Morocco - What a Wonderful Place to Be
Friday, March 6, 2020
We arose in Gibraltar and went to bed in Morocco. There were many steps in between.
We bid farewell to Gibraltar right after breakfast – packing done, luggage in the car, passports at the ready. And we were off! Or so we thought … until the barrier came down to block the only road that leads to Spain. You may recall that the only way onto Gibraltar is to drive or walk or bike across the runway of the Gibraltar airport. Well, there was a plane due to land and the barricade came down just as we approached the runway. We turned off the engine and settled in to wait for the plane. Within five minutes, there it was, flashing across our line of vision as it made its way toward the end of the runway. We waited but the barrier did not arise again. That is because the terminal is on the other side of the road which means that after a plane lands it has to stop, turn around and taxi back across the road to the terminal. And that it did. By this time there was a long line of traffic and many pedestrians heading either into Gibraltar or, like us, into Spain. Whereas it was a quick trip when we arrived, the exit journey was much slower because each vehicle had to stop to show ID at the border. For some reason, we were also asked to open our trunk and unlock our luggage. However, our luggage was not locked so the customs agent just let us pass through.
Our first stop in Spain was at a supermarket where we could buy some good red Spanish wine. We are going to visit friends in Morocco and that was what they asked us to bring. I think we will indulge in a bit of it as well.
Now we were on the way to the port where we would return our rental car. Because I had scraped the side of the car on a large garbage container, the check-in process was much lengthier than usual. I waited patiently with the luggage and Jim dealt patiently with the agent. We were both exactly where we needed to be. I think I would have become frustrated much more quickly than Jim.
Next on the agenda was the purchase of ferry tickets to Morocco. We are headed for Tangier Ville, a short 14 kilometres across the Mediterranean. We can see it from here. But, although we are at a port, this is not the port for the ferry we are travelling on.
That behind us, Jim and I had a quick lunch (sub sandwiches) as we waited for the bus to take us to the other port. It was a very pleasant day and we happily sat in the sunshine and watched people and birds. The birds were frisky and two large seagulls had quite a quarrel very close to us. One grabbed the other’s beak in his beak and held on!! They turned in circles, still able to squawk even though their mouths were closed. A third seagull stood by. I think it was two males fighting over who would win the female. In the end, they both flew off, one chasing the other until they were out of sight. Small things amuse us when we are waiting.
Finally the bus arrived and we loaded our luggage into the hold. It was a pleasant drive along road we had already travelled. We were revisiting some of the beauty of Spain. Soon enough, we arrived at Tarifa. We were certainly happy that we had stopped in to see the town a few days earlier because this was not a tour bus. This bus took us directly to the ferry terminal and we were whisked inside to go through security to board the ferry. We walked from the terminal to the ferry, stowed our luggage and found some seats.
We knew that the customs and immigration process occurred on the ferry but we were surprised at the length of the line. Fortunately, very close to us was a much shorter line (who knows why) and Jim joined in. We had completed all the required documents before we left Spain (6 in total for each of us). Jim showed them to the agent who looked at our passports, waved at me in my seat and we were done. In order to disembark the ferry, you need to have your passport stamped. We were ready.
The journey across the Mediterranean took almost an hour. It was fairly calm water and the sun was high in the sky. There were several cargo ships nearby going in both directions. It was a fascinating trip.
When we landed in Tangier, we gathered our luggage and made our way to the terminal where all luggage had to be xrayed. Once through that process, we were guided out the main terminal entrance/exit and there, as planned, was Mustapha, our driver, holding a sign that said “Donna and Jim”.
We were quickly on our way to the home of Jeff and Ruth Parliament, friends from Waterloo who now live in Tangier. Jeff is the deputy headmaster at the American School of Tangier. Ruth also works part time at the school. It was lovely to see them and be in the comfort of someone’s home. We had a delicious home-cooked meal and spent the evening chatting about numerous topics, life in Tangier being among them.
Soon it was bedtime. We wanted to be well rested for our day of touring tomorrow.
