Great photos and story as usual. Really appreciate the effort you put into taking us along on your travels. Did you know that the oldest continuously functioning university you mention was founded by a woman, Fatima El-Fihri? Moroccans are quite proud of that. One pedantic point: the term “Islamic Spaniard” would not have been possible at that time in history. The concept of being Spanish at that time was a Christian identity that came from the North, progressing further (and farther) south until the fall of Granada in 1492 CE and the annexation of Navarre in around 1512 CE. The people you are referring to that fled or were exiled were the Andalusians and would have called themselves that (or Muslim) but not Spanish or Spaniard.
We spent two weeks in Morocco this summer and really loved it. It wasn't enough time, so we really want to go back. We only eat at local restaurants and it felt safe and was always delicious. No stomach problems.
I am happy to learn of the cheap flights from Faro to Marekesh.
I was just in Morocco in September and visited Marrakech where I led a yoga retreat, then Fes, then Chefchaouen. I also stayed at Dar Jasmine....best stay of the trip. My room was 234 steps from the road! I loved the blue city and would return if I lived closer like you but if I didn't have another yoga retreat next year, I might not return as well. I'll look forward to your part 2 to see if we have similar thoughts.
Wonderful photography! A very different Moroccan experience than ours, and you covered more ground. I will say the 4 of us traveling together tested all sorts of Moroccan food, like tasty tagines (my favorite was chicken with dried fruits), couscous with vegetables, home made pancakes, beautiful fruits etc. luckily, no stomach upsets! We were staying in small, local pension hotels which provided delicious breakfasts. These hotels of course did not serve alcohol, so abstention was the game, but instead, plenty of delicious Moroccan mint tea. The impressive Bar Central in the Medina of Tangiers had a huge margarita and cocktail menu, or without alcohol! Delicious! 😋
As someone who hopes to visit Morocco for the first time I was particularly interested in the headline of why you won’t be returning - but didn’t see that addressed in the main story. Did I miss something?
I spent my 55th birthday in the desert on the Moroccan/Algerian border near Ksar 15 years ago. It was part of our 2 week personal driver-led tour. Another highlight was learning to cook a tagine with 2 local women who didn't speak English or French and I don't speak Arabic, so we did "charades". It was January and there were very few tourists. The hammam in Fez was an experience in jettisoning modesty. And our guide took us to a "school" in the souk. No books, no floor, no artificial light, but about a dozen of the most adorable small children, paying attention to their teacher.
I would go back with my memories but what led go your decision? As always, thank you for your insights.
Thank you for your travelog! A friend and I had planned to go to Marrakech, but that was the year of the earthquake so we didn't make it. I really want to see the blue city. It looks beautiful 😍
Interesting report of your trip to Morocco. In 2023 I spent two weeks there and loved it. The part I have yet to see is Tangier and the area in the north where the Atlantic and Mediterranean meet. I really enjoyed Morocco and would definitely return, especially to see Chefchouen and Tangier.
Great photos & an interesting report as ever. We just returned from a month in Morocco, travelling independently. We visited Tangier, Chefchaouen, Rabat, El Jadida, Essaouira and Marrakesh. We would return to all of those places with the possible exception of Rabat.
I'm guessing we were there at a similar time to you. I don't know if you saw any of the protests?
I have just returned from a torturous 14 day tour of Morocco on which almost everyone in the group, except the tour leader, got sick for at least 24 hours. I had the worst vomiting episode I've ever had in my life - even worse than when I was backpacking in India in 1988.
The vegetarian food, as you mention in your next post, was repetitive and unappetising - lunch and dinner being couscous with chunks of over boiled mushy vegetables piled on top, presented but not cooked in a tagine pot. I was expecting rich spicy stews - a Moroccan version of the curries in India - and was incredibly disappointed, especially given that the tour was relatively expensive. The only exception was our first buffet dinner at the Hotel Nesma in Marrakesh. Other than this, the food included on the tour was always cooked by the hotel or showroom we were visiting rather than restaurants and in the last 2-star hotel we stayed in, I visited the kitchen to ask for a cup of tea one morning and met the cook who was not Moroccan! If I do go back it will be independently, in search of good food and accomodation.
Great photos and story as usual. Really appreciate the effort you put into taking us along on your travels. Did you know that the oldest continuously functioning university you mention was founded by a woman, Fatima El-Fihri? Moroccans are quite proud of that. One pedantic point: the term “Islamic Spaniard” would not have been possible at that time in history. The concept of being Spanish at that time was a Christian identity that came from the North, progressing further (and farther) south until the fall of Granada in 1492 CE and the annexation of Navarre in around 1512 CE. The people you are referring to that fled or were exiled were the Andalusians and would have called themselves that (or Muslim) but not Spanish or Spaniard.
