Rabat- the city of beauty.

I arrived in Rabat and found that the bus station was way out of town but luckily some local moroccans told me that I could catch a local bus into the centre. I arrived safely and found a hotel to stay in. Rabat has a nice feel about it and straight away I could tell the locals were friendly.

I phoned Bilal a friend I had met in Marrakech and later that night he took me around Rabat. The top end of Rabat has very wide avenues with beautiful trees and a beautiful fountain. In some ways it reminded me of France. We had coffee in a cafe that was really nice. Later on still we sat in an avenue and we talked more.

The next day Billal took me through the Madina which was great as the Moroccans here dont try to sell you things then after this he took me for a walk beside the river and to the Oudaya which is an old fortress and it has beautiful gardens.

Then he took me to the Rabat beaches where at first we sat up near the walls and drank coke as it has magnificent views of the city of Sale and also of the coast as well. It was so good as we talked alot aboit life in Morocco and also the different customs. He is such a great guy. Later on we stolled along the pathway beside the beach where we passed cafes and a carnival as well.

We then went to a cafe where Bilal bought me lunch and I had tagine vegetables. His friend Saad arrived and he also is a really great guy and we went for a walk. We met up with Bilals mother Mina who is just lovely. She took us to the big mosque but because the king was arriving they got everyone out of the area. We also went to see some Romaan ruins but unfortunately that was closing as well. Later on we went to a beach and strolled aong a path in the fresh night air.

Afterwards we went to a restaurant where we ate brochette, which is a big plate made up of different meats. It was delicious and it was great to eat Moroccan food yet again. Afterwards we went for a walk in the area. I am so lucky to have met Bilal and Mina and Saad. I loved the way Mina drives her car and both of the guys would give her directions and she would ignore them both. It was so so funny and it made me laugh so much. Saads voice is funny and sounds so good. This family is very special and have been a great part of my journey.

I have really loved Rabat and that is because of Bilal, Mina and Saad as they were all fantastic towards me. Rabat is a very beautiful city and next time I come back to Morocco I will visit Rabat for sure. Parts of it have a french feel to it. The locals are just lovely and friendly as well.
Later that night Bilal told me that they would take me to Meknes the following day.

Casablanca

Okay so I arrived safely in Casablanca. The first thing I expected to hear was the famous line from the movie Casablanca, Play it again Sam, but unfortunately I didnt. I found a hotel near the bus station and I quickly went out to explore the city. The staff in the hotel are so friendly and I have enjoyed very much chatting with the older Moroccan guys who run the hotel.

Casablanca is a really busy city with lots of hustle and bustle. I like the vibe of the city as it seems to be very trendy and very unlike the more traditional Moroccan towns I have visited so far. My stomach has been a bit dodgy with the Moroccan food so it has been good for me to have some western food for a change. I have enjoyed eating the moroccan soup very much. I love all the cafes and restaurants that line the wide boulavards and streets.

Casablanca also has nice parks and gardens and its great to have a place to retreat to when the fast pace of the city starts to get to you. The Moroccan people here dont harrass you like in Marrakech and I like this. They usually leave you alone. This is something I really like about this city.

Many of my fellow travellers have told me not to visit Casablanca as they said it is too industrial but in a way I am so glad I didnt listen to them as I like this city very much. The people seem to be much gentler here than in the other cities. Maybe its my imagination but Casablanca sends out a positive signal to me.

I visited the gigantic mosque which is amazing and I met some very friendly italian people there who are on a ten day tour of Morocco. I walked to the mosque without eating or drinking so by the time I got there I was hallucinating so maybe the mosque appeared bigger than it really was. I think that I was in such a state that I imagined I was back teaching at school.......hahaha what a nightmare - kidding folks.

The parks and gardens in Casablanca are really nice and not what I expected at all. Everyone told me that Casablanca is very industrial as I said before but I think it also has a beautiful side to it as well. Also it is so much cooler then Marrakech and its good to have some cooler weather for a change.

I met a really great American guy who told me all about the dangers of Morocco. He was very sincere as he is Moroccan born and he told me that a few weeks ago he was held up at knifepoint. Hard to believe but he said it was true. His Moroccan mate was driving this van and it was pretty colorful so I took this photo. Many people tend to tell you the negatives about Morocco but so far it has seemed pretty safe.

I came across many mosques and this one I really liked as it was surrounded by beautiful gardens. Here in Casablanca its possible to sit in the gardens without getting hassled at all. I like the way you can walk down the street without being harassed.

The Moroccan people have been really nice in Casablanca and thats why I decided to stay longer/ Last night I met another guy in the hotel names Amine; must be a common name and he showed me around a bit. It was great as we could hear the song......I live in a place down under...... Its also good as now I have met a few really honest and helpful Moroccan people.

Some of the Moroccans just see tourists as an easy way to make money.... and while I understand why they do this... I hate it. Some of them become quite aggressive when you wont buy from them and they will pretend to be your friend with a hidden agenda which in the end is to get your money.

