Morocco: I Miss You! (Part 3)

Best ice cream of Africa

My 2nd day in Marrakesh began with sleeping in till the last possible minute before the hotel breakfast buffet closed at 10.  Glad I woke up though! The breakfast selection was much better than any cold continental, Hampton-Inn type buffet, this was: multiple platters of warms meats and vegetables, a cooking station for my favorite Msemen, a cold food area with dried apricots, dates, and nuts, all topped with fresh squeezed OJ or mint tea to wash it all down.  After sufficiently stuffing myself, Yuri and I digested for a bit in the room before doing a full Ab workout in preparation for lookin our best at the pool!  After donning my armor of sunscreen, we headed out for a relaxing few hours of reading, sleeping, swimming, tanning and talking.  While we relaxed Mrs. Protzuk and Rashida (Yuri’s Aunt) went to one of his grandfather’s condos nearby and did a few loads of laundry, so nice of them!  Upon their return we went to an exquisite ice cream parlor, that Rashida claimed is the best in all of Africa.  Boy was it good, I think Rashida’s claim may be accurate.  

Check for the Bucket List

After showering we returned to the Jemma el Fna for another evening of festivities, on the drive there we passed a carnival were I was able to take a loop riding a camel.  Riding a camel in Africa…. Cross that one of the bucket list!  We returned at early evening at the hotel where I took advantage of the high speed internet to upload most of the photos we had taken to facebook and watched the first three episodes of House of Lies a new Showtime comedy series which I would definitely recommend. 

View from my Hotel Room

After waking up, hitting the breakfast buffet, and checking out of the hotel we started on the road for Agadir, a beautiful beach town with waves comparable to San Diego, but the sand and warm waters of the Caribbean.  Unfortunately I had woken up with a mild headache, which throughout the day turned into a major headache with chills and a loss of appetite!  I tried my best not to let the sudden illness affect me, but it definitely took its toll on what should have been a splendid day.  Regardless, the couple of hour drive went by pretty quick and I was thrilled when we arrived at our 5 star resort (Check out: Sofitel Agadir for more pics!).  We were greeted with hand towels soaked with rose water and check-in took place with clipboards while lounging on large outdoor sofas inside the huge opened ceiling atrium.  The rooms were decked out with a great pool view and extra comfy down pillows, pads, and comforters… the lavish life of luxury!  We grabbed a table in a ground-recessed, square stone patio, where the recessed walls had pillows and there was a table at each of the four corners.  

The effect was unique as when you were seated your eyes were at ground level looking out towards the ocean, unfortunately for me my headache and chills were at their peak so I needed to wrap up in a towel and laydown even though it was balmy for everyone else.  Mrs. Protzuk ordered me a special soup of blended mixed vegtables and spices which made me feel much healthier.

Appetizers at the Reasturant (Yummy Mixed Veggies for me)

In an attempt to feel better, after lunch I went back to the room and huddled in my comfy bed for a warm nap before returning outside to a giant outdoor lounge bed with pillows where Yuri and I soaked up the last sun of the day.  After returning to the room we prepared for a late, multiple course meal at the night lounge restaurant.  For my main course I decided on a Lamb and Prune Tagine, served still sizzling in its traditional clay cookware.  With a mixture of sweet prunes, crunchy almonds and savory, fall-of-the-bone-lamb, it was deliciously-exquisite!


As a way to digest Yuri, Mrs. Prozuk, and I took a long walk along the wide boardwalk were we soaked in the ocean smells and lapsing, evening waves.  We passed a variety of couples, kids, and families all wearing a bright smile clearly enjoying themselves as much as we were, Agadir is truly a wonderful town.  Returning to my room, I found myself quickly sinking into the heavenly bed were happy dreams soon enveloped my consciousness.


I was pleased when awoken to find the headache and chills gone, and keen to make the most out of my second (and last) day in Agadir!  We quickly met up with the driver, Mrs. Protzuk, and Rashida and drove to a nice café a ways down the boardwalk to have a light breakfast with a view of the ocean.  Following breakfast Mrs. Protzuk and Rashida went to an open market while Yuri and I went to the Moroccan equivalent of Walmart to purchase “beverages” for the planned evening at the resorts night club.  Returning to the resort we hit the gym followed by a protein packed Asian lunch which we finished with an exotic fruit platter.  While the sun was still high in the sky we seized the opportunity to go bodysurfing, I passed on some of my knowledge gained from my San Diego trips to Yuri, and had a blast catching wave after wave.  