Saturday, March 7, 2020
This will be a short post because I effectively took the day off today. I think I have mentioned having a cold and it has been very persistent. I decided that I needed a day of relaxing and catching up on some sleep. So today was the day.
Jim, on the other hand, had a very busy day. A driver had been arranged for the morning to show us the sights of Tangier and he went off as planned and had a three hour tour of the city. Then he met a guide who took him on a four hour walking tour through the parts of the city that are not accessible by car. I will add several photos instead of a detailed description to show beauty and diversity of the city, a combination of old Morocco and new economy.
At the end of the day, Mustapha, the driver from the morning, picked Jim and me up and we went for a further one hour drive along the seacoast to the east of the city. It was amazing to see the transition from the original ‘downtown’ and what is called New Tangier, filled with modern hotels, a very large casino, several elegant restaurants and the development of vast parkland
Along the coast, the King (Morocco is a monarchy) has invested billions of dollars to create an broad promenade with benches, play areas, picnic facilities, underground car parks, children’s entertainment (camel rides, horse rides, pony rides). This promenade stretches several miles along the coastline. Tea shops and cafes are at the beach level and, of course, a wide sandy beach beckons people to the water in season.
The highlight of this drive was climbing to the top of a very tall hill and being able to look out over the Mediterranean and see Spain (Tarifa, specifically, where we boarded the ferry), Gibraltar and the winding coastline of Morocco. It was magical to see two continents at once and to realize that in recent days we have been in all those places.
One of the remarkable things about Tangier is the amount of traffic on the roads. Every roadway is crowded, just short of a traffic jam. Drivers are aggressive and pay no heed to rights of way or lane markings. Where there is a space to put the nose of your car, that is where it goes. Edging in is an art form. At times, there are three lanes of traffic where only two are marked. And then, amazingly efficiently, the lanes transform back into two. As long as you don’t get too stressed as a passenger in a car, it is a quite wonderful performance.
Drivers are not patient though. Horns honk at the blink of an eye; voices call out from one vehicle to another; and, if there is a collision, tempers flare!! We witnessed two fairly minor mishaps. In both cases, the drivers got out of their cars and began to yell at one another. And, of course, then there was a traffic jam, stretching a long way behind them.
Pedestrians are also an impediment to safe driving. And there are a LOT of pedestrians. There are traffic signals at many corners and at some roundabouts as well. There are also pedestrian crosswalks clearly marked at regular intervals. But … no one seems to pay any attention to those. Pedestrians simply step off the curb and walk into the traffic. In front of one car, behind another, individually, in groups, walking quickly, pausing to chat midway across, across the middle of roundabouts. It is remarkable that cars and pedestrians find ways of making this work.
Now, let’s talk about motorbikes, thousands of them. In Spain, we grew accustomed to motorbikes riding between vehicles on streets to get ahead. In Tangier, it seems more like a dance as they move across lanes, between vehicles, tail-gating, and revving their engines. No helmets are required. Very scary.
There are also bicycles, motorized wheelchairs, three-wheeled carts, and people on foot scooters on the roadways as well.
I have a short list of countries where I am totally unwilling to drive. India, Vietnam, China, Mexico … Morocco has been added to the list.
When we returned from our drive, it was time to get ready for dinner. Jeff and Ruth, our lovely hosts, had chosen one of their favourite restaurants for this meal, Tangerino. Jeff drove us to the restaurant and found a very close parking space. Jeff is remarkably calm and capable as he navigates the streets I described earlier. One of the tricks in getting a convenient parking space here is to pay someone to find one. The ‘parking attendant’ finds the space, guides the driver into it and, also, keeps an eye on the vehicle while it is unoccupied. All for a very small sum of money.
We had a delicious and leisurely meal beginning with a cheese platter as a starter along with some olive pate and wonderful bread. Then we moved on to shared plates of seafood salad and braised eggplant. Both dishes were wonderful but the eggplant was so good that we all ordered more. We also shared a chocolate-filled cookie for dessert and, of course, enjoyed some fine wine as well.
