Fez to Marrakesh

It was a very long ride of over 500 kilometers today from Fez to Marrakesh.  We made several stops during the nearly 11 hour drive.  The highlight of the road trip was lunch at a marvelous restaurant whose walls and ceiling were elaborately covered with tile work.  The meal itself was a chicken tejine and not as tasty as other meals we have had since arriving in Morocco.  We are getting a bit tired of tejine meals.  It was also the most expensive dining experience we have had 310 MAD (about $35 total).  The countryside was quite varied as we passed through mountains and plains.

Intricate and Beautiful Tiled Ceilings and Walls

Average Meal in an Extraordinary Setting

Marrakesh is one of the four imperial cities of Morocco.  It was a major oasis and trading center along the routes through the Sahara Desert and Atlas Mountains.  It is noted for the vast date palm forests that provided food and shelter for those passing through the region.  The inhabitants are primarily Berbers.  It is currently one of the hottest tourist destinations for Europeans.  We headed for the medina after checking into our hotel.  It was dark and the streets were well lit and full of traffic - pedestrians, horse drawn carriages, donkey drawn carts, bicycles, motor bikes, cars, trucks and buses all sharing the roads.  You had to be alert to avoid being run over by someone or something.

Date Palms

The medina square was filled with activity.  Musicians, acrobats, boxers and other entertainers performed for the crowd.  A lot of Europeans are buying up real estate in the area which is having a major impact on the way of life in the city.  We were informed this by our guide and it was confirmed by a Moroccan family we met and spent some time with while wandering the medina.  We took in the sights and sounds of the square before we ended the night taking a horse-drawn carriage to our hotel. There we had pizza and wine while watching Arab singers, musicians and dancers performing on TV.

Roasted Sheep Heads

Spice, Fruit and Nut Vendors

Brian couldn't get the hang of dancing with the shashiya working its magic.  He did get the tossle atop the shashiya spinning a few rotations but not in sync with the music.  It was fun watching him.  Carla couldn't figure out how to get the instruments she was handed to work.

Our Ride Back to the Hotel