Morocco

  • Morocco

    Asilah

    April 26, 2016 - By 

    Asilah is a pleasant beach town in northern Morocco where the locals flock to during their summer holiday.  Because it was only spring and the weather still required us to wear jackets, we were able to enjoy the laid-back town without the tourists.  We felt the Moroccan towns of Asilah and Chefchaouen were very much comparable, except instead of mountains Asilah had beaches.  The lovely architecture of the old quarter, the blue paint, the cooler temperatures, and the relaxed atmosphere–these were all the reasons why we loved Asilah and Chefchaouen. Arguably the classic image of Asilah is from the ancient rampart walls, with the…

  • Morocco

    Hassan II Mosque (Casablanca)

    April 25, 2016 - By 

    You’d think Morocco’s largest city would live up to its fame from being one of America’s greatest classic movies, but that is sadly not the case. With the exception having the beautiful name of Casablanca, there is nothing spectacular about the city, except for the famous Hassan II Mosque, the largest mosque in Morocco. If passing by when traveling along the western coast, the mosque is definitely worth the detour, but the city itself is not worth a multiple-day excursion. Thanks to the relatively new toll road between Marrakech and Casablanca, the pleasant drive took less than 3 hours and…

  • Morocco

    Marrakech

    April 23, 2016 - By 

    It was easy to assume that we’d be disgusted with another major Moroccan city after our distasteful experience in Fes, but we were wrong.  While the cramped walls of Fes el Bali allowed scammers to corner their prey, Marrakech was open, widespread, and sprawling. We didn’t do our research about what it meant to drive in Marrakech, but we’ve obviously survived the experience to be able to share it today.  To add to the suspense, we drove around the notorious Djemma el Fna.  During the evening.  On a Sunday.  With our oversized vehicle.  And this was after an exhausting day…

  • Morocco

    Dades Valley

    April 21, 2016 - By 

    Between the eastern desert of Merzouga and the western city of Marrakesh lie the massive Atlas Mountains, dozens of iconic kasbahs, and spectacular desert scenery reminiscent of Utah and Arizona landscapes.  Over two short days, we traveled east to west starting with Todra Gorge and then Dades Gorge.  Following these two gorges, we spectated three kasbahs (traditional Moroccan desert forts) in the following order: Kasbah Amerhidil, Taourirt Kasbah, and Ait Ben Haddou.  These were our final days in the hot, dry deserts of Morocco before venturing into Marrakech and back to the lush valleys of the north. First things first, we got…

  • Morocco

    Merzouga

    April 19, 2016 - By 

    Classic images containing silhouettes of camels strolling across sand dunes come to mind during discussions about Morocco, and the excursion that allows for such photography comes from Merzouga, the itty bitty town not far from the Algerian border. Camel rides across the Saharan Desert with the berbers may be not just the highlight of Merzouga, but perhaps all of Morocco. Even the twisting drive from Fes to Merzouga over the mountains through high desert towns offered fantastic views of North African country. Before we arrived at our hotel/motorhome park of choice, we made a wrong turn and ended up getting stuck in a sand pit just…

  • Morocco

    Fes el Bali

    April 18, 2016 - By 

    I never imagined that our old, janky motorhome could ever possibly go fast enough to get a speeding ticket, but she did!  As we traversed over the mountains from Chefchaouen to Fes, Chris got a 300 DH ($31) fine for speeding.  Unlike American cops, the Moroccan traffic officers were laid back, friendly, and humorous.  We’re fortunate that we were able to shrug off the fine and continue our journey to Fes. Some cities are more fascinating than they are beautiful, and Fes is exactly that.  The city as a whole is a giant, modern suburb with plenty of public transportation, students, and even big…

  • Morocco

    Chefchaouen

    April 17, 2016 - By 

    The ferry from Algeciras (Europe) to Ceuta (Africa) was more expensive than the ferry from France to England, but we knew the low cost of living + adventures would more than make up for the €225 ferry ride.  And we were right even with our first day in Morocco en route to Chefchaouen. First, the ferry ride.  It was only a 1-hour ride, and it was 8am, so we just stayed in the RV. There were also only two vehicles in the entire ferry. Second, the border crossing from Spain into Morocco.  Considering we didn’t do any research beforehand, I consider…