Back home, to bed. The end of a good day.
Sunday, March 8, 2020
Another night of coughing, wheezing and fitful sleep finally convinced me that a doctor was in order. Jim had been encouraging me to see a doctor for about a week but I was very reluctant, not wanting to get caught up in the Covid19 Virus issue. But clearly this cold has a mind of its own and is not responding to home treatment.
What we are learning about Morocco, if you live here, you need ‘a guy’. Fortunately, Jeff and Ruth have a ‘guy’ who can make magic happen for them. One of Jeff’s colleagues at his school has been very helpful to them with various situations in this culture and today was a great example of that.
Jeff texted his colleague and asked about arranging to see a doctor on a Sunday. The ‘guy’ knew of a doctor who made house calls and he was able to come over. So, no medical clinic or hospital waits … very soon, the doctor was at the door.
The doctor spoke Arabic, fluent French and some English. Happily, Ruth speaks English, fluent French and some Arabic. (She is rather amazing with her Arabic.) So, he checked my temperature, checked my lungs and asked a lot of questions about medical history. The best news of the day was that he clearly stated that I do not have Covid19 Virus. And he was fairly certain that I also do not have pneumonia. He also took the temperatures of Jim, Jeff and Ruth and declared they too were all in the normal range so no virus.
He prescribed medications (antibiotic, cough syrup, Tylenol) which were procured at a nearby pharmacy. And I am once again on the road to good health, I hope.
Jeff and Ruth prepared a wonderful breakfast of bacon, eggs and Moroccan bread. Fresh clementines as well. Yum.
A bit later, we headed out for another lovely drive, this time further along the seacoast to the east, out of the city. The land was surprisingly green and surprisingly mountainous. The road rose and fell as it traversed the hills and followed the coastline. It was another bright, sunny and warm day. What a pleasure to be enjoying it in a new country.
Along the way, we saw a small roadside market, local produce from the local farmers, known as Berbers and recognized by the clothing they wear. No photos though. But their produce was fair game for pictures as well as their tethered donkeys who were nearby, wearing the metal frames that carry the produce to market. The donkeys were easy to find because of their constant braying.
We also saw beautiful sand beaches and many areas where families gathered for picnics. Sunday is a family day for Moroccans and, since most live in modest apartments, being in the out-of-doors is one of the features of Sunday outings. The jalabas worn by the women seemed to be more brightly coloured today than on other days of the week. Royal blue, emerald green, pink, red and turquoise were among the colours we saw. Many were also bejewelled – both the jalabas and the hijabs.
Most women here seem to cover themselves when outside their homes. Some younger women wear more modern clothing but are still fully covered. A few simply wear street clothes but they are not very numerous.
We stopped at a hilltop restaurant, New Andalous, and were able to sit at a table outside overlooking the sea. Yes, it was that warm!! Jeff and Ruth invited friends to join us for dinner. Shannaedi and Younes met us at the restaurant and the six of us had a terrific meal and a lively conversation.
Jeff successfully navigated the car back home and we spent the balance of the evening playing euchre. The cards were not great but the company certainly was.
Monday, March 9, 2020
The morning began with farewells. Jeff and Ruth headed off for work and Jim and I finished packing our bags. We were leaving Tangier this morning for other places. We were happy to have been able to spend time with Jeff and Ruth and hear their enthusiasm for Morocco and listen to their advice as we move forward.
Mustapha once again picked Jim and I up at the entrance to the apartment building. We loaded our luggage into the car and began yet another journey in a new direction. Our destination this time was Chefchaouen, a quaint town set in the mountains to the southeast of Tangier. It was about a two hour drive, again under bright blue sky and brilliant sunshine.
We soon left the suburbs and industrial area of Tangier and began to drive through the foothills of the distant mountains. We travelled through enormous tracts of grazing land. Herds of sheep, goats and cattle dotted the landscape. Spring wildflowers were making their debut – reds, whites and yellow. Lots of yellow! Vast valleys had areas of arable land. Olive groves and market gardening were most prevalent. Farmers were out working in the fields, some on tractors, many using hand tools.
