Travels of a Wannabe Nomad
  • Home
  • About Me
  • City Guides
    • Arenal Region
    • Athens | Αθήνα
    • Ayutthaya | อาณาจักรอยุธยา
    • Bangkok | กรุงเทพมหานคร
    • Barcelona
    • Capri | Cápri
    • Chiang Mai | เชียงใหม่
    • Costa del Sol
    • Delphi | Δελφοί
    • Granada
    • Jaco | Jacó
    • Kanchanaburi | กาญจนบุรี
    • Madrid
    • Monteverde
    • Phitsanulok | พิษณุโลก
    • Pompeii
    • Rome | Roma
    • San Jose | San José
    • Tetouan | تطوان
  • My Travels
    • Italy & Greece >
      • Intro to Italy
      • Ancient Rome
      • Dessert and Discrimination in Trastevere!
      • Vatican Exploration
      • New Year’s Eve In Roma!
      • Paradise in Capri
      • Pompeii Ruins
      • Opa!
      • The Belly Button of the World
      • Everything in Moderation
      • It's All Greek to Me
      • The Jump that Almost Landed Us in Greek Prison
      • The Midnight Meal
    • Costa Rica >
      • Inside a Volcano
      • Toil and Trouble
      • La Fortuna
      • Volcanic Hot Springs
      • Coasting on Cables
      • Swimming with Piranhas
    • Thailand >
      • Jet Lag
      • Stairs of Death and the Emerald Buddha
      • The Broken-Finger Dance
      • The Squatter Toilet
      • Tuk Tuks and The Night Market
      • Topical Roofie!
      • Indiana Jones’ Bridge
      • Bridge Over the River Kwai
      • Tiger Temple
      • Dawn in the Jungle
      • Elephant Ride
      • Orchid Farm
      • Thai Hills
      • Seafood on the Beach
      • Ringside Thai Kickboxing
    • Spain & Morocco >
      • Sweet Sangria
      • Wedding Crashers
      • Karma on the Madrid Metro
      • Fried Fish Fiasco
      • Moroccan Medina
      • Fieldtrip!
  • Don't Drink the Water
  • Contact Logan

Moroccan Medina

5/28/2009

0 Comments

 
Picture
We left Spain’s “Sun Coast” and crossed the Strait of Gibraltar into Morocco. After crossing the border (which included a temperature scan to make sure we weren’t carrying swine flu), we entered Africa and headed for our first stop: a camel ride! Camels stand around 8 or 9 feet tall, so the desert animals had to kneel down for us to stand a chance of climbing on. I found I have a renewed appreciation for bull riders, because I experienced first hand how difficult it can be to stay on top of a swaying animal! I grabbed onto the fraying ropes located at either end of the saddle, and when the camel got to its feet, I lurched forward, just to be pitched backward 2 seconds later. We took a short walk on the lanky creatures, had a few seconds for pictures, and then boarded the bus again to meet our guide for the day.

Picture
Our guide’s name was Abdul, and he was a local of Morocco. Apart from being fluent in several languages, he also insisted that he looked like Michael Douglas. Abdul explained the five pillars of Islam, traditional dress, and lifestyles of the Moroccan people before we entered thewhich is an old town enclosed in high walls.

Picture
We made our way through the narrow, maze-like alleys, and it didn’t take us long to realize that we were the only tourists in sight. We continued through the market streets (unaware that we were being accompanied by 2 undercover cops hired by EFCB) and passed small apartments that housed several families. After strolling along the stands of fresh fruit, vegetables, and fish that are sold daily there, we stepped through a low stone doorway into a surprisingly cool restaurant.


Picture
Our lunch was couscous and chicken, and we were entertained by a man dancing with a plate of lit candles on his head and by some musicians played stringed instruments. After stuffing ourselves with the tasty food, we tried out our haggling skills at a tapestry/rug store. After making a few bargains on the handmade items, we left to buy saffron, tea, oils, and perfumes from another shop.
 
Laden with souvenirs, we were escorted by Abdul back across the border. After joking about how sorry he was that he wasn’t going to get any of us to become his 4th (yes, fourth!) wife, we waved goodbye and sailed back across the Mediterranean, with dolphins swimming in the wake and another stamp in our passports.

Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    May 2009

    Categories

    All
    Camels
    Morocco
    Strait Of Gibraltar
    Tapestry
    Tetouan

Tell me what you think! Logan@wannabenomad.com