Casablanca - not for the inexperienced!

Casablanca was colonized and named Casa Branca by the Portuguese in the 16th century in an attempt to keep the local pirates under control. Five centuries later this city has grown into Morocco's largest and most international city with a population of anything between 3 and 6 million or more, depending on who you listen to. Despite its claim as Morocco's financial and cultural centre, it still seems to have rather a rough edge to it.

The centre of the city still shows signs of Spanish and French influence and occupation - it was a French protectorate during the first half of the last century. Though there is the odd interesting building here and there, the overall impression as a tourist is of a city that looks dirty and run down.

This general air of faded glory wasn't helped by the fact that many of the streets were in the process of being dug up and repaired/relaid, which made walking or taking one of Casa's many "petit" taxis anywhere a bit of a nightmare. Neither was it helped by finding a cockroach in our room at a hotel that was described as "art deco meets 70s retro"! OK, so we maybe should have expected the cockroach, the manager certainly wasn't surprised when I presented him with it!

I also managed to bungle our escape route... didn't check the time on our tickets southwards, so we ended up missing the bus. However, plan B is now in operation.

Enough negativity! Casablanca does have a lot going for it, and a very definite western feel compared to Marrakech. This is particularly obvious in the financial/business quarter where all the designer shops are. Many of the young Moroccan women were wearing western style clothes, and there are quite obviously people with money around. And though one reads of Casablanca's shanty-towns, there are few beggars on the streets....no more than you might meet on a good day in Oslo!

Highlights of Casa have to include the fabulous Hassan II mosque, third biggest in the world and one of only two in Morocco that non-Muslims are allowed to go inside. It is an enormous building with a 200m tower, built right on the sea between 1987-93. It combines modern building methods with traditional forms of artistic decoration, and includes among other things a sliding mechanism that opens the roof! It can hold 25,000 worshippers inside and 80,000 outside.

It really is spectacular, particularly when compared with the Cathedrale du Sacre Coeur built by the French in the 1930s, and now an ugly disused hulk. We were offered a chance to go up the cathedral tower, but turned back as the heaps of bird-droppings increased and the steps became more rickety!

The Quartier Habous is a prettied-up, modern version of a medieval medina or walled town with little shops, workshops and markets. It has a more relaxed feeling than the traditional ones, and there is less pressure to buy. Kevin managed to barter a good price on a nice pair of Moroccan slippers.

Another highlight was an evening spent at Rick's Cafe reliving the film "Casablanca". The bar, restaurant and lounge area look a bit more upmarket than on the film set, but the atmosphere was all there, and they do a cracking G&T. After drinks at the bar and a good meal, we went upstairs to watch the film that runs continually....a real classic! Dad, you would have loved this place - Here's looking at you kid!

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A thousand and one nights

We've spent the last couple of days on the outskirts of Marrakech relaxing after our exertions at a hotel, the like of which we have never before experienced. You drive out of Marrakech to an area known as the Palmeraie, mostly desert scrubland planted with palmtrees and now an area with smart villas hidden behind high walls.

Les Deux Tours was built in the early nineties by Tunisian architect Charles Boccara in the style of a traditional Moroccan villa. The buildings with several rooms or suites all have their own little courtyards with a plunge-pool, and are arranged around the most beautiful gardens.


All kinds of trees and shrubs grow there; citrus fruit, fig and olive trees, date palms, rubber plants, bamboo, enormous flowering oleander, Hawaiian rose bushes and bougainvillea to name but a few. Here and there are elegant ponds planted with umbrella plants, bullrushes and waterlilies beside which you can while away the time watching the fish, small turtles and listening to the frogs. Wandering through the gardens you may happen on a canopied bed or hammock where you can rest in the shade, or small tables and chairs where you can picnic in the kitchen garden.
Our room is large and elegant, with tiled floor, high ceilings, tall shuttered windows, and on arrival there were petals decorating the bedspread. There are all kinds of small nooks and crannies in the main buildings to sit and read in or maybe play a game of chess, in addition to a bar and restaurant with terraces overlooking the gardens.
The gardens and terraces are alive with the sound of bird-song during the day, and if you leave your food unattended, it may disappear off your plate! At night they become a magical place, lit by hundreds of lanterns and brought alive by the sounds of croaking frogs and sawing cicadas.

We while away our time by the pool, reading, a trip into the heat of Marrakech, good food and wine and perhaps even a visit to the spa. The place has a huge staff all eager to make your stay as pleasant as possible, and a charming Sudanese musician who plays and sings each night in the bar...check out this video!

However, this sheltered existence and taste of luxury that we share with other foreigners and a few wealthy Moroccans actually leaves us feeling rather uncomfortable. This is compounded by the way the smarmy blonde colonial-type manager is all over some of the guests ($$). Having seen the conditions in which many people live and work here and the shacks just outside the walls of this beautiful palace, the contrast is a bit hard to swallow. We couldn't help but remember, with a certain amount of guilt, what our mountain guide Abdellah said: it is better to have wealth in your heart and mind than riches in this world! Ah well, it was only for a couple of days :)

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Toubkal

So the big day dawns for the ascent of Toubkal and we have to be up at 05.30. That isn't a problem as it happens, as sleeping in a dorm is no guarantee for a good night's sleep! Quite the opposite in fact; what with the lack of air, mobiles going off (alarms set wrongly!) and the noises, we don't get much sleep.