We passed through occasional villages, complete with tea shops populated by men, small grocery stores and other services for this rural area. Homes were clustered in the villages and farm buildings gave texture to the wide open agricultural lands.
Soon we began to climb. The road was steep and narrow with diverse traffic – cars, heavy trucks and farm vehicles all sharing the pavement. It was circuitous and slow. Faster vehicles overtook slower vehicles … whether they could see what was coming or not. Yikes!! There was also substantial road construction along the way. In the most treacherous places, it appeared that the road was being widened to four lanes. Some large equipment was in use but much of the work was manual labour by a large work force.
We passed by one enormous reservoir, created with a large dam at one end. This body of water would certainly provide water for communities and farmland alike.
As we got higher into the mountains, the landscape and the vegetation changed. The terrain was much more rugged, with rock clusters all over the land. In places, dense forests were growing, predominantly pine. We finally reached the top and began a gentler, prettier ride down the other side. In the distance, we could see Chefchaouen, primarily visible by its mosque’s minaret.
Because of some local regulations about taxi drivers, we had to change cars and drivers at the edge of town. We made a plan to meet in the same place tomorrow morning for the return trip. And we were off to find our accommodation.
Chefchaouen is a densely populated town built into the sides of several steep hills. Some rods are navigable by car. Many are narrow alleys with walkways or stairsteps to transport one to the next elevation. Fortunately, Jim had been able to find a lovely hotel which we could reach by car. The driver had some difficulty finding it but at last we were successful and managed to move into our room. Compact and definitely Moroccan, we were in a two room suite with a lovely balcony overlooking a babbling brook and much of the town.
Jim set off to explore the community while I settled in on the deck and watched life from a short distance. This community has a deep history of Judaism. At one time, pushed out of other villages, a large Jewish community established itself here and to make itself unique, all the buildings were painted blue. Hundreds of years have passed but most of the buildings are still blue. It is quite a glorious sight.
Now, I am not sure if there is even one synagogue in Chefchaouen but there are many, many mosques. Five times a day, voices sing out from the minarets inviting the faithful to pray. The sound echoes off the buildings and the mountainside and has almost a harmonious tone to it.
After a light lunch, a short nap and another walk through town, we both settled into our room. I read a new book and Jim continued to work on refining our trip. The proprietor of our hotel offered to make us an authentic Moroccan meal to be served in our room. We jumped at the chance.
In due course, Moroccan soup, a fresh salad, tagine (both chicken and beef) and a basket of fresh Moroccan bread was placed on our table. Small dishes of olives accompanied the food. The chicken was garnished with pickled lemon peel and warm olives and the beef was topped with warm prunes. Homemade in the kitchen upstairs, we were thoroughly impressed with the flavour and the presentation. Traditional mint tea followed with a selection of Moroccan cookies. The tea was great but we were too full to even taste the cookies. We will take them with us tomorrow.
This day is now finished but tomorrow will bring some new experiences. Until then …. Good night.
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
What a great day this has been!!! Our morning started with the pleasure of opening our curtains to the full moon, bright white against blue sky. Spectacular!!
Breakfast was delivered to our room and we enjoyed every part of it. Four different kinds of Moroccan bread with five varieties of spread to choose from. Eggs scrambled to perfection. Fresh made lemon juice (no sugar) sure woke us up and we sipped the mint tea that we have come to love. We each need to add a cube of sugar to balance the fresh mint.
As we finished our breakfast, the driver we had arranged arrived at the door. We had asked him to take us (especially me) on a drive through the village of Chefchaouen along streets that were quite narrow. We had been assured he would have a small vehicle to make this work. Somehow, with language differences there was a communication breakdown. He had a regular vehicle and directly took us out of the village and deep into agricultural land.
We climbed higher and higher in the mountains on narrow winding roads. We saw firsthand how farming families lived and tended their animals. Herds of sheep and goats munched at the edges of the roads and small flocks of chickens ran wherever they pleased. We are not sure how he managed to avoid hitting one. Women at the wells; men herding donkeys; donkeys and men ploughing the fields; children on their way to school. At this point we were high above the village and the driver stopped to point out some landmarks and give us a chance to take photos. It was quite a remarkable trip.