If it sounds like I am being harsh then so be it... but when you get ripped off because they think you are a stupid tourist then it does hurt and you do become aa bit sick of it. Of course there are many exeptions to the rule as I have met Amine in Casablanca and Amine in Marrakesh and Hicham and Bilal who are all honest and lovely people. I also really like the guys who work in the hotel here in Casablanca as they are such great old guys and lots of fun.

Safi

The Moroccan mint tea has been so great and I love sitting in the local cafes drinking the tea. It seems to be men only and you never see women alone drinking tea. I met Leah an aussie girl who told me that travelling by herself is really a hard thing to do in Morocco as the Moroccans cant understand why a western woman would do this.


This is a photograph I snapped on the way to Safi. The bus full of locals stopped and I snapped away. Its important not to take photos of the muslim women and I have a good zoom on my camera so its advantageous.

Okay here we go on the Moroccan keyboard again. I went back to Marrakech again and on the way back I sat next to this lovely french girl and we chatted all the way back. Later on we went out for dinner and we had a nice moroccan meal. Fabiana paid for me which was really nice of her. Then we walked around the square listening to music together. Marrakech put on its usual heat and energy and it was amazing to watch the snake charmers and also the local musicians.

I slept on the terrace as it is a lot cheaper and cooler to sleep under the stars. It costs about 4 aussie dollars a night, which is very cheap. In the morning I made my way to the bus station not knowing where I would travel too. How is that for spontaneous travel. Anyhow I decided on Safi as it is on the coast. The bus ride there was great and it was great to fuinally travel with all local people. I took many photographs along the way and I am hoping they turn out well.

I boked into a dodgy looking hotel and Im hoping all my belongings are safe. The hotel manager was friendly but the room isnt the best. Its cold showers for me for the next few days and its on a noisy street. Okay I am heading out now to see the sights so I will add more soon. A bientot my friends.

Essaouira

I travelled from Marrakech to Essaouira on the coast. It was about a four hour bus ride. I said goodbye to my Belgium friends and this local guy took me to a hotel.

Essaouira is a really beautiful city with many friendly people. The weather here is so much cooler as it is on the coast and the people seem to be very friendly. I booked into a really good hotel and I have a big double bed to myself.

I walked through the Medina and I had soup in a little Moroccan cafe with only locals. Very tasty and I like the way people smile at you all the time. I then went back to my hotel where I slept for twelve hours straight. For those of you back home, yes I still love sleeping.

The following morning I had breakfast in another small moroccan cafe and I enjoy very much eating with the locals. Its also so much nicer not to have tourists everywhere. I looked through the madina. I like this city very much as there isnt the same hard sell as in Marrakech. I also walked along the beach, which is very nice as well.

Paris to Morocco- Marrakech

This is my moroccan mate Amine from Casablanca who I first met when I arrived in Marrakech. He is a university student and is a really good person.

I always ate at a local cafe in Marrakech and I tried to get away from all the tourists. The guy in the middle is the chef and the older guy on the right was the waiter who could speak some english. He would always say welcome my friend how are you today.






Okay back to the beginning. My last two days in Paris were fantastic as William let me stay in his apartment again and I had these beautiful views of the eiffel tower. I always love France and I think apart from Melbourne and Buenos Aires, Paris is my favourite city. I have even started buying the local cheeses as I love these and even at Mehdis apartment he bought lots of cheese for me.




On the flight over to Morocco I sat next to a really lovely french family who were so friendly.
I found a cheap hotel in Marrakech and the first thing I noticed was the extreme heat. It is so so hot. It was 44c one day and it was just amazing. For some reason I have enjoyed the heat and the crowds.



I have found the people here to be really friendly and they are interested in finding out about me. Many people try to do tthis for money which is annoying but you also do get the genuine people. Already I have had a few offers of accomodation.



In the hotel I am staying in there has been a large group of french students and I have enjoyed talking to them. This guy Adrien does some excellent sketching and another student Benjamin is very musical. This guy Romain, is a really friendly guy who smiles all the time and he is interested in coming to Australia. So I hope my family is ready for another visitor in the coming years as he is such a good person. I like talking to him as he practises his english and he teaches me some french. The students are all really polite and its been great to meet them. I have been sleeping on the hotel roof or balcony as it is cheaper and the rooms get so so hot.




The ladies in the hotel always practise their english on me and I try out my french but even the french students dont understand my french so I am doing something wrong. A Moroccan guy named Bilal helped me to buy some more french music and his mother also offered me accomodation. Bilal is such a great guy. I also met Amine and Hasham who are locals and also university students.




I have enjoyed visiting the Souk and seeing the snake charmers and the Morokkan dancing. I love the orange juices they make in the big square and I have visited many little cafes outside of the tourist area where I have eaten with the moroccan people. The Moroccan food is beautiful and I love the tanger poullet and vegetable.



Marrakech is too touristic for me but it has a charm to it and I am chilling out a bit in the heat of the day. I have visited the gardens a few times and I love walking around the old town and through all the little lane ways. The drivers are maniacs and I have already nearly been knocked down sixteen times.

My last few days in Marrakech were fantastic and I met many great moroccan people as well as other travellers in the hotel I was staying in. My last night there a group of us went out for dinner and we walked around the square together listening to music.