
Today marks the last blog and photo from Morocco, so I thought a photo of the day of this beautiful door in Chefchaouen would be appropriate. We are closing the…
Morocco is located on the northwest corner of Africa and contrary to many believes it is not desert. In fact there is a sizable coastal area, then a savannah like strip, A mountainous region, and finally the Sahara Desert, which Morocco is just on the edge of. Due to this habitable rim, which runs all the way across the north coast of Africa, the Roman Empire extended all the way to here from the 1st century BC through the 5th Century AD. Before the Romans arrived the Phoenicians and later the Carthaginians ruled the area. During this time the native Berber population retreated up into the mountains, which has been more or less their domain ever since.
In 788 Idris ibn Abdallah migrated from the Middle East, bringing Islam and Arabic with him as he set up a new kingdom. By the 13th century this empire controlled Morocco, half of north Africa, Spain, and Portugal, but were slowing pushed out of Iberia from then until 1492 by the Reconquista.
As a turn of events from 1830-1956 both France and Spain controlled Morocco during the colonization of Africa. Independence was reestablished and the Alaouite Dynasty (1659-present) continued to rule the country.
On a side note, Western Sahara is a sparsely populated area of land south of Morocco. It is roughly 40% the size and both Morocco and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic both claim the territory, but in reality Morocco has governed over 2/3 of the territory since 1963 as if it was part of the country properly.
During the summer of 2017 Melek and I traveled throughout Morocco for two weeks, including an overnight stop in Laayoune, Western Sahara. We started in Casablanca then visit El Jadida, Marrakesh, Essaouira, Ait Benhaddou, Fez, Meknes, Volubilis, Rabat, Tetouan, and Chefchaouen.
Morocco is a fascinating country, offering a good insight into traveling in African and Muslim countries. Many things Westerns are used to are present, but also you will find new ways of doing and looking at things.
One thing that does get tiresome is the constant feeling the locals are just trying to get money out of you. To combat this, make sure you make cabs use the meter or find out a fair price and make them agree to it. If you load Google Maps on
your phone and use the GPS it will help you not to have to ask for directions from locals who will insist on money. While shopping, simply say no thank you and continue walking.
As far as Western Sahara goes, there is no reason to visit. There are no real tourism facilities and, more to the point, precious little to see or do anyways.
Soon you can get even more helpful hints by watching the two travel videos I am making for Morocco. Also, you can read what all I did during my 3 weeks in Morocco in the blog posts below.
Today marks the last blog and photo from Morocco, so I thought a photo of the day of this beautiful door in Chefchaouen would be appropriate. We are closing the…
As you all know we have been touring Morocco for two weeks and have been writing about our experiences and adventures. We wanted to summarize our travel notes and hints…
This was just one of many displays we saw in the square at the Marrakech medina. There are probably 20-30 little portable resturants in the square (this does not count…
Of course, there were many other things I like about Morocco, but as in my country (Turkey), tea has a big part in daily life and I wanted to write…
Today’s photo of the day is from one of the many souks (markets) that we say in each of the medinas (walled city center). I love how colorful these powders…
Well today’s Photo of the day might help explain why we loved Chefchaouen. Check out the blue and white buildings huddled together on the hill. Doesn’t it look like a little…
On Tuesday, we wrote about our day in Rabat and today I am going to write about our last couple days in Morocco when we visited Tetouan & Chefchaouen in…
Melek is sitting on the wall of the kesbah in Rabat and looking down on the beach below. I love all the colorful umbrellas down below. If you would liketo…
Rabat has it all, medina – which is a must of a Moroccan city – seaside and beach, walking by the beach and a wonderful Roman historic site which was…
Ok, you are correct. It is not really a looking glass. Today’s photo of the day is at Medersa Bou Inania in Meknes. This is an Islamic school from past…
Last time I told you how I took a train from Fez to Meknes in order to take a taxi to Volubilis. Well today I want to finish the story…
How do you like that night shot of the medina of Fez? I think it is a great addition to the photos of the day and a great way to…
Deep in the heart of the medina of Fez, Morocco you can find a few Berber pharmacies. The walls are lined with jars of herbs and other assortments. This is…
