Monday, March 4, 2013

Take the train from Casablanca going south Blowing smoke rings from the corners of my mouth



Morning came to find me heading to Casa Voyageurs train station to move on to Marrakech, once again traveling in first class style for the total for $14.  I was a little early so I grabbed a quick baguette with fromage and cafe creme (fancy french for cheese sammich and a coffee).  When you passed from the lobby of the station to the platforms, there's a couple guards checking tickets, but while waiting I noticed that one could seemingly just walk from the other side of the tracks and not even be bothered.  Other amusing observations, if your late for your train and it's about to pull out, it's perfectly acceptable to, instead of taking the stairs and walkway under tracks, to just down off the platform and run in front of the soon to depart train, even if your a middle aged woman carry a couple bags.

A little description of the Moroccan train lay out, at least the first class:  There is one car, usually the first one, with an aisl down one side and 9 or 10 compartments.  Each compartment has 6 seats, 3 on each side and face each other.  On the side against the window, there's a small table that the two people sitting in the window seats can use.  This time, I was assigned the middle seat between an older woman who spoke Arabic and some French (and often loudly into her phone) and a younger Moroccan woman who did speak English.  Later in the ride I learned she was traveling with her sister to school to take Exams.  It was amusing to hear their conversation switch from Arabic to French to English without pause.  They were coming from Rabat, and based on the appearance were part of the wealthier side of Morocco.  But still very nice and provided some good info on Marrakech.

Rounding out the compartment was a couple from Canadia.  They had just flown in from Montreal via Paris and were on the last leg for the day.  They were both very nice, though the wife preferred to nap while the husband preferred to chat.  But it made the ride pass.  Funny enough, the next day, in a city of 3 million, I happened to duck under an awning to get out of a heavy downpour, and we met up again. 

The scenery on this ride was much nicer than the train ride from Tangier.  There seemed be a lot less in the way of random garbage strown about, and general lack of people about.  It was a bit of a barren landscape, but not really desert.  There was ample vegetation to be round, but still very rocky and looked like would become very arid if the rain went away for a while.

Koutoubia Mosque, tallest structure in Marrakech and he landmark used for navigation
Then out of nowhere, Marrakech!  The city is basically split into the medina (the ancient walled city) and Ville Nouveau (the new city outside the walls).  In a credit to the French occupiers, they ordered that all new construction of the European style city be made outside the walls preserving the ancient parts.  That being said, the Medina hasn't been left as it was in 1500 or so.  All the modern trappings of civilization have been installed... power, sewer, drainage, etc.   They have an ordinance in the city that no building can be taller than 4 or 5 (i can't remember exactly) floors, excluding minarets.  The rule causes some sprawl, but keeps you from feeling like you're in a big city.

After disembarking, I made my way to the riad I had booked for the next few nights.  After finding a ride to the medina (which i overpaid) and a person to take me to the riad (who I also ended up overpaying) I found the place.  Even though I spent more than I should have to get there, it was nice not to wander around the alleys and passages carrying my pack. Anyways, I arrived at my riad to dine it little more than a heavy wooden door from the outside.  However, once inside, it was more than I had expected.  The pictures online didn't do the place justice.  I was met by Muhammed (fyi, everyone in Morocco is named Muhammed or Abdul I think), who handed me aint tea and checked me in.  Unlike a hotel, it was all very informal and relaxed and he was quite helpful for getting around the area.
Riad Casa Lalla Courtyard
Side note:  a riad is a traditional townhouse in the medina that is built around a courtyard.  The one I chose, Casa Lalla, has been redone with about 10 rooms or so.  It is owned by a french couple who are famous for the restaurant they run out of the riad.  Because it was winter, and there was rain about, the courtyard was covered by a plastic roof.  There were 2 floors of rooms and a terrace on the roof with tables, couches, and hammocks where you could see the Atlas mountains in the distance.  My room, one of the smallest offered, on the ground floor with a window that opened up onto the courtyard.  The bed was on a loft about the bathroom/sitting area.  And all for a reasonable price!  If the reader should ever make it to Marrakesh (or Fez or Menkes) I highly suggest skipping the international chain hotels and finding a nice riad.  The only downside was the 5:30 "wake up call" that really can't be avoided.