We headed down the mountain slope on very rural roads and travelled through parks and camping grounds. We did pass along some of the streets in Chefchaouen although they were still very quiet. A few people were out and about but the shops had not yet opened, except for the tea shops where only men can gather.
We finally had to ask our driver to take us back to the hotel as another driver was now there waiting to take us from Chefchaouen to Tetouan where we would meet Mustapha who would drive us to Asila on the Atlantic Coast. Confusing? You bet!! Our initial driver thought we wanted him to take us to Tetouan and headed back out of town. We protested in broken French and finally he phoned someone who spoke English so we could explain what we wanted. Only then did we head back to our hotel where the second driver was waiting. We were 30 minutes late. Oops!!
The road from Chefchaouen to Tetouan is the same route that we took to get here. But we were on the opposite side of the road so there were new things to see and to photograph. The day was brilliant and the sun was shining at the right angle to catch good light. The only problem was that the driver was a speed demon. Yikes. I hope that some of the photos turn out. I have not looked at them yet. Nonetheless, it was a great drive and once again we enjoyed green landscape that has surprised us so much in Morocco.
We finally rendezvoused with Mustapha who speaks excellent English (and four other languages) and we had a very pleasant drive along new roads for us all the way to Asila. The landscape was much gentler here, low rolling hills, fewer rocks, dense forests and croplands ready to be planted. There were donkeys everywhere today and Mustapha explained that Tuesday is market day in this area. The donkeys where a metal frame filled with goods to take to market to sell and then transport purchases back to the homesteads. Men or women walk and lead the donkeys. They are donkeys and occasionally would prefer to do something different. We witnessed a few struggles between beasts and masters. Comical from our perspective but I am sure not from theirs.
On our way to Asila, we were stopped by one of the many police checks along the highway. Mustapha pulled over to the shoulder of the road and turned off the car. We had no idea what to expect. He got out of the car and produced documents from his wallet that seemed to satisfy the officer. Jim and I remained in the car. The officer came over to the open window and said, “Bonjour.” We responded with “Bonjour” and I added “comment ca va?” He replied that he was well and he asked where we were from. We both said “Canadien” and then he smiled and began to speak English. “Canada?”. “Yes.” And he smiled and walked away.
Mustapha got back into the car, started the engine and we were on our way again. I asked why we had been stopped and he told us it was random and they were looking for people without proper paperwork. I asked him if it made him nervous. He said, “Yes. At times.” I asked him why and he said it was because sometimes there are bad police. They ask so many questions and hold you up for a long time. I asked if they ever expected him to give them money and Mustapha said, “No.” And we drove on.
Finally we reached Asila, a fast growing city where one needs money to live. Fancy apartments dotted the landscape. And the Atlantic Ocean coast was just a stone’s throw away. We were staying in a quaint hotel right in the middle of the city. Mustapha pulled up to the curb and we were greeted by Chico who we assumed was the manager of the hotel. He arranged for a young man to carry our luggage to the hotel and he accompanied us along the narrow cobblestone passageway that led to the entrance. We had to pass through the original Portuguese walls to get there. Very historic.
It was then that we realized that Chico was not part of the hotel staff but a very adept entrepreneur who had identified us as people who could use a guide, a buffer, an organizer etc. He was absolutely correct in his assessment and very soon after checking in, we were following him to a restaurant not far away that had been recommended for lunch. He waited around the restaurant at a discrete distance until we were finished our meal.
By then we had decided that we would like to take a caleche ride in one of the caleches across the street. Chico went over and negotiated a price, far too high for our liking. On his second effort, he managed to get the price lowered to something very reasonable (we felt) and included and extra long route. We knew we were still paying far too much but a Moroccan dirham is only worth 15 cents and when you are spending dollars, everything truly is inexpensive. The extra long ride was priced at 70 dirham, of which we are sure Chico got a share. Nonetheless, we enjoyed the extra long ride and eventually returned to our starting point.
