MOROCCO AND SPAIN

I have always wanted to visit Morocco but felt intimidated.  It was only after my friend visited Morocco last year that my husband and I decided to follow in her footsteps. Little did we know what a treat we were in for.

Marrakech
As we approached Marrakech by plane, all you could see was an incredible blue sky and miles of desert and mountains. When we landed we were surprised that the afternoon temperature was 25 degrees celsius in the middle of March. Apparently March and April are the best months to visit Morocco because everything is in bloom and the weather is warm and dry. In the summer the temperatures reach 50 degrees celsius.

We arrived to our hotel, The Four Seasons, in 10 minutes by a taxi. The hotel was surrounded by an expansive garden full of palm trees and flowers. Our garden view room was large, equipped with all imaginable amenities and had an outside patio and a walkway to a pool. We felt like we had arrived to paradise.

Tired from a long flight we headed straight to the hotel spa to have a scheduled traditional Moroccan Hammam treatment. We were steamed, washed and scrubbed in black olive oil mixed with lava. After the treatments and a soak in a hot tub, our jet lag disappeared and we were ready to explore the city.

A first stop was a Jemaa el Fna, the main square of Marrakech’s old walled city (Médina). In ancient times it was a place where pirates were beheaded. Now the square is very much alive and looks like a huge stage. A large outdoor restaurant was set up in the middle of the square. All around there were musicians, dancers, healers, beggars, tourists, locals, animals and birds. It seemed like the entire city came to the square for a party.

The square is surrounded by the narrow streets of Médina which are filled with souks (markets) selling many varieties of moroccan food, local crafts, spices, fake designer bags, leather goods, jewelry and anything else you can imagine. As the sun was setting, the whole city was lit up by the red lanterns and it looked magical.
We slowly made our way through the maze of the narrow streets, which smelled of mint and saffron, to the restaurant Nomad. It was on the roof of an old building facing the market square. We watched the sunset and ate incredible spiced Morocco food. It was like a scene out of a movie.

The following morning after an hour’s swim in the beautiful hotel pool and a great breakfast at The Four Seasons, we met our guide Saad. He was a Moroccan who spend a part of his life in Odessa, spoke a fluent Russian and understood the Russian way of life. It was fascinating. He took us on a tour of the Médina through the labyrinth of streets pointing out various curious spots and souks.
Every house in the city is painted rose pastel. The bright sun rays make the entire city look red. We saw the major sights of the old city such as Bahia Palace, Koutoubia Mosque, which is the highest building in the city, the old city walls, Jewish Mellah, which was home to Jewish salt and gold merchants, a synagogue that is currently used as a place of prayer for both Jews and Muslims, and the Secret Garden which is a garden oasis in the middle of Médina. We were surprised to see that many storks live on the top of the old city gates.

Marrakech is located in a valley surrounded by the mountains. It has no shortage of water and therefore is very green.The numerous gardens are everywhere and are filled with bright varieties of flowers, palm trees, cedar trees and cactus.
The most famous garden is the Majorelle, which was owned and designed by Yves St Laurent. Its structures are painted in the royal blue and yellow, its paths are surrounded by more than 1800 types of plants, flowers and cactus. On the suggestion of our guide we arrived to the garden by a horse carriage. It was a fun way to see parts of town.

Our guide was excellent and we learned about the Kingdom, its Berber roots, its tolerance toward all religions including Judaism and Christianity, and its unofficial friendliness toward the State of Israel despite being a Muslim country.
We also walked through a modern part of Marrakesh named Guilez. We did not find it particularly interesting. Just wide streets, shopping centers and modern buildings with some touch of Moroccan architecture.
We ended the day with dinner in a restaurant/night club called Comptoir Darna where we had a traditional tagine (food cooked in a clay pot) and were entertained by belly dancers and ladies dancing with massive candelabras on their heads.

The following morning we took a free shuttle to Anima Garden which is located 40 minutes from the city. It is a magical place with the incredible plants, flowers and outdoor sculptures and installations surrounded by the snow covered Atlas Mountains. It was a very unusual and beautiful site created by the Austrian artist Andre Heller and is considered one of most beautiful gardens in the world.

Afterwards we made reservations for lunch in at the Royal Mansour Hotel owned by the King of Morocco (reservations and dress code are a must to get inside). The hotel is extremely beautiful. The walls are covered in the multicolored sparkling tiles, the ceilings are decorated in the elaborate woodcarvings, the gardens are full of flowers and orange trees. It is a feast for your eyes.

We spent our last evening in Marrakech in one of the best restaurants in the city, Al Fassia, which is owned and operated by women only and serves traditional moroccan cuisine. Our meal of chicken and kefta tagine accompanied by surprisingly good local red wine was great.
Practical information on Marrakech:

-taxis are very cheap and you can get anywhere in the city for $5.

-Do not hire a driver, just a guide.