After checking and getting settled, I headed up to the Djemaa El-Fna, the main square of the medina.  Billed as the longest continuously running entertainment venue in the world, the square is packed in the morning with carts selling fresh orange juice and other various trinkets.  As the day goes on, more and more street perfomers begin to show up, form henta tattoo artists to snake charmers to male belly dancers until night when traditional Gnaoua drum circles, story tellers, and Berber musicians begin their performances.  There also rows of food stalls serving traditional meals, though I'd been told to avoid the couscous there (wasn't properly prepared) and also don't have the fish (could kill you).  The square took on a bit of a life of its own, and there was plenty of amusement to be had.

Djemaa el-Fnaa from a cafe terrace

After getting my bearings (and a cappuccino) on a terrace overlooking the Djemaa, i dove in and walked around.  It's been a while since I've been in an Arabian bazaar environment.  Everyone is trying to sell you something, or asking more dirham to show you around someplace.  It tends to get annoying everyone hawking things at you, but it is part of the experience.  Andafter a few hours you acclimate.  It's hard to do any real "browsing" of any of the shops, as the salesman is on you, and if you don't see something you like he'll look in the back and surely find something to spend money on.  I'd also been warned that there's an influx of "traditonal" Moroccan goods for sale that have been imported from China.  I didn't get a picture, but the most amusing store along the Djemaa was selling kids shirts and souveners, which they had cleverly displayed on child size mannequins and hung them, by the neck, above the entrance.  At first it looked like a gallows for toddlers.

I found dinner at a stall in the square (the "no.1 rated" one according to some guide book I've never heard of... so their menu said).  Street food in the third world can be an adventure.  Avoiding the fish, I went for a "meat" tagine.  Basically it was type of stew cooked in a clay pot with a coned top (which is actually what a "tagine" is).  It's considered sort of a bachelors stew and generally cooked all day.  It was very tasty and came with traditional bread.  After meandering about the square for a couple hours I headed up for another mocha from the top terrace of a cafe overlooking the square.  And then the rain started.  Time to call it a night.  Back to the riad (which i found with only 2 wrong turns), where I purchased a bottle of local red wine (I didn't drink the whole thing but they kindly stored it for me until I did) and planned the next day.

The next morning I woke up to rain.  It wasn't particularly steady or heavy, just annoying really.  But would dampen (ha) my plans for walking around all day.  My expert weather opinion said it would clear up by afternoon (it didn't, not until about 8 PM), so for the morning I bought a ticket on the big red tourist bus. It took around most the new city, and some of the old city that has streets that are wide enough for a bus.  It worked well that i could hop on and hop off when I wanted, so i road the whole route, found lunch (in the new town... pizza and beer) and watched a downpour.  The hopped back on the bus, luckily timing my time off the bus when the rains seemed to abate and back on during downpours.   Worked out well and i was able to walk around a few of the gardens and other sights.  I finally alighted near the Jewish quarter of the medina and took in a couple museums, one of artifacts from desert tribes from around Northwest Africa.  it was interesting, if a bit unorganized but for the approximate $1 entry fee it was entertaining (and dry).  Next I walked over to the Bahia Palace.

Bahia Palace
They spent a lot of time making this place all fancy for the Sultan.  It's beautiful tile work and carving was really inspiring.  I meandered through the building snapping pictures and getting ideas for the dream house i plan to build.. someday.  After the Bahia palace I headed for another museum...  at which point I got turned around in the narrow allyways and arrived at their door 4 minutes after they closed.  The the rains came!  So far that day I had dodged downpours but this time, I was caught.  I finally found an awning to duck under to try to dry out a little... and bumped into (literally) the Canadians I met on the train.  The rest of the evening I served as their guide about the souks (as they were totally lost but in a fun way and I had  map on the phone that showed me exactly where I was without incurring roaming charges (thank you Lonely Planet).  After some haggling, we found a terrace bar with two for one happy hour and took refuge inside.  We ended up staying longer than planned due to a heavy downpour.

Medina Passage
 We split ways later and i headed  off to fine some dinner.  A nearby hotel rated pretty good (if pricey) on the couscous meter so I stopped in.  Yes it was pricey, but the couscous was tasty so I though OK... it's bad really.  Then the belly dancers started.  Suddenly the prices seemed reasonable.  I also started wondering, how in a Muslim country where woemn are generally required to be covered head to toe does a belly dancer get away with being nearly naked and gyrating about?  Are these shunned women (which would be sad for the one dancing about while i dined.. she seemed kind of young to be shunned already) or is it just a little bit of allowed historical hypocrasy.

By this time the rains had stopped and the stars were out.  I took a few more ot the perfromances around the square before heading back.  I had an early wake up to take a trip out the Ourika Valley the next day...  which wasn't without some apprehension.  More on that in the next installment. 

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