For King, County, and God (View from our dinner)

We grabbed dinner at an upscale restaurant in the Agadir Marina, where we enjoyed calamari for an appetizer (we shared quite a bit with an adorable stray cat) and I had a seafood risotto with muscles, calamari, scallops, and white fish all of which had been pulled in earlier that day.  We were seated outside, right inside the docks with a view of both the ocean and the mountain side that had a large lit up Arabic phrase.  Next on the list was some pregaming which included room-mixed drinks down by the pool while smoking some hookah (Only other time I have smoked hookah was in turkey so I figured I’d add Morocco to the list as well) while we highly anticipated one of the “Top 3 Nightclubs in Agadir” according to our research online.  To our dismay, even though it was past midnight on a Friday evening with a live DJ there was maybe all of 15 people there with an average age in the mid 35s.  So after Yuri had a Red-Bull and Vodka ($19!!) and we waited another 25mins or so we before calling it a night.  The evening was sort of a letdown, but we still had a fun time just catching… at least we gave it a shot.

The Aquarium in the Casablanca Mall

Between finishing my kindle-book Hawke and beginning the 4th book of the Game of Thrones series (The first 2 books have already been made into a very popular HBO series I plan to watch later this summer) on my ipod touch, the 5.5 hour drive to Casablanca flew by.  We were staying in one of Yuri’s grandparent’s two condos for the evening and after moving our stuff in, 2 of Yuri’s cousins came by to take us to the Largest Mall in Africa. The mall is incredible, we are talking 3 floors of high-end shops, complete with an indoor aquarium, children amusement park, and state-of-the-art Imax theater.  I coupled the last of my Moroccan dirhams with my credit card to purchase a replacement pair of Ray-Bans for the ones I lost my first week in England. (Maybe not the most practical decision considering England is cloud covered about 90% of the time).  After perusing the 20+ restaurants in the food court I decided on Thai of all things for my last dinner in Morocco.

Good 'ol cloudy Derby

The next day was all pretty cookie cutter, sleep, airport, British Airways Direct to Heathrow, underground to Kings Cross, walk to St. Pancras train station… 1.5 hour wait at St. Pancras, Train to Derby, Taxi to townhouse, asleep by 12:30AM, up by 6:45AM to start the work week.

Clouds over the Moroccan Atlas Mountatins... I Miss You!

Overall I had a better trip then I could have ever anticipated, the hospitality and generosity that I received and the splendor of Morocco completely “wowed” me.  It’s a country I would definitely recommend to prospective tourists to visit and one that I hope to return to. 
                                                                   

Morocco: Down to Monkey Business (Part 2)

Drive to the Farm House

The smell of another delicious breakfast made waking up bright and early the next day a relatively easy task.  Added dishes to the breakfast feast my second day where Moroccan pancakes, similar to traditional ones just filled with more air pockets, and a sort of porridge with onions which has a Moroccan name that I cannot recall.  After another super filling breakfast we hopped in the Land Cruiser and headed off to the first of two farm houses that we would visit that day.  On the way to the countryside I began noticing wealth discrepancies from the well commerced city to the weaker economic country side.  In otherwords from passing the construction site of a new Ritz Carlton resort, to the rusted Coca Cola Cafés with old plastic furniture.  This other side of Morocco was just as fascinating as the city, as all the little towns seemed bustling with activity where “Vine Ripened” produce and freshly skinned animals were at every country store and corner vendor.

