pouring rain, the train to Meknes was retard, delayed, 20 minutes. When we arrived we were approached by guides. One caught my imagination. I agreed on a 50 Dirham fee for a one hour tour of the medina so we could be back for our return trip in 90 minutes.  As we began to walk to the medina, the rain got heavier. He said ‘No problem, I get taxi, included in the fee, of course.” We waited twenty minutes, and as I was about to walk away his ‘mate’ arrived in what was loosely called a car. He would now be our ‘chauffeur’ and ‘guide’ in his halting English. So the ‘taxi’ sped away and comically stoped at one site after another. Each time I would manically get out take a photo with Colie’s camera get back in the car and so on to the next site.  We were suddenly inside the medina and whisked away to a site by another guide who told us this site had historical and architectural significance in Morocco.   As we arrived at the Riad de Mansour we were left upstairs and suddenly a host of ‘smiling and charming’ young men appeared explaining the merits of one kilim to another.

We had just met our first carpet sellers in Morocco.

Time was ticking and we had only 17 minutes to politely but forcefully negotiate our way back through the medina to our ‘taxi’ and then back to the Gare (station) de Meknes. We arrived with only two minutes to spare, only to find our train was retard 40 minutes. It was a scene out of a cartoon comedy.

Trying to procure a petit taxi back to the medina was a nightmare. I would hail one down only to be regularly gazumped by a local who had taken the initiative to run the show and get taxis for anyone, Moroccans first then tourists, for a fee of course. Either this or the taxi drivers ignored my plea and picked up the locals. Finally I relented paid the small ‘service fee’ to get a taxi.

Morning greeted us with fine weather and yet another altercation with a luggage man who wanted almost as much for transporting our luggage 100m through the medina to our mini-van, then the cost of the van to the beautifully new FEZ railway station 10km away. (This was despite an agreed price negotiated by Antony, the Manager, the night before which was 250% less than his demands).

“Don’t you know we are riding on the Marrakech express? Don’t you know we are riding on the Marrakech express? All aboard the train, all aboard the train, there takin’ me to Marrakech.”

And so began our seven hour train trip from Fez to Marrakech the following day. As we were approaching our last two days in Morocco it was appropriate to have Q&A retrospective on the country.

My Funniest moment here was...

Anne- “’Fatima dance, Fatima dance.’ When young Hassan asked me to dance as he played his drums in the dark in the desert.”

Katie-“The horse and carriage ride through the Medina in Marrakech.”

Nicole- “When dad fell, closely followed by Katie, in the sand in the Sahara”.

One thing I did not find in Morocco that I did back home was...

A- “At home I feel confident the way I communicate and I understand the way to do things. In Morocco I did not have that. It is a self assuredness that I have at home that I didn’t have in Morocco. I felt lost.”

K-“ To be able to drink tap water, brush your teeth in tap water, not having to wait ten minutes to have a shower that is hot, paying to use the toilet and being on guard 24/7.”

N- “A real supermarket and take –away pizza”.

The most stunning natural scenery I saw here was...

A-“I would have to say the Sahara and the Gorges maybe.”

K-“The sand dunes in the Sahara.”

N-“Either the Gorges or the Sahara sand dunes”.

One place I would never visit again in Morocco is...

A- “I wouldn’t visit the desert again, and probably Marrakech.”

K- “Marrakech or the desert because it is a once in a lifetime experience.”

N- “Marrakech because I don’t like the vibe. It is too much of a hard sell and an effort”.

The finest monument I saw here was...

A- “I actually liked the one in Fez where Ali, the guide, explained all the symbolism- the Medersa. Also, I actually quite liked the Kasbah in Ouarzazate because it gave you a sense in the part that had been restored the grandeur, exotic and opulent nature of the past.”

K- “The ramparts at sunset in Essaouira.”

N- “I like the Kasbah near the river we crossed at Ait Benhaddou. Also I liked the famous medersa in Fez”.

One thing I would never do again in Morocco is...

A- “Ride a camel in the desert and sleep in the desert.”

K- “Camel ride in the Sahara not because I didn’t enjoy it but because it is a once in a lifetime experience.”

N- “Go to the Sahara”.

The Best Food I ever had, and where, in Morocco was...

A- “I have to say the desert tagines and food at the Auberge was pretty good.”

K-“The Tagines at the Riad, Jnane Mogador, in Marrakech.”

N- “Last night, the chicken and vegetable tagine at the Thamis restaurant underneath the Mulberry tree in Fez”.

If I came back to Morocco I would definitely visit....

A-“I definitely would go back to Essaouira and Fez and I would come back to explore the mountains, Ifrane and Moulay Idriss.”

K-“Essaouira as it is a completely different vibe: easy to find your way around; not harassed as much and the views of the water was great.”

N- “Essaouira, because it was just like a little chilled beach town and maybe Fez because it is quite beautiful, an urban beauty”.

My saddest experience here was...

A-“I have to say seeing the people begging in various parts of the country. Women sitting in dark corners of the medina begging, and seemingly still there in the morning.”

K-“Leaving Hassan in the desert.”

N- “When I was throwing up at the side of the road on the way to the Sahara (near the Tiz N’ Tickha).”

One piece of advice I would give to people intending to travel to Morocco is...