Thanks!
We spent two weeks in Morocco this summer and really loved it. It wasn't enough time, so we really want to go back. We only eat at local restaurants and it felt safe and was always delicious. No stomach problems.
I am happy to learn of the cheap flights from Faro to Marekesh.
Thanks for your trip summary.
I was just in Morocco in September and visited Marrakech where I led a yoga retreat, then Fes, then Chefchaouen. I also stayed at Dar Jasmine....best stay of the trip. My room was 234 steps from the road! I loved the blue city and would return if I lived closer like you but if I didn't have another yoga retreat next year, I might not return as well. I'll look forward to your part 2 to see if we have similar thoughts.
Wonderful photography! A very different Moroccan experience than ours, and you covered more ground. I will say the 4 of us traveling together tested all sorts of Moroccan food, like tasty tagines (my favorite was chicken with dried fruits), couscous with vegetables, home made pancakes, beautiful fruits etc. luckily, no stomach upsets! We were staying in small, local pension hotels which provided delicious breakfasts. These hotels of course did not serve alcohol, so abstention was the game, but instead, plenty of delicious Moroccan mint tea. The impressive Bar Central in the Medina of Tangiers had a huge margarita and cocktail menu, or without alcohol! Delicious! 😋
Thanks for the informative travelogue!
As someone who hopes to visit Morocco for the first time I was particularly interested in the headline of why you won’t be returning - but didn’t see that addressed in the main story. Did I miss something?
There is a part 2 next week
Rabat was worth seeing, but we were there for 6 nights which was enough to see everything worth seeing so we don't see a need to return.
Curious as well as to why you wouldn’t return. Interested to hear about Rabat. Looking forward to part 2
I spent my 55th birthday in the desert on the Moroccan/Algerian border near Ksar 15 years ago. It was part of our 2 week personal driver-led tour. Another highlight was learning to cook a tagine with 2 local women who didn't speak English or French and I don't speak Arabic, so we did "charades". It was January and there were very few tourists. The hammam in Fez was an experience in jettisoning modesty. And our guide took us to a "school" in the souk. No books, no floor, no artificial light, but about a dozen of the most adorable small children, paying attention to their teacher.
I would go back with my memories but what led go your decision? As always, thank you for your insights.
Diet coke and bread fix everything :)
Thank you for your travelog! A friend and I had planned to go to Marrakech, but that was the year of the earthquake so we didn't make it. I really want to see the blue city. It looks beautiful 😍
Interesting report of your trip to Morocco. In 2023 I spent two weeks there and loved it. The part I have yet to see is Tangier and the area in the north where the Atlantic and Mediterranean meet. I really enjoyed Morocco and would definitely return, especially to see Chefchouen and Tangier.
This morning I enjoyed reading your trip to Morocco..Travelling can be trigger symptoms of upset stomach but Enterosgel sackets helped me .
I wish you speedy recovery 🌟
Gorgeous! Thanks for sharing.
Amazing photos! Enjoyed your adventure without leaving home.
Great photos & an interesting report as ever. We just returned from a month in Morocco, travelling independently. We visited Tangier, Chefchaouen, Rabat, El Jadida, Essaouira and Marrakesh. We would return to all of those places with the possible exception of Rabat.
I'm guessing we were there at a similar time to you. I don't know if you saw any of the protests?
Did not see any protests
What did you not like about Rabat?
I have just returned from a torturous 14 day tour of Morocco on which almost everyone in the group, except the tour leader, got sick for at least 24 hours. I had the worst vomiting episode I've ever had in my life - even worse than when I was backpacking in India in 1988.
The vegetarian food, as you mention in your next post, was repetitive and unappetising - lunch and dinner being couscous with chunks of over boiled mushy vegetables piled on top, presented but not cooked in a tagine pot. I was expecting rich spicy stews - a Moroccan version of the curries in India - and was incredibly disappointed, especially given that the tour was relatively expensive. The only exception was our first buffet dinner at the Hotel Nesma in Marrakesh. Other than this, the food included on the tour was always cooked by the hotel or showroom we were visiting rather than restaurants and in the last 2-star hotel we stayed in, I visited the kitchen to ask for a cup of tea one morning and met the cook who was not Moroccan! If I do go back it will be independently, in search of good food and accomodation.