Goat Mechoui with Dipping Salt and Spice

Opening the gate and pulling up to the first Farm house was quite a spectacle, with the semi-Spanish clay architecture exterior only to find the traditional Moroccan interior.  After a quick tour of the house, including the balcony which overlooks the vineyard portion of the farm, we were served a very traditional Moroccan meal.  Starting with ¼ of a Goat prepared Mechoui style, I tried one of the kidneys which is considered the best part of the goat.  Not a fan of the kidney, but the rest was top 5 foods Ive ever had, starting with a goat that was killed earlier that day, then slow roasting till the outermost layer was crispy and tasted like bacon to the juicy interior it was absolutely phenomenal.  Following the Mechoui was the traditional homemade Morrocan Couscous, with day-of-fresh chicken and vegetables from the farm.  For desert was a mixture of orange and green cantaloupe (we don’t get green in the states) that was by far the best I have ever had… picked fresh and ripe earlier that day.  To wash it down was the best Mint Tea I had all trip where loads of fresh (im sure you get the picture by now) peppermint leaf was added to the green tea to make an unbelievably savory drink.  I know this was a lot about the lunch, however this feast was so delicious any less of a description wouldn’t do it justice.

Thumbs up from the People Packed Truck (See the Goat?)

Post-gorge we walked around the farm a bit to digest, walking by the worker’s huts, checking out the farm equipment, and petting the horses.  Afterwards, we piled back in the Land Cruiser and headed out to the second farm house (much smaller than the first and just recently completed) which sits on 100’s of acres of land.  The approx. 1 hour drive was pretty neat as we climbed to a much higher altitude on a windy two lane road, occasionally passing large harvesters going 1/3 the speed limit or pick-up trucks filled to the brim with a combination of people and livestock.

The other Farm House Roof Top, Land extends to the
2nd Farthest Ridge

After arriving, more mint tea was served and we enjoyed it with a spectacular view of the surrounding areas while sucking in large amounts of the fresh and cool mountain air.  Outside of the super overloaded hay-semi’s and people packed trucks, the ride back to Rabat was uneventful.  At dusk we were taken on a short tour of the actually city of Rabat where I was able to see the major tourist attractions all lit up at night.  After having a light dinner we plodded off to bed where again I had sweet dreams.

Yuri on our Marrakesh Room Balcony

Waking to a wonderful breakfast I said my goodbyes to Rabat and Thank You’s to my hosts (They told me I now have Moroccan grandparents should I ever make it back), and Yuri, his mom, his aunt and I headed for Marrakesh.  The 3 hour highway drive went by quick between sleeping and reading, at times it was even interesting listening to Mrs. Protzuk and her sister speaking in the French-Arabic tongue of Morocco, I had a go of it myself which resulted in Laughing Out Loud from the other passengers and some stifled sniggers from the driver.  Good thing is I’ve always known languages aren’t my thing so no dreams of becoming a linguistic where crushed that day.  The decision was made to stay in a hotel as opposed to one of “The General’s” condos in Marrakesh, so the blackberry was pulled out to explore the Marrakesh hotel options where we decided on a hotel that had a nice pool and a large breakfast buffet and was near the condo.  After Yuri and I got acquainted with our room we headed down to the pool to catch the last sun rays before going to the Jemaa El Fna.

The Monkey with its Hair Pulling Death Grip

The Jemaa el Fna was an incredible experience, where there were thousands of people milling around and vendors that sold all products: From fresh spice stalls and hot cooked meals to knock off Dr. Dre Beats and football jersey’s.  I picked up some delicious dried dates while I was on a sensory overload from the exotic spice aromas, foreign language bartering, and vendors trying to persuade me to visit their shop or stall.  I even got a picture with monkeys; being shamelessly honest I was freaked out in the picture cause one of them had just jumped on my head and started pulling my hair.  After a long night at the Jemma el Fna we grabbed Moroccan McDonalds (much better than the US) before retiring to bed.

Just one of many Spice Stalls

Still have Agadir and Casablanca left to blog about, I hope to do them tomorrow.  Blogging time has been largely reduced as various other pressing matters (Gym/Hong Kong/Euro Trip) have started hogging my free time.

Cheers until Tomorrow!

Morocco: Livin Like a King (Part 1)

My Train Football Fan Mates... No the Lady did not
Participate in the Drinking

I expected my Saturday trip from Derby to be just like any other travel day, a mixture of reading, sleeping, and jamming to the iTouch. Between the train to London, the Tube to Heathrow, the flight to Belgium then the flight to Casablanca I saw nothing but cramped seats and busy transfers in my future.  However, this particular travel day had a little extra spice… or should I say pints??  On the train ride to London I met a particularly friendly/”wankered” group of football fans on their way to London to watch a match.  After divulging my nationality, they welcomed me with not only open arms but an open invitation to their vast supply of Strongbow.  The trip to London flew by discussing a broad range of topics with my new “mates” who offered drinks in a pub should I ever find myself in Leicester, England. The memories from the train station to my flight departure gate are all slightly blurred from the moderate buzz I was carrying, reflecting back maybe not the smartest decision but definitely better than Kindle time. 

