Morocco A Land of Contrasts

Flying into Casablanca after a short 12-hour flight from Atlanta to Paris to Morocco, our tour took us first to Rabat, then Fez (the Moraccan's call it Fes), through the 13,400' Atlas Mountains to Erfoud, then Merzouga, Ait Benhaddou, Marrakesh, Essaouia, and then back to Casablanca for our return home. The tour bus was comfortable and spacious, with frequent stops for restroom breaks, coffee, and snacks.
Dromedary (a one hump camel) ride in the Sahara; Fishing boat returns to port in Essaouira; The Royal Guard at the Mausoleum of Mohammad V in Rabat; Olives are displayed in the sprawling souk (market) of the medina (old city) in the town of Meknes.
Canons from Spain protected the Royal Palace in Rabat; A Royal Guard on horseback always makes for a good photo; The Royal Guard is in the window of the Mausoleum of Mohammad V; An Arabic woman passes the entrance to a mosque at the Royal Palace.
My room at the Riad Salom Fez (a Riad is a room or small hotel); Lobby of the Riad Salom Fez; Dinner at the hotel; Our dinner, a traditional 'Tagine' named after the domed pot it is cooked in. This particular Tagine was filled with couscous, vegetables, meat, and chicken, and of course amazing Moraccan spices. Yes, it was yummy!
Just outside of Fez is Volubilis-a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This 3rd Century BC site was taken over by the Romans in 40 AC and became the African Administrative Center of the Roman Empire.

In the medina (old walled city) of Meknes. This massive souk (market) was filled with small stalls of local olives, spices, fruits, vegetables, seafood, and meats.

Over 60 varieties of olives grow in the varied climates of Morocco. Green olives are the same as black olives, they are just picked sooner.
More olives neatly stacked in the vendor's stall.
Various meats were available in the 'meat section' of the souk.
The spice markets in the souks were not only beautiful to look at, but the exotic and aromatic fragerances were entrancing. This market was in Rissani, on the edge of the Sahara Desert. Rissani is a cultural destination, with a wide diversity of Berber, Arab, and desert communities.
Along the medinas, there are no lack of coffee shops and cell phones. Coffee was a favorite pastime of the locals—strong and tasty!
A Jewish cemetary near the old city of Fez. Prior to the establishment of Israel in 1948, Morocco was home to the largest Jewish community across the Arab-speaking world. Despite the mass exodus of Jews who number less than 2,500 as of 2022, many of the community’s historic sites still exist and draw pilgrims to these days. Nestled in the former Jewish quarter of Fez, the Jewish cemetery, known for its semi-cylindrical tombs, encapsulates the tumultuous past of the country’s prosperous Jewry.
The souk in Fez was fascinating. From grains and food products to copper bowls and utensils to shoes to carpets, the market in the ancient city was bustling and varied.
The Chouara tannery in Fez, the largest of three in the city, was quite an experience in sight and smell. In fact, the owner gave each of us a sprig of cilantro to breath into due to the pungent smell of the dyes and hides that were being treated. The round vessels are filled with dyes and softeners in preparation for the artists who shape the hides into luggage, bags, and everything leather (mostly camel leather). Donkeys are used to move the hides in this mideval-looking process.
On the way to our night in the Sahara Desert we stopped to visit a Berber tent, seemingly in the middle of nowhere.
The tent was quite spacious and filled with rugs for comfort and warmth, constructed of goat and camel hair for protection from the harsh desert climate. A woman and boy who lived there were a little nervous as we clicked away with iPhones and cameras. There was a separate smaller tent for cooking in primative looking ovens.
Entering the Sahara, the landscape dramatically transformed to a sea of sand and desert flora.
Scott Lawrence of the Sahara; Glamping at the Bivouac La Belle Etoile. Although not exactly the Four Seasons, my tent had a bathroom and even A/C; looking out my front door was a large community rest area, with the dining tent to the left; Our desert guide readies the dromedaries for our ride into the desert sunset; The beauty of the sunset in the Sahara was truly astounding.
Rising full moon in the Sahara.
En route to Ait Benhaddou we pass through the Atlas Mountains and weave our way through the Todra Gorge, a natural oasis carved in Limestone by the Todra River; Another oasis and village just outside of Ait Benhaddou.
Ait Ben Haddou is Morocco’s most famous ksar (A ksar is a fortified settlement of Berber origin, with many kasbahs inside it) and probably one of the country’s most remarkable and fascinating monuments. On the edge of the desert, the adobe-built houses of Ait Ben Haddou’s impressive ksar stand at the foot of a cliff, and evoke in the visitor a sense of having travelled back in time. Ait Ben Haddou has provided the setting for many top feature films, including Lawrence of Arabia, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Jesus of Nazareth, Indiana Jones 3, and Gladiator.
Are there really snake charmers in Marrakesh? You bet! I have no idea what I was holding, but he was calm and not at all aggressive. The Cobra, on the other hand, looked like he could cause some damage. I can't believe I let some stranger from across the globe put a snake around my neck and place a Cobra within striking distance of me. Quite an experience!
Marrakesh or Marrakech is the fourth-largest city in Morocco. It is one of the four imperial cities of Morocco and is the capital of the Marrakesh–Safi region. The city lies west of the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Djemaa el-Fnaa, is a square and marketplace in Marrakesh's medina quarter. It remains the main square of Marrakesh, used by locals and tourists. With a circus-like atmosphere, it is the main gathering place and shopping area, with acrobats, snake charmers, food stalls, and souks. Near the square is the famous Mosque and minaret, Koutoubia, dating back to the 12th Century. The Giraldi Tower of Sevilla, Spain, used this structure as a prototype when built as a Mosque and mineret as well.
Born and raised in Kansas, I wasn't around a lot of fishing ports. Thus, I have always been attracted to fishing ports and the seafood they collect, as here in Essaouira, a port city and resort on Morocco’s Atlantic coast. I awoke at dawn to photograph the fishing boats returning to shore from a night of fishing. The hustle and brisk activity was riveting.
As the sun set over the Sahara Desert sand, my trip to Morocco was almost over. Why did I decide Morocco was the place to see on my adventure after Africa? Perhaps it was the exotic image of Morocco from movies like Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia as well as the catchy tune of Marrakesh Express from the 70's; Perhaps it was my love of Israel that made me think of a country with similar architecture, food, and cultures; or perhaps it was the fact it wasn't a 'go to' touristy destination for most people. For whatever reason(s), Morocco didn't disappoint!
Created By
Scott Fishman