6. September 2017

Morocco: Marrakesch

Marrakech – The cradle of mankind Marrakech is also called the “red city” or the “Pearl of the South”. During recent excavations 300,000 years old bones (including stone tools) were found about 100 km west of Marrakech. These represent a kind of “prototype” to the human race. The bones are about 100,000 years older than all fossils of the Homo Sapiens so far discovered. The discovery is still young, but it´s said to turn the textbooks of anthropology upside down. This could be “The cradle of mankind” and maybe an important (previously missing) link to the origins of human life – so, maybe we are all a little bit Moroccan. The […]
5. September 2017

Morocco: Roadtrip to the Sahara – Merzouga

A guided trip – better than expected! To get from Fez to Marrakech, we did some research: Going by train or bus along the coast to the south was too time-consuming and renting a car and driving was too expensive. So, we decided to book a guided tour to Marrakech. It lasted three days and included the pick-up at our accommodation in Fez, the ride to Merzouga, an overnight stay  in Merzouga (including dinner and breakfast), a camel ride to the Sahara, the overnight stay in the same (including dinner and breakfast, of course) as well as the trip to Marrakech – where we were brought to our hotel. All this […]
4. September 2017

Morocco: Meknes – Fes

Meknes Once again we took the bus to get to our destination. Then we took a a taxi to the medina in Meknes. In the old town, we found our hotel by chance: As we were talking on the street, we said name of the hotel coincidentally out loud and at the exact moment the owner passed by us. Otherwise, the search would have taken a long time. The old town in Meknes is very nested and there are hardly any signs for orientation. In general, the city of 600.000 people offers little sightseeing. On the roof of the hotel, next to the great mosque of Meknes We spent most of […]
4. September 2017

Morocco: Chefchaouen

Taxis in Morocco We reached Chefchaouen in the late evening and got on a taxi right away. If you take a cab in Morocco, you should always ask whether a taxi meter is on board or negotiate the price before (!) you get in. Otherwise, the trip can get overpriced. There is one thing to say about the hotels in Morocco: they are cheap, especially if you can go without much luxury. In the old town you usually live in a so called Riad. The rooms often have no windows. If they do, they only face the courtyard. In order to provide fresh air, an air conditioning system is usually installed. […]
3. September 2017

Morocco: Casablanca

First steps in Casablanca We took a bus from Essaouira to Casablanca, got out at the bus station and took a cab to the city center. The first contact with a local was a passerby, who kindly reminded me to put my mobile phone away: I was in Casablanca, after all. A strange start into this world-famous city. Still, I can say I felt as safe as anywhere else and the passerby seems to have only meant well. Die Hassan-II. mosque A wonderful host When we arrived in the medina, we were surprised, as the urban image was very different to Essaouira. The streets were dirty, crowds pushed through the narrow […]
3. September 2017

Morocco: Essaouira

Arriving in Essaouira Essaouira is a harbor town with about 85,000 inhabitants. The old town (medina) is part of the UNESCO World Heritage and to me, one of the places most worth visiting in Morocco – but let´s talk about our arrival first: We arrived in Essaouira by bus and got off at the station. I asked a local about the way to the medina, where we had a hotel reservation. I got a simple answer: “Just follow the sun!” No sooner said than done! We started walking and got tremendously lost in the city. After walking past the same salesman a few times, he stopped me and asked if we […]
3. September 2017

Morocco: Taghazout – Paradise Valley

Moroccos Surf During our stay in Agadir we booked a week of surfing at www.surflevelmorocco.com. This was the cheapest provider and did not give the impression of “mass processing” the paying tourists. In retrospect, this was the perfect decision! Our coach Yassin Iddouch is one of the best surfers in Morocco, champion in bodyboarding and a perfect host. His accommodation offers everything you need for a week of surfing: Comfortable beds, a balcony with a sea view and a pool to cool off in the evening. Yassins living room Blue clothing means Berber, I’m on the left Furthermore, we were lucky and Tes and I got along with the other two […]
3. September 2017

Morocco: Agadir

Why Morocco? After we had returned home from London, Theresa and I didn’t know what to do. We had sold or given away all our belongings and didn’t have an apartment, car or furniture. Everything I owned at that time was packed in two suitcases. What would you do? We decided for a vacation and discussed Central and South America, as well as various countries in Africa. In the end, we decided to visit Morocco. After all, the living cots is very cheap, the sun shines almost ever day and I already had gathered some experience through a previous visit. In the picture above, you can see Tes and me at […]