Ponderings on a Bus – Morocco, Africa
Motion sick thoughtsI’m feeling a bit reflective. I haven’t felt that way for a while. Maybe it’s been in my head and I just haven’t let it out. I’m on a bus in Morocco traveling between Chefchaouan and Tangier – a four-hour bus ride from hell. It’s hot, extremely hot; the air conditionin
Morocco, Part 1 – Africa
After a harrowing departure from Mali, I arrived at the Casablanca airport, delighted to find ATMs that worked and people relatively happy to give information (the French influence notwithstanding). I made it downstairs to the train station to buy my ticket to Marrakech, and from there, to Berb
Morocco, Part 2 – Africa
My time in Morocco is a continuing tapestry of colors, sounds and images, a wonderous wave that has me caught up and tossed me about from place to place.
Essaouira
I left Essaouira for Boumalne du Dades, impossible to reach by public transport in one day, so I hopped a bus back to Marrakech
Moroccan Moments – Africa
The streets of Tangier were oddly quiet that morning. Empty tables and chairs lined the normally packed street side cafes. Eager street merchants looking for a sale didn’t appear until late morning and taxis were hard to find.
We had witnessed many contrasts during our trip to Morocco, this
The Walk – Morocco, Africa
After six of the roughest months of my life, I decided that on my 40th birthday, I would "take a walk" to clear my head and celebrate life. I wanted to go some place ALONE, where everything would smell, look, sound, and feel different. I found it in Morocco.
On "the day"
Goats in Trees – Morocco, Africa
Goats in trees
While traveling through Morocco, I was going through an "anti-guidebook" stage. I didn't feel like investing in another $20.00 heavy travel book. Since I didn’t have a book about Morocco, I was learning things as I was experiencing them, as well as learning abo
Chefchaouen, Morocco
Chefchaouen can easily be visited while touring Southern Spain. For first time visitors to Morocco it is probably one of the easiest and most pleasant places to discover the delights of this north African country. It was founded in the 15th Century and populated by Jewish and Muslim refugees fr
Summit of Ighil M’goun – Morocco, Africa
The road from Azilal to Ait Bougmez has only been tarmacked for two years. Mustapha fears for the future of the valley in which he was born. In modern Morocco surfaced roads often herald the beginning of the end for traditional villages. Many of the communities in the Toubkal region (the mou
Million Star Accommodation – Erg Chebbi, Morocco, Africa
Fur is tickling my calves and the wobbling movements are making me slightly sea sick. It feels like I just stepped on board a small boat, but instead of water, all I can see are the impressive velvet dunes of Erg Chebbi spreading before me like a gigantic blanket. An erg (meaning sand sea or d
The Essence of Leather in Marrakech, Morocco
“Special price for you, ladies!” the vendor shouts as a group of tourists pass his stall: a collection of lamps, teapots and carpets. He seems to have a sixth sense for guessing where people are from, although their looks help: the tall Dutch family that wears zip off pants, the unshaven
Best BootsnAll Travel Photos: July 2010
I’ve worked at BootsnAll for more than four years now, and one of the things that’s been a part of my job almost since the beginning has been scheduling the daily travel photos we post. Although I get to take all kinds of little mental vacations throughout my day as I read and write
Best BootsnAll Travel Photos: August 2010
As many people struggle to get used to the idea that yet another summer is in our collective rear-view mirror, September happens to be the ideal time to plan your next adventure – especially with shoulder season travel deals popping up. And I can’t think of a better way to inspire a
Facing East – A Moroccan Experience
It was a picture I had seen hundreds of times over….maybe in something like National Geographic…two little girls, one dressed in bright, hot pink, kneeling on a rocky hillside in the middle of the desert. It was the middle of nowhere to me, but somewhere to them. They were kneeling on these har
Negotiating for Change in Fez
Below me men dance in a honeycomb of vats, filled with a sludge of pigeon manure. With their bare toes they are kneading the pelages of cows and sheep, before dying them in tubs of saffron and poppies. Because of the stench, I breathe through my mouth, passing by heaps of putrefied fells. Hai
A Marrakech travel guide – mazy markets, Moroccan feasts and a steam clean in a hammam bath
Whether bargain hunting in the souks, romantic courtyard dining or enjoying a joint-cracking massage in a hammam - state your wish on a Marrakech city break and it shall be granted. Book a Marrakech hotel and sink into this fascinating city.Souk shopping
Dodging donkey carts, slurping mint tea and
A Morocco travel guide – a magic carpet ride of kasbahs, maze-like souks and Saharan sands
Holidays in Morocco are an assault on the senses. One minute youre camel trekking through desert dunes, the next youre bartering in the souks, steaming in a hammam (bathhouse) or eating lamb tagines hot from the burner. Choose a Morocco hotel to discover this land of 1001 experiences.Get your bearin
What to see and do in Marrakech – a guide to the main places of interest
Like one of the Islamic frescoes at the mosque, Marrakech is intricate and multilayered. Though it may appear as utter chaos at first, it is made up of many beautiful elements. The central square of the medina, Djemaa El-Fna, is the beating heart of the city, a constantly changing cityscape througho
Where to eat in Marrakech – a guide to the city’s cuisine
Each night in Djemaa El-Fna, a spectacle unfolds before your eyes. Cooking stalls, tables and chairs are set up under canvas, turning the whole square into a huge, outdoor restaurant, serving up traditional Moroccan dishes. Elsewhere in the medina, small, local restaurants also offer Arabic cuisine,
Where to shop in Marrakech – a guide to the city’s souks, boutiques and co-operatives
The labyrinthine souks of the medina provide Marrakech’s essential shopping experience. Sunlight filters through gaps in the makeshift roofs; boys carrying mint tea appear on cue to seal good deals. Fabrics, spices and jewelry fight for space and attention. Behind the scenes, a whole section of leat
Where to stay in Marrakech – a guide to the city’s districts
Whether you want to be at the center of the market culture, roused by the prayer bells and vendors’ cries each morning, or in a quiet, modern district with a French café on the corner serving coffee and croissants for breakfast, you can find it in Marrakech. You can choose between open green