Because it is an extraordinary example of Roman culture on the fringe of the empire. From Fez I caught a 30-45 minute train to Meknes in order to get a…
Volubilis is a city ruins from the edge of the Roman Empire. The Romans left in the 3rd century and it slowly was abandoned overthe next several hundred years. Today’s…
Melek was not feeling well the second day we were in Fez (probably run down from the stress of Marrakech), so she rested in the riad (the style of house…
The medieval tanning pits in the heart of the medina of Fez is the location for today’s photo of the day. Everyday the workers of this co-op use these pits…
I guess I need to explain that statement. I know many people like Marrakech, and yes that city has some nice historic buildings, like palaces and the old Medina, but…
Today’s photo of the day is from our day at Essaouira, Morocco. It was cool and windy and I saw this boat passing an offshore fort ruins and knew I might have…
I wrote about our day trip to Essaouira on Tuesday and told you how windy and chilly it was there, I also told you how I was able to get…
Ait Benhaddou is a World Heritage Site due to it being a striking example of earthen construction techniques. It is an outpost on the caravan route from the Sahara to…
This ancient Berber city is between the mountains and the desert. I will be writing all about this amazing site,….and the many movies it has been featured in, tomorrow. Today…
After spending a day and a half in Marrakech, we chose to make this our base as we ventured out to see other parts of this area of Morocco. After…
I did not ever expect to say that sentence in my life, but today’s poto of the day is just that. We saw these guys on our way to Essaouira, Morocco….
In Marrakech, we stayed in the Medina, which means walled city and is the old trade center or bazaar. The hotels there are old houses turned into hotels which are…
Outside of wandering through the twisting passages of the medina,El Badi Palace was my favorite site. The palace was built by Sultan Ahmed al Mansour to celebrate the victory over…
This mosque is at the begining of the main square in Marrakech and oppisite of the medina, which is a compact, walled, city center. When you arrive in Marrakech you…
The day after our wonderful night at Rick’s Café in Casablanca, we boarded a 3-hour train to Marrakech. Unfortunately, first class was sold out, so we went in second class….
Today’s photo of the day is a photo Melek took of the piano at Rick’s Cafe in Morocco. It is inspired by the classic movie and was a place I…
Taxis in Morocco drive me crazy! We got out of the airport in Casablanca and a guy came to us and said taxi? We said yes please, how much? He…
As the movie says, “everyone ends up at Rick’s Cafe” and we were no exception. Yesterday Melek wrote about our wonderful night in this recreation and today’s photo of the…
I must admit our Morocco trip hasn’t started off well as we ended up in a really funny city in western Sahara [Shane – Laayoune} which we wrote about! But…
Some people like to put puzzles together and figure out different perspectives of photos. If you can not figure it out, think about looking straight up inside the tallest minaret…
The King Hassan II Mosque, in Casablanca, is the 3rd largest in the world and the largest outside of Saudia Arabia. The interior is vast and can hold up to 25,000…
No way!!!! We enjoyed our day exploring the city and our hotel (Melliber Hotel) was so nice we had trouble leaving it. We of course walked around this modern city…
Yesterday I wrote about our day trip to El Jadida, which is an hour and a half south of Casablanca in Morocco. We had a wonderful time at this World…
Last week I wrote about how we went to Laayoune, Western Sahara and it was a total bust. Well the next day we found ourselves in Casablanca, which Humphrey Bogart…
El Jadida is a city an hourand a half south of Casablanca. It is a Portuguese fortified city built in the 1500’s and is now a World Heritage Site. I…
Our first town in Morocco didn’t turn out as we expected! It was a little town and there was supposed to be some Spanish ruins but we never found them!…
As you read yesterday, we did not really enjoy our time in Laayoune, Morocco, but we did getto see a nice sunset across the desert. So I guess it was…
In two simple words……DON’T GO! Laayoune is located on the north end of Western Sahara and is part of Morocco, but there is some dispute as some claim it is…
When you have camels blocking the intersection, you must be in a slow paced town and Laayoune, Morocco fits that discription. Tomorrow I will tell you all about this village…
For those of you that have been following me for a while, you have just finished reading all about Melek and mine’s six-week cruise through the upper Caribbean. I hope…