Hassan has breakfast ready for us and we are on our way by 06.30. The air is cool, but it is set to be a beautiful morning. There are other groups who are also starting early, and there is a general air of excitement and anticipation. The first challenge is crossing a fast flowing stream on a plank, then we start picking our way up the scree slope.



After a climb of about 500m we come to the first of the snow-fields. The snow is hard and icy and it is difficult getting enough grip while steadily climbing upwards. We are really grateful for the loan of Eva's poles that give us a little extra grip. There are 3 large snow-fields to cross at the moment.




Then we turn left and up another scree slope til it flattens out a bit and we eventually make it to the top 4167m!! A fantastic feeling of euphoria as we stand there looking at the views over the mountains, and not a little sense of achievement. Not least for Kevin who struggled with altitude sickness and vertigo most of the time we were in the Atlas mountains. We make it also thanks to our guide Abdellah who gives us constant support and encouragement.

Now we only have to get back down again! That actually goes better than expected though involves quite a bit of sliding on both scree and snow, which has now turned to slush.

Back at the refuge Hassan is waiting with a good lunch, and then we start the trek back to Imlil.

Our trip in the Atlas mountains (including our excellent guides) was arranged through Zbartravel: http://www.zbartravel.com

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Travels with a mule

The adventure starts when we arrive in Imlil, a small village in the High Atlas mountains (1700m). The temperature is in the mid 20s and a wonderful relief from the blazing heat of Marrakech, where it was over 40 degrees. Our guide Abdellah and our muleteer Hassan load up the mule with provisions and our bags, and we set off for our first overnight stop in a "gite" in the village of Aremd, a couple of hundred meters higher up. The stone cabins are basic but comfortable and we prepare for the trip.

Hassan comes from this area and he and his fully-loaded mule spring up and down the narrowest of tracks at a rate we haven't a hope of matching. When we make it to each stop on our trek, he's already preparing yet another excellent meal for us using often the most basic equipment. He is reserved at first, but always has a welcoming smile on his weather-beaten face and gradually responds to our rather pathetic attempts at Arabic. Both he and Abdellah are Berbers, or Amazigh (free people) as they call themselves, berber coming from the Roman term barbarian.

Abdellah is a young man from the desert, proficient in many languages, friendly, strong in faith and ready to share his views on Moroccan society, the landscape we are wandering through and the world in general. He guides us along the rugged and often difficult mountain paths giving words of advice and encouragement when needed, and laughing, singing and praising Allah for the wonderful day we are having.

Our first day's trek (6 hours walking) takes us gradually up to 3000m along increasingly stony and steep paths via a beautiful waterfall to a little mountain refuge. The Tazarhart refuge or mountain cabin is owned by Club Alpin Francais, but run by local people. Perched high up on a ledge overlooking a waterfall it is a spectacular place. Though very basic, we are comfortable enough with good food to eat and matresses in the loft. The only downside being lack of any real washing facilities to clean off the day's sweat.

The next day was the easiest of the trek with just four hours of walking. We make our way over a pass to the large Toubkal refuge in the valley at the foot of the highest mountain in N. Africa. However, it wasn't a completely pain-free day as we had to zig-zag our way up a gully on a path with 99 bends, yes I counted them!

The amazing thing is the variety of wild flowers in what at first sight looks like a barren landscape - bright flashes of colour that suddenly catch your eye.

The refuge has beds for 200 people in dorms and there was a real mixture of nationalities exchanging experiences. Most groups had their own guide and/or cook with them, though there were a few people doing it on their own. The best thing about it was the hot shower! Having cleaned off the sweat, we rested to acclimatize ourselves to the height and prepare for the big day...the ascent of Toubkal.

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Contrasting sides of Marrakech

Djemaa el-Fna, the "big square" in Marrakech comes alive at sundown. Hundreds of small restaurants and stalls selling fresh orange juice are set up in the square, grills are lit and the smell of barbequing meat pervades the area. The show begins then....snake charmers, storytellers, belly dancers, musicians and people selling all manner of weird and wonderful things. The best place to watch this fascinating spectacle is from the balcony of the Cafe Glacier.

This morning we packed our bags ready for our trip to the High Atlas, and spent the rest of the morning in the Jardin Majorelle, the gardens Yves St. Laurent bought and donated to Marrakech. His ashes are sprinkled there among the bamboos, cactuses, palms and bouganvilla. A beautiful zen-like place, but the souvenirs though very stylish cost a packet!