There was Chico with a plan for the rest of the afternoon. We would first go through the medina (the narrow cobbled streets inside the walls of the old city). He would show us the castle, the mosque, the homes and apartments, the murals and tell us some of the history. He was actually very well informed and quite entertaining. It was a pleasant way to spend the next couple of hours. We saw a lot, learned a lot and had some fun.
Then we went to the souk (the market) and were surrounded by merchandise we did not want. We did not spend very much time there as we truly do not want to buy more things to add to our collection of things at home. I believe Chico was disappointed. I am sure he gets a kickback if we purchase anything. However, he was very good about taking us back to our hotel and making arrangements to meet us again in the morning to transport our luggage back to Mustapha’s car at 10 am. Frankly, we were grateful to have that plan in place. Chico is a personable fellow who has carved out a job for himself within the tourist arena. Bravo to him!!
We spent the later part of the afternoon in our room. I worked on our photobook and finally finished the Spain/Portugal/ Gibraltar book. I wrote some of the Moroccan blog and set up a new photobook for Morocco. Jim did some arranging of hotels for the next leg of our journey and had a nap.
Soon it was time to think about dinner. We had eaten well at lunch so we did not want another full meal. Just outside the city gate we found a small café that offered burgers, schwarma and fish. Very reasonable prices, close to the hotel, on an active street with lots of people to watch. Perfect!! But for one thing … the food was disgusting!!! We lingered for a while, nibbled a bit (the fries were good) and then paid the bill and went directly to fruit cart for some oranges and then to the bakery across the street for a couple of sweet things. I sure wish we had explored that option before we chose the restaurant.
Back in our room, we settled in for the night, enjoyed the sweets and a lovely cup of tea. All in all a great way to end a great day.
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Our morning began with a lovely breakfast served on a table right outside our bedroom door. As we were the only people staying in this small, quaint hotel, we were certainly provided with stellar service. Sadly, we could only stay for one night so after enjoying fresh bread, fresh fruit and juice and various condiments, we had to pack up again and prepare to leave. Right on cue, there was Chico who we had asked to help us with our bags. Mustapha was picking us up at the city gate which was a bit of a walk from our hotel. It was fun being inside the walls and this charming hotel made the short walk worthwhile.
We settled into the car and enjoyed the ride from Asilah back to Tangier. When we arrived at the train station, Mustapha went inside and arranged for a porter to handle our bags. We were travelling first class after all. We settled our account with Mustapha and thanked him deeply for all the driving he had done and information he had shared. We were blessed with a wonderful driver (thank you, Jeff).
A short wait in the station lounge and soon we were boarding the train. We had very comfortable seats facing one another with all our luggage on the floor in between. It did mean that we could not talk very easily without disturbing the other passengers. I read a book for most of the trip.
We were on a fast train so we were travelling about 200 kilometres per hour. It was difficult to take photos at that speed. Sadly, we would have liked to add to our collection because that landscape along this route was quite different from any that we have seen so far. The land was flatter and sandier in some places. But it was still very fertile ground and used intensively for crops. We saw fewer animals and more crops including grapes, olives, canola, and various vegetables. What we also saw was what I am now calling ‘tent farming’, vast areas that were covered in white cloth.
It was about a two hour ride to Casablanca. Yes … the real Casablanca!! What a great place to be. We negotiated a taxi fare to our hotel (now that we are on our own, everything has to be negotiated in advance. Jim can drive a hard bargain.) We seemed to drive quite a distance along very busy city streets. Traffic patterns were familiar now since our experience in Tangier and we are both much more relaxed in the car and able to take in some of the sights along the way.
We were delighted when we arrived at the hotel as it is one of the most modern places we have stayed. Our room is on the 7th floor overlooking a view toward the Atlantic. Some of the major sights of the city can be seen from our balcony, in particular the Hassan II Mosque.