A-“Have an open mind, expect the unexpected and have an open heart.”

K-“Don’t have any preconceived notions or expectations and just go with it.”

N-“If you are young women to make the trip easier I would travel with a guy (it pains me to say that) and don’t have any expectations of what Morocco is like.”

The strangest thing I saw here was...

A-“I suppose the local food markets where you have all sorts of animal parts hanging, the live chickens ready to be chosen for dinner that night, the cats sitting expectantly waiting for morsels of food that are thrown to them at the end of the day and the Qur’anic  pre-schools tucked away in the medina in Fez, one with a picture of Mickey Mouse on the outside.”

K-“The animals, such as the monkeys without tails, the clipped owls, and snakes in the square in Marrakech. You just don’t see that anywhere else.”

N- “The copious amount of cats everywhere wandering the streets (Cats coming out of drains in Essaouira).”   

The thing that made me most angry about Morocco was...

A-“John getting angry about cultural misunderstandings...but he has learnt”

K-“The corruption, police and stuff, and also how I got treated by the young men. They think they can just say anything to me.”

N- “Getting harassed every time you walked out your front door. Men constantly talked to you like you were a piece of meat.”

Three words to best describe Morocco are...

A-“BEAUTIFUL, UGLY, EVERYTHINNG-IN-BETWEEN.”

K-“INTIMIDATING, ASSUMING, VAST.”

N- “CHAOTIC, SURREAL, IN-YOUR-FACE.”

As our comfortable train ride finished in the late afternoon Marrakech sunshine, she was up to her old tricks again. After agreeing with a petit taxi for 40 Dirham to the medina, for Anne and me, he changed his mind “No 40 Dirham each.” Finally, he relented to 50 Dirham and as I was about to get out of the taxi he begrudgingly agreed to the price he had originally agreed to ten minutes ago. Oh it is so wearing. And all for a three km ride. If it happens once I can perhaps understand but it is a constant as sure as the sun will rise over the Moroccan landscape.

 We were then back at the same beautiful authentic 19th century Riad for two nights. We had dinner at the Riad and then off to sleep. By now Colie did not want to leave the Riad the following day. She had had enough.

With some quick thinking I had managed to coax Colie out of her urban oasis. I was determined to leave this country on a good note.

Our last full day was collectively our best in Marrakech. It was a shopping day with a difference. Up until now on principle we had not bought anything here.

But today, we visited three women cooperatives; Fair prices for you; Fair wages for Artisans, at Handicraft exposition of 27 cooperatives around the country, Marche Maroc, held only this weekend at the Ensemble Artisanal. We also found through the rabbit warren the Cooperative Artisanale Femmes de Marrakech, Kif Kif and Assouss Cooperative d’Argane. All these four were hassle free, fixed prices and sustainable shopping. We were happy to part with our money and talk to the many women who were in some ways the real face of Morocco. Interspersed with this was a visit to the curious Cyber Park: an 18^th century royal garden given back to the people with free wifi and kiosk terminals throughout the park; a Caleches, horse drawn carriage ride, and a quick meal in the square at stall No.1, our favourite, amidst the 10^th International Marrakech Film Festival. The square was a teeming mass of humanity with two huge screens erected showing foreign films.

At last, I could echo the words of Maha El Madi, the program director of Dar Bellarj, a foundation for the arts in Marrakech, who said of the famous square Djemaa El-Fna;

It isn’t a building or piece of real estate: it’s an open space for exchange and ideas. It belongs to Marrakech, but it belongs to the world, too. I think we are aware of that in the medina. The history of trade, religion, art and power that you see all around you here is the world’s history too.

So what of my impressions of Morrocco.

Morocco is at the confluence of three cultures: Europe (French and Spanish); North Africa (Berbers) and Middle East (Arab). At times it felt like we were more in the Middle East than in Africa because of the predominant Arabic and Muslim influence.

Hence, the theology of Islam reflected in the architecture is thought provoking. I can remember an explanation from our guide Ali of why all the Riad’s windows faced inwards. “The Beauty is on the inside...in the centre.”  It dawned on me that this is why the facade of the buildings is so plain but once inside there is so much stunning architecture of antiquity for the eyes to feast on.

But also there is a darker side to Morocco, especially in the souks where we were often greeted with disingenuous hellos. The girls were barraged with sneers and sniggers and some comments that were luridly unprintable. This seemed to be culturally endemic among young males. If King Mohammed VI wants to attract 10 million tourists to the country he not only needs to readdress the countries transport infrastructure he also needs to hard wire some of the males attitudes towards the opposite sex. Respect would be a good place to start!

There seemed such as contrast between this and Morocco's natural beauty. 

According to the Moroccan Constitution the monarch can only be male. Sadly this absence of women, the voiceless and marginalized, was so ingrained in the culture. Spain is such a contrast: women having a coffee together; sharing a moment walking through the malls; shopping. None of this public feminie comrade in Morocco.

Would I come back?

Probably Not.

Not because I did not have memorable experiences in the country. But because there is a big wide world out there, that I have not seen, that is waiting to be savoured.

The following day, on the eve of my father’s 86^th birthday, Anne and I are off to Barcelona, the girls to London.

But that is another story with another twist for another day.

Until next time

Good tidings and God’s blessings

Janika