-drink mint tea to satisfy thirst-try different types of tagine and pastille

-Buy souvenirs here, the best variety

ROAD FROM MARRAKECH TO FEZ

Early morning we reluctantly left our perfect room, but not without having a delicious continental breakfast first.Outside, waiting for us in his shining black 4×4 Toyota Jeep was Khalid, our driver and a guide. We were on the way to cross the High Atlas Mountains through Tichka pass at the height of 2300 meters. The road was curvy, bumpy, and a little scary but in a few hours we were in the valley with one of the most interesting sights in Morocco.

In front of us was a picture perfect 12th century Kasbah Ait Benhaddou, a small fortified town, UNESCO heritage site, that was a stopping place for traders on the route from Sahara to Marrakech.It stood the test of time and weather well and has been used to shoot movies and tv shows such as Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator, The Passion of Christ, Game of Thrones and many others.

After exploring the inside of the Kasbah we continued our drive to Skoura to L’Ma Lodge. The Lodge was a very unusual place. Located in the middle of a palm grove it is owned by a French/Belgian couple. It is run as a combination of a self sustained farm and an upscale bedouin camp. At night we were treated to a dinner prepared from home grown ingredients.

We were very excited the following morning because we were on the way to Sahara which was supposed to be a highlight of our trip. Homemade breakfast with at least 10 varieties of homemade jams was waiting for us. The weather was rainy and we got a little scared that our plans may not work. Because of the rain all rivers were over flooded and some cars could not make it to the Lodge. Thankfully our driver made it on time and we were on the way.

First we passed through the Dades valley with its deep and narrow canyons and gorges called Monkey Fingers and Todra. The views were astounding but the rain continued and it was cold.

As we were moving toward the Sahara the sky started to clear and the temperature started to rise.The Sahara Dunes are something out of this world. We drove through the dunes to our tented camp which was located right in the middle of the sand dunes. Merzouga camp is a luxury one with 10-15 tents equipped with showers, bathrooms and king size beds. When inside you feel like you are in the hotel room, not in the middle of the Sahara Desert. We took a camel ride and a hike to watch the sunset. Only pictures can describe the experience. After sunset we had drinks by the camp fire, ate a delicious dinner in the common tent and were entertained by drum players as bright stars lit up the Sahara sky. Tired after a long day we retired to our tent.

The following day we left our camp early because we had a very long drive to Fes. The 7 hour drive was beautiful. We passed Ziz valley with its canyons and palm trees, the Middle Atlas Mountains and an agricultural valley.Finally we got to our hotel, Riad Fes, in the middle of the Médina. Riad was very ornate decorated with tiles, wood carvings, chandeliers and colored glass. Our room was spread over two floors, which we did not like. We went to explore Fes Médina and found it very confusing and commercial. We did not have a guide and got lost. It cost us some money and with the help of strangers we made it back to the hotel. I was scared and it was a very unpleasant experience.

At the suggestion of a friend we hired a driver and headed outside of Fes to the so-called blue city of Chefchaouen.The 3-hour drive through agricultural fields and Rif mountains reminded us of Tuscany and Provence. We passed green rolling hills, fields of lavender and poppy flowers. The city itself is located on a hill and is surrounded by the mountains. All the streets and the buildings are painted blue. It is quite a sight.One explanation of the origins of the blue color is to be closer to heaven.

In the evening back in Fes we went to a very fancy restaurant called Nur for a seven course gourmet dinner. It was our last evening in Morocco.

The next morning we took a guided tour of Fès Médina which is the only remaining medieval Médina in the world. Even though it looked authentic and lively we were a little tired of carpets, mosaic and all other commercial stores our guide dragged us into. The most impressive sight was a tannery where leather has been dyed since the 11th century.

It was time to say goodbye to Morocco. One week was just enough for us to get a feel of the country and see most of the sights. After a short 50 minutes flight we were in Seville, Spain.
Practical information on Sahara and Fes.

• Order a tour from Marrakech to Fes through Merzouga camp website. It is much cheaper than getting a guide, a driver and accommodations separately
• Do not go to Médina unless made arrangements in hotel how to get back
• Be prepared for long drives

ANDALUSÍA

SEVILLE
We were in our twenties the last time we visited Seville. I pulled out some old photos but could hardly recognize anything in the city just like I could hardly recognize ourselves.

We spent two and a half glorious days in Seville. The sky was blue, the sun was shining, temperatures were in the mid twenties (celsius) and the city was in bloom.
The Hotel Alphonso XIII were we stayed was built as a palace for 1929 Ibero-American Exhibition. Its lobby is covered in ornamental ceramic tiles, its chandeliers are from Murano and Bohemia and its inner courtyard is full of flowers and trees. Its design combines an Arabic and Baroque styles and is stunning.
Seville has a rich history starting from Roman times and then transformed from 400 years of Islamic Caliphate to a Catholic Kingdom.It was one of the most important trading ports in the world at the time of discovery of the Americas. Its mix of Islamic and Christian architecture is reflected in most of the sights.