We settled in and I had a short but much needed nap. We had decided in advance that our time in Casablanca was our relaxation break – no heavy schedules, no alarms. We are now halfway through this adventure and a couple of days off with fortify us for the 16 day tour that lies ahead. We even ate dinner in the hotel restaurant and enjoyed every morsel of the food. We each had an appetizer (salmon carpaccio for me and a delicious soup for Jim). Then, we each ordered another appetizer called a pastille which looked a lot like a meat pie. Jim’s was a chicken, almond and honey combination and mine was seafood with lemon and parsley. They were served warm and both delicious but Jim’s pastilla could have won any cooking competition in the world!! Given a choice, we would both have that one again.
We spent the rest of the evening in our room, catching up on some television. Of course, the corona virus dominated the screen. I worked on our photo book and this blog while Jim looked at some of the things we need to do while in Casablanca. Laundry is at the top of the list. The quiet of the evening was very pleasant.
Thursday, March 12, 2020
Well, so much for no alarm clocks. I have not been feeling great for a while and a doctor I saw in Tangier suggested getting a chest xray if I did not improve by the time we arrived in Casablanca. While I have improved, I am not yet better and with all the chatter about Corona, we want to be sure that I do not have it. So, we had to be at a radiology clinic at 9 am this morning.
I was very impressed with the service we received. We arrived a few minutes after 9 am and before 10 am, we were leaving the clinic with the xray in hand and a typed report from the respirologist to go with it. We arrived back at the hotel in time to drop into the breakfast room for another cup of coffee.
The next task was to find a doctor who would look at the xray and tell me what I need to do next to get well. With the help of the hotel staff, we located a nearby clinic that takes walk-in patients. We hopped into a taxi and arrived there just before noon. They set an appointment for 2 pm and provided some suggestions about where we could go for lunch.
A short walk down the street brought us to four different options. The first two looked too much like fast food and the third option was a full blown Italian restaurant which did not appeal to either of us. So, we opted for the fourth option, a modest looking Moroccan restaurant where we felt we could get a simple meal.
As we entered, we knew we were in for an adventure. There are many cafes and restaurants in Morocco that are really targeted at a male clientel. Usually they have small tables and chairs lining the sidewalk outside as well as inside seating. The sidewalk in front of this place was too narrow for that so we had no clues prior to entering the door. I went in first and all heads in the small restaurant turned and looked at me. I was the only woman!! I asked the man behind the bar,”Etes vous ouvert?” “Oui, bienvenue.” And so we were in.
Seated at a table for four, we took in our surroundings. Frayed tablecloths covered with clear vinyl, hard wooden chairs, no menus and three televisions all tuned into horse races. At one end of the narrow room was a cluster of men with eyes glued to the screen and at the other end was the betting counter. Oh boy!
We asked for a menu and the proprietor replied, “Moi, je suis le menu!” We all laughed and asked what he was offering. “Le plat du jour.” That was it … chicken tajine – take it or leave it!!
The fries that came with the tajine were excellent. The tajine was pretty good as well. The butcher paper that served as a placemat left something to be desired.
Throughout our whole meal, not another woman stepped foot into the place. But we got to watch a lot of horse races and see whether anyone in the restaurant won any money. There was no loud cheering so I am guessing that they did not. Chalk it all up to another Robinson experience. Another story to share and laugh about.
Back at the medical clinic, after some confusion and some delay, I did get to see a doctor who declared my lungs to be clear and that I was good to go on the rest of our journey. He gave me lots of medications to help me make it through the next three weeks, just in case. The pharmacist helped sort out what needed to be taken when. I was just relieved to hear that I did not have pneumonia and that no one seemed concerned about Corona on my behalf either. Whew!!
Back at the hotel, we relaxed some and I continued to work with our photos. We do take many more than we can ever use in a photo book or a slide presentation. And the blog is almost complete as well.
Dinner tonight consisted of tapas at a small restaurant across from the hotel. A two man group provided some musical entertainment. All very casual and relaxed. And now it is time to declare the day complete.
Our Aussie friends arrive tomorrow and a whole new chapter will begin!
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