Day 1:- Arrival in Morocco
Leaving our room in Lisbon, we had intended to walk a kilometre or so to a cab rank. As so often happens though, just as we exited the front door a taxi appeared on our tiny street. Simultaneously we both hailed, the driver stopped and we were on our way to the airport. Surprisingly it was a Formula 1 type trip but we were fine with that. It all seemed too easy. Little did we realise at that time that our quick 1.5 hr flight from Lisbon to Morocco was going to take virtually all day. It would be too much to put it in writing here, but suffice to say it was a long drawn out process, including the significant delay caused by the young couple at the security check. (Maybe we can share that in conversation upon our return.)
Upon our eventual touchdown in Morocco, we were greeted at the airport by an Intrepid staff member and car waiting for us. Their patience truly was a virtue, given that first of all the plane was delayed an hour and secondly the male of our group of two made an assumption of the carousel our luggage would be dispatched from, without realising there are four more carousels 200 metres away and out of sight of the three we were watching. Another hour lost.
Our hotel is nice. Our apartment room is spacious and comfortable. Attached is a small kitchenette with completely empty cupboards and similarly nothing in the fridge. There is a jug with satchets of tea/coffee. We have been advised not to drink tap water. Mixed messages regarding drinking boiled water but I guess it's ok. A bit weird though to have a kitchen sink and be told the water is not potable. For our first night we enjoyed a lovely dinner and wine in the hotel restaurant. However after doing the conversions we realised it was not cheap.
Day 2:- Settling in
Breakfast is included with our room. Bonus! It is buffet style and very substantial, demonstrating the difference of cuisine compared to Europe. We walked in our local area, trying three different ATMs before one would finally spit out some local money for us. Our initial observations were interesting. The streets are chaotic with traffic. There are stray cats everywhere and they get fed. They do not appear to be in the same good health as the cats in Spain though.
Peter and Donna arrived in the afternoon. We had left them a note at reception, which unfortunately they never received. So we missed the opportunity to join them for dinner this evening. No problem. After last night's exorbitant bill, we were fine to skip a meal tonight and enjoy an extra large breakfast tomorrow. Donna had sent a message before departing for dinner, so whilst they had no wifi while out and about and hence could not be contacted, at least we knew they had arrived safely. Their meal had taken them 5 or 6km away. Then about 2100 they came by to say hi. It was truly nice to see them, after so many months. We boiled the unpotable water and drank coffee/tea with them.
Day 3:- The start day
Breakfast with Donna and Peter. Met Peter and Sue, two others on our tour. So it was breakfast for six. Following which we took a walk to the Medina to see the markets. On the way Peter insisted on stopping in at a neat-as-a-pin authentic Moroccan cafe for a sampling of the traditional Moroccan drink - mint tea (Peter's shout). It was served in a silver teapot and the entertainment for us was watching the waiter pour it from the pot, from a considerable height although I'm not sure exactly why (as per the video). My attempt was probably not quite up to his standard. It was a surprisingly refreshing drink. Walking on we finally arrived at the Medina (markets). We walked through without really stopping, just taking it all in. Although from time to time Peter would approach a local person for directions to the restaurant La Sqala, where he and Donna, along with Sue and Peter had dined last night. After much wandering, we did finally arrive in time to enjoy a light lunch. It is an impressive restaurant but we took note of the fact that there were women there dressed in rather skimpy outfits and seriously looking totally unsuitably dressed for the Moroccan culture. We seem to be getting mixed messages.
Our return to the hotel was interesting and highly entertaining, with Peter jumping several notches in my esteem. The way he handled negotiations of a taxi was nothing short of brilliant. He managed to reduce the price of the taxi fare from 300 to 80 (dirham - Moroccan currency). What do they say about 'still waters'? And in this case, the proverb is also a pun! (Still waters - Peter Waters. Ok, so maybe I'm the only one to appreciate it.)
At 6pm was the official beginning of our Intrepid tour. Our guide (Said) organised our meeting and we started with introductions of all participants in our 18 day journey. The group is nice. As well as the four of us and Sue and Peter II, there is another Australian couple Richard and Janelle. And a Canadian family Sabina, Johanas, Andrea and C….. Then a list of pointers to ensure smooth running of our experiences in Morocco, before heading off to another authentic restaurant for dinner. Bus in the morning at 0830 and then to the Blue Mosque and inland. This is the challenging aspect, we now have strict deadlines to maintain. A bit nerve racking after all the freedom and flexibility of our previous travel. To bed so as to arise early.
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