(There was however plenty of Kindle time later that day and the rest of the trip, finished the last bit of Mockingjay and the last 70% of Hawke.  Mockingjay has a horrible ending and is by far the worst of the Hunger Game Series, Hawke is the first of a Tom Clancy like series and was quite a page turner.)

A Golden Shower of Coke in Brussels Airport

Catching the smaller jet from Heathrow to Brussels went just as expected except for the 50% capacity which resulted in an empty seat next to me.  Landing in Brussels we alighted onto the tarmac where a city bus looking transport took us to the main gate.  Shoutout to my sister Corinne who used the Brussels Airport as her main airport during her study abroad in Belgium, it is a neat (and empty) airport.  At the suggestion of my Dad I did some Duty Free Shopping for some delicious Belgium Chocolates as a housewarming gift and boy where they good!

Took Royal Air Maroc for the last leg of my day where I was served a complimentary hot meal on my maybe 40% full flight to Casablanca (you just don’t get the same quality of flights in the US).  Upon landing I was pleasantly surprised to see Yuri, the friend I came to visit, at my arrival gate. I found out Yuri’s grandfather is a retired high ranking General of the Moroccan army and was able to pull a few strings so I received similar treatment in the airport as the Top-Named celebrities.  

After clearing customs we were taken to a fully loaded Mercedes where one of Yuri’s Grandfather’s drivers chauffeured us up to his grandfather’s house in Rabat(The Moroccan capital about 1.5 hours from Casablanca).  Let the Life of Luxury begin!

The Atrium Ceiling, One glimpse of the House

The house where I would be hosted for the next two days reminded me of a mini-palace, with tiled mosaic walls, muraled ceilings, intricate word-worked moldings, marble columns, detailed wool rugs, fine silver dishware… the list goes on and on.  I later found out each feature was hand worked, painted, woven etc. so it they are all one-of-a-kind.  My hosts, Yuri’s grandparents, were some of the most welcoming people I know and it was explained to me that guests are to be treated with the highest honors in Morocco; I definitely saw this level of hospitality.  An assortment of Moroccan cookies were opened, where I ate one while chatting with Yuri’s mother and grandparents (his grandmother spoke no English while his grandfather spoke it perfectly).

The Breakfast Spread: Yuri &Grandfather/The General

The next morning began with a delicious breakfast of Msemen (fried dough) and croissants topped with my choice of fresh jam and honey straight from the hive.  Let me note that every meal was all-you-can eat where large platters would be prepared and brought out by one of the 3 house maids, we would eat till content (or in my case beyond stuffed), then the platters would be taken away for the house maids/helpers to finish in a different room.  At the end of breakfast we were served Mint Tea, a Moroccan traditional drink, made with green tea mixed with fresh mint leaf then slightly sweetened with sugar cubes. I am not a tea fan, but I could not get enough of this drink!

One of the Drivers/Cooks preparing the Cookout Meat

Before I was finished digesting breakfast we were chauffeured over to the Golf Club where we had a traditional Moroccan lunch, I ate Kefta Tagine, before Yuri and I hit the much needed gym, preceding our Hammam.  “I have never felt so at peace” what I whispered to Yuri as I laid in the post scrub down room wearing my thick cotton robe where rose-water-soaked cotton pads were gently placed over my eyes.  Next on the agenda was a cookout at Yuri’s Aunt Fatti’s beautiful/contemporary home less than 5 mins down the road from his grandfather’s.  We dined with much of Yuri’s extended family and feasted on multiple salads, meats, and deserts each bursting with its own unique, mouthwatering flavor.  A food-coma sleep came easy after having such a relaxing day. 

I have posted alot more pictures for the First Half of the trip on Facebook... Friend Me if we aren't already!

*More Moroccan Posts to Come*

Note: I was officially accepted for my Study Abroad in Hong Kong so I am swamped with paperwork to fill out, I will be updating with the rest of my Moroccan trip as I have time!