Our guide Raisa took us around the city and told us fascinating facts from the city’s history. We wandered the narrow streets of Santa Cruz, the former Jewish Ghetto, admired the Gilded Altar and Christopher Columbus’s burial place in the largest Cathedral in the world, climbed a giant sculptural installation built on the top of the Roman city ruins, called La Setas, the Spanish word for mushrooms because that’s what they resemble, walked through the magnificent halls and gardens of Alcázar, visited a cigarette factory where Carmen Biset worked, toured the former residence of Lady Alba who is a descendant of the namesake model for Goya famous painting The Naked Maja, and strolled through the Plaza de España with its pink buildings, canals and tile alcoves.

Then it was tapas and wine on every corner. We had our share. Our favorite meal was razor clams with artichoke at La Azotea. We also ate a modern Spanish cuisine in ConTenedor Restaurant.

GRANADA

We got to Granada by ALSA bus in 3 hours. It was an easy and comfortable ride.

Upon arrival and checking into Palace de Santa Paula Hotel we immediately climbed to the Alhambra (red fortress) which is situated on the top of a hill overlooking the whole city.

The Alhambra is the last 13th Century Islamic Castle in Spain.It has the outstanding gardens and the moorish style Nazrid Palace that became the residence of Ferdinand and Isabella after the Reconquista, the victory over Muslims in 1492.
Our guide Anastasia was excellent and introduced us to the history of the Palace and its occupants over the centuries.Later we drove to St. Nickolas observation terrace with a great view of the entire Alhambra fortress and snow covered mountains in the background. We also walked through narrow streets of the city and had delicious seafood at Les Diamanté’s on the Plaza Nueva.

CORDOBA

We arrived to Cordoba early in the morning by a train.We left our luggage in storage and met our guide Pavel. Cordoba is a delightful town with amazing sights. We saw 2200-year-old Roman Bridge and endless patios and balconies covered in flowers. Apparently Cordova has an annual competition of the best decorated balconies and patios which attracts visitors from all of Europe. Most houses in Cordoba are built in Moorish style which means that they are surrounded by a high wall and look ordinary from the outside. When you step inside you are treated to heavenly decorated gardens. We walked through the Jewish Ghetto and saw the only remaining Moorish style Synagogue. Finally we toured a grand Mezquita, which is the Cordoba Mosque-Cathedral known for its enormous red-striped arches and columns.We also tried the specialty of Cordoba ,salmorejo, which is a thicker version of gazpacho.

MADRID
At the end of the day we left Cordoba and took a 2-hour train ride to Madrid.

Even though it was late when we arrived, we decided to walk and see one of the most unusual sight of the city, the Temple of Debod, which was gifted to the city by Egypt when Aswan Dam was constructed and a lot of the ancient temples were about to be flooded.
The following morning we took a tour of the city with our guide Irina. We had visited Madrid before but wanted to learn more history and see some of the more unusual sights. We toured the La Latina neighborhood, saw The Almudena Cathedral that was constructed from 1879 until 1993, admired Goya and Velasquez at the Prado, explored the most expensive neighborhood of Madrid, Salamanca, looked at the reflection of Don Quixote and Sancho at the Plaza de España, visited the Mercado St. Miguel for the most amazing selection of tapas, enjoyed a seafood paella in Gastromaquia restaurant and simply walked along the wide boulevards of the city.

On our last day of this amazing trip we took a 30 minutes train ride to Toledo, the former capital of Spain. It is situated on a hill and the view of the city from another hill across the river Tagus was spectacular. This is where we started a tour with Ivan. He took us to the former Judaea that used to be the wealthiest in Spain, to a remaining synagogue, El Greco’s house and to the most important Cathedral in Spain with a extensive collection of art by El Greco, Titian and Goya. We learned how traditional artisans decorate regular metals with 24 carat gold thread and create beautiful pieces of art.

After lunch we returned to Madrid and raised a toast of Sangria to the completion of our wonderful trip.
Practical information on Andalusia and Madrid.

• Stay in Seville in Alfonso XIII hotel
• Take a day trip to Granada and return back to Seville. Use ALSA bus because railroad is being fixed and may not work for a while
• Buy tickets to Alhambra 3 month in advance
• Stop in Cordova for several hours on a way to Madrid
• Stay in hotel close to Prado Museum
• Prado is free every day from 6-8
• Shopping is only good in Madrid in Salamanca neighborhood
• Trains to Cordoba and Toledo are at Atocha train station that is close to Prado
  
• Use guides. It is very informative and interesting.
• List of guides:      Seville: Raisa  +34690240097   rasmarket@gmail.com
  •                       Granada: Anastasia +34 625 875 082 gid.granada@gmail.com
  •                       Cordoba : Pavel +34 661 603 124 pavelblr@hotmail.es
•   Madrid:  Irina  +34 628 823 760    amedvedevarina@gmail.com                                    Toledo: Ivan   +34 637 148 506  tsitukhin@hotmail.com