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A peaceful haven in Marrakech

Dar Soukaina is a wonderfully cool and peaceful haven hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the streets of Marrakech. We arrived to a wall of heat and pouring rain. After a scary taxi ride, we were guided down backstreets by a friendly young lad (who became less friendly when he saw the size of his tip!) to a small studded wooden door in the wall. Stepping into this riad (guesthouse) is like entering an oasis of calm; white walls and a beautiful tiled courtyard filled with orange trees, palms with bunches of bananas, piped music and tortoises ambling round a small pool.
We were welcomed with glasses of fresh orange juice and then shown to our room; elegantly minimalistic with white walls, dark wooden shutters, a woven silk bedspread and lamps straight out of the Arabian Nights. We even have a divan window-seat that looks down over the courtyard. The only real noise is from the birds singing in the trees and the muezzin calling to prayer at the local mosque.

We've spent some of the day wandering through the souks (covered markets), avoiding the pleas to just look, which is always an attempt to make you buy something. There must be thousands of small shops and workshops selling Alladin's slippers, shoes, bags, lanterns and lamps, scarfs and bedcovers, herbs and spices, jewellery, pottery and anything else you can think of. There are some beautiful things, and owing to a drop in tourism after the bombings a couple of months ago, they are even more desperate to sell.

We have also been to see the Ben Youssef Medersa, once the largest koranic learning centre in North Africa. Dating from the 14th century, you can see the rooms that housed the students and the beautifully decorated courtyard and rooms where they studied. After stopping off for a look in the museum we refeshed ourselves in the shade with mint tea, before moving on southwards through the souks to the Bahia Palace. It is opulently decorated with intricate tile and stucco-work, cool corridors and courtyards filled with pools, plants and mirrors. Only the harem's quarters and state rooms are open, but who wants to see the kitchens anyway? By then the heat was getting to us, so we took a horse and carriage back to our own little haven to recuperate before hitting Djemma el-Fna, where all the action takes place, this evening.

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Up, up and away!

Greetings from flight DY1698 to Marrakech! Here we are high up in the sky waiting for our lunch, and thanks to Norwegian airlines being the first to allow WiFi access, still able to communicate with the rest of the world. Just had to give it a go!
Only clouds visible as we fly south 10,000 feet above France. It was pouring at Gardermoen and a chilly 15 plus, so a delight to be heading south to a much warmer 33 degrees. A contrast to last summer's holiday when we flew north to Bodø and Lofoten at the end of June, a temperature drop from 23 to 8 degrees! Can't wait to feel that heat....
Already feels like we've entered another world....the plane is full of Moroccan families, chattering happily with each other in a delightful mixture of Norwegian and Arabic (I assume).

Hot news! Kevin's just read in Aftenposten that Norwegian are going to start flying from Oslo to Manchester from the end of October....finally Bjørn Kjos has seen the light. The North of England rocks!

Preparing for Toubkal

We need to get ourselves geared up for our 4 days of walking in Morocco. Whit Monday is a bank holiday here and the sun was shining, so we set off to climb Styggemann, a local peak that is just 871 m high, with friends Pete and Eva. The name (ugly man) apparently derives from a legend about a troll who lived in the mountain.

After a few false starts and discussions as to which was the right way, we set off via Hoenseter. The views from the top on a good day are panoramic, extending across Oslofjord in one direction and over to Gaustafjell and beyond in the other.

The walk back down Sigvartstigen proved to be fast though at times precarious, involving hanging on to ropes here and there!

However, we made it to the bottom without too much damage.... a good day that ended with Pete's risotto and a bottle of wine!

Travel plans and mountain tops

Three years on and unfortunately no new plans for a long trip. However, short trips can be fun and just as challenging, and seeing as everyone else seems to be blogging these days we thought we'd revive and re-energize our blog, so here goes........

This year's plan is a trip to Morocco (hence the new blog décor), which will include a 4-day walking trip in the High Atlas mountains together with a guide and his mule! The highest peak is Jebel Toubkal (4167 m) which is our goal on day 3 providing we don't get too bogged down with altitude sickness!

Why the fascination with mountains you may ask? Haven't we got enough outside our own front door? Is it the sense of achievement of making it to the top and taking in the view that makes all that hard struggle worth while? Or just a need to prove to yourself that you can do it even though your body is screaming "no, not again"! Who knows...

Whatever, last year was definitely a year for mountains.

We spent several days in June walking along the steep coastal paths in Cinque Terre in Italy, which proved more exciting than we had bargained for when one of the friends we were with

slipped and started hurtling off down the mountainside. Luckily, she stopped after a few meters and managed to scramble her way back up again.

In addition to several day trips close to home where we climbed Bletoppen, Gaustatoppen and Knutetoppen, we also spent some

days with friends in the Lofoten islands in Northern Norway. There we climbed Skottind, only about 700 m high, but the steepest climb we've done - straight up from the sea. The view from the top with the islands spread out below us was spectacular.

The final challenge for Fiona was Besseggen in September, a narrow humped-back ridge in the Jotunheimen mountains of central Norway, where coming down was much worse than clambering up! However, having picked the best day in an otherwise dreadful summer by chance, it was a memorable trip.