The Other Morocco
There are two Morocco’s that exist within the same borders on the map.
One is the well-known Morocco, popular with tourists. The second is the road less traveled, or what I came to call “the Other Morocco” during my ten week visit to this bizarre and fascinating land.
The tour
Morocco: Through the Eyes of a Local
The mystique of exotic camel safaris, magical Saharan desert sand dunes, swaying palm trees, and striking Moorish architecture compelled me to visit Morocco after experiencing it for the very first time as a child in Epcot’s World Showcase.
Ait Benhaddou KasbahHigh Atlas
Moroccan Serpent
In Morocco, up in the Atlas Mountains we were heading from Marrakech to Ceuta, and it was very hot and dusty! Down below was a gorgeous blue lake about an hour’s drive away. We couldn’t wait to hit that water.
As we finally approached the lake we noticed that even though there wa
Ikahn’s Top Ten Tips for Traveling in Morocco
Ikahn’s Top Ten Tips for Traveling in Morocco
Morocco
In the eight years since my first trip to Morocco I’ve learned so much and yet am still vibrating from the visceral impact of the grandeur and starkness of life in Morocco. Moroccans are renowned for their beauty and as I also fo
Morocco: On the Verge of Itself (1 of 2)
Travel through Morocco for any length of time and you’ll uncover a land fiercely traditional and full of daily change, a land of harsh desolation shadowed by lush oasis, and a land where earnest well wishers stand toe to toe with the desperate, impoverished, and outright swindlers. In sh
Morocco: On the Verge of Itself (2 of 2)
In a country of great cultural and artistic wealth Morocco’s greatest asset by far is its people. Trite as that is to say, the diversity of hearts, minds and the will to persist is nothing short of gut wrenching. Despite the challenges life throws their way, the people make room for any
The Big Trip #4
Week 7: Welcome to Morocco!
Route: Tangier – Chefchaouene – Ouezzane – Meknes
180 kilometers
We arrived in Tangier and spent a couple hours cycling in circles through the middle of the city, searching for an ATM that would take our debit cards. I quickly realized I would need
The Big Trip #5
The Big Trip
Morocco
Week 9: Cycling the Route des Kasbahs
Route: Ouarzazate – Gorge du Dades – Gorge due Todra – Goulmima – Merzouga
345 kilometers
From Ouarzazate, we headed out into the desert, a vast, empty, rocky
landscape. In the distance, we could see the hazy o
Morocco – The Land of the Berbers (1 of 4)
The Land of the Berbers
Morocco
Me (blue veil) on the camel trekMerzouga, Moroccophoto by Janet Weise
After over 24 hours of travel, I finally arrived in Casablanca, tired but anxious with anticipation to see two of my closest friends, Janet and Tiina. We were all converging up
Morocco – The Land of the Berbers (2 of 4)
The Land of the Berbers
Morocco
We spent the day walking around the medina, taking photos and shopping. Let me tell you, that it’s necessary to haggle for your merchandise. The shopkeepers will first give you a ridiculously high price. You should then offer about one-third of that and ba
Morocco – The Land of the Berbers (3 of 4)
The Land of the Berbers
Morocco
Camel Trek, Dunes of Merzougaphoto by Kristin Piljay
After breakfast, we rode back to the town, met our bus again and were on our way to our second adventurous evening in another desert. We drove through a wasteland with the appearance of having no
Morocco – The Land of the Berbers (4 of 4)
The Land of the Berbers
Morocco
Our Fes hotel didn’t have a shower in the room (only down the hall), so we thought it an opportune moment to try out a hamman (public bath). You can also pay extra for a massage, and we definitely needed one of those after our long travels. Janet and I dec
Atlas Shrugged: Hiking in the High Atlas Mountains, Morocco
Let me begin this story with a little bit of advice – no matter what anyone tells you, do not, I repeat, DO NOT, do the Toubkal trek in the Moroccan High Atlas mountains!!! My guidebook says all you need are some good hiking shoes. Let me tell you, that is a load of crap. It’s more
A Quest for Rest – Morocco
A Quest for Rest
Morocco
We awoke that morning to find ourselves in the middle of the Sahara Desert. How we had come to arrive there is still a bit of a mystery. I remember something about myself, my girlfriend Johanna and our friend Regan being accosted at a bus terminal, taken to a hostel and
Diario de un Viaje: Baja California Sur – Mexico
Just chillin’ in Baja.
Whenever I think of Mexico, a few things come to mind. Beautiful beaches, ancient civilizations, the largest bustling city in the world and, of course, the phrase "Don’t Drink The Water!" And that is just on the mainland. Nestled b
Diary of a Single Girl
Single Girl Ria decided to keep her wardrobe simple – here’s what she plans on wearing for the next 12 months.
I’m Maria Argyropoulos, a Greek-American kukla (Greek for chica) who’s been fortunate enough to have the perfect job and great friends, and to li
The Couscous Weekend – 5 Days in Morocco #3: Day 3: Adventures in Souq Land – Marrakech, Morocco
Day 3: Adventures in Souq LandApril 13th, 2002
Morning juice sellers on Djemaa
The first thing on my mind when I awoke in the morning was to get back to Djemaa. But I was disappointed when I reached the square. Djemaa, like me, is not a morning event. There were a few snake charmer
The Couscous Weekend – 5 Days in Morocco #2: Marrakech – Marrakech, Morocco
Day 2: MarrakechApril 12th, 2002
Desert snacks
The afternoon train ride rolled by in mint greens and powdery reds. The
pastoral scene of small mud buildings ringed by olive trees was populated
only by the occasional solitary shepherd. It looked biblical agrarian
perfection. It was
The Couscous Weekend – 5 Days in Morocco #1: Casablanca – Casablanca, Morocco
Day 1: CasablancaApril 11th, 2002
I arrived in Casablanca too late. Well into the night in a new country, on a
new continent, alone and armed with only a guidebook from the series I like
to call The Books of Wrong. True to form, it was not as simple to get into
town as the book suggested. Ther
The Couscous Weekend – 5 Days in Morocco #5: Day 4: Off the Beaten Path – Marrakech, Morocco
Day 4: Off the Beaten PathApril 14th, 2002
Coffee on the edge of Djemaa
I took a bit of a risk in the morning and found a seat in a cafe right on the plaza. Cafes here are the domain of men. My book advised that female travelers may feel more comfortable having tea or coffee at a
