Chicago

We uneventfully dropped off our niece in NYC. The next day we arrived in Chicago 3 hours ahead of our foreign exchange student and made it to her airport with a whole hour to actually sit down and wait for her. After seeing some friends and some of the sites of Chicago we were back home again.

London: The most beautiful city in the world

We jockeyed on the plane to be the first ones off and through immigration. We planned on leaving our checked luggage but gave in 10 minutes and it showed up in time. I arranged a cab to take us to Heathrow post haste. I looked at taking a helicopter but that service is not offered.

Our cabbie was amazing, you have no idea. We explained the situation to him. We drove fast, we drove very very fast, we drove on the side of the road on the shoulder. He had navigation and traffic congestion warning. We drove on access roads and side streets and everywhere else we could fit to dodge traffic and make it in time. The drive was amazing and we did our best to make sure that the tip matched.

We had been in contact with Heathrow and been told that if we would arrive by 6pm that they would get us on the plane. We hit check-in at 5:55. A manager from British Airways took us over from there. There was no room on the flight so she bumped us up to business class, opened a baggage check-in line just for us and got us through security so that we could make our flight. Despite the truly horrible picture of her above, she was beautiful. British Airways was beautiful. And despite anything I may have ever said in the past, London was beautiful. And on that day it was by far the most beautiful city in the world.

London Bound!

Once the wheels left the ground in Morocco life became better. Other than the Steward coming out to lie to us and tell us that the plane was not opperating due to weather (in an attempt to dodge liability) when all the other planes were flying, the flight went remarkably well.

Our spirits were much better. Even if we missed our flight to the tune of another $3600 in London, we would be in a country were we understood the language and culture and make other arrangements. We could at least call friends in Chicago and not leave our exchange student stranded.

Back to Marrakesh

This post is out of sequence:

So Easyjet put us all on a bus and send the 200 people to a local hotel for diner and sleep promising a flight at 10am the next morning. We needed to rebook our London-NYC flight since it departs London at 7am. They sent all 200 of us to a hotel that they had not bothered to call to let know that we were coming. They were not prepared for us. They did not have cribs for infants or internet or phones for us. Someone at the front desk took pity on us and allowed us to change our flight on the hotel computer at 3am after they had finished booking everyone in. We re-booked British Airways for the last flight (7pm) the next day and had Laurel's mom re-book our NYC-Chicago flight so that we could meet our exchange student on time. The total cost of the changes was probably around $3600 but we were happy to have a working plan to get out and not leave our student stranded in Chicago. We were herded back onto the airport bus at 7am after 3 hours sleep.

We arrived at the airport to find that our flight had been delayed by 2 hours!!! Deja Vu,

We had no working phone but the people pictured above let us use theirs and helped us in every way possible. They were brilliant. Just like the day before the plane was repeatedly delayed by 2 hours. Finally at 2pm the plane actually showed up and was available for the flight. It was just possible now that we could make it but we would have to cross London from Stanstead to Heathrow in 2 hours at rush hour including going through customs, immigration, checkin security and getting to our gate at Heathrow. I'm not a pessimist, but my grasp of reality did not leave me hopeful.

Marrakesh Airport

We arrived at the airport well in advance of our noonish flight. After we all had our crotches grabbed in security we arrived at our gate to find that our plane had been delayed by 2 hours. No problem our connecting flight in London was not until early the next morning. We spent the last of our Moroccan money on some food and drink and waited the two hours until they announced that our plane was delayed another 2 hours. This repeated until 9pm at which time the board flipped and showed our flight as canceled. At this point we realized that we are unlikely to make our connecting flight in London. If we do not make it to London in time we will not make it to Chicago in time to meet our foreign exchange student and she will arrive in this country with no one to meet her at the airport and no one coming for who knows how many days?

Saying Goodbye to Marrakech

It had been a great summer but we were done and starting to look forward to heading home. We wanted to take a few pictures of the Riad where we stayed while in Marrakesh. So much of the decorative carving and tile work on the buildings was just amazing. We hung out at the riad while waiting for it to be time to grab our cab to the airport. No one had the fortitude to hazard the streets for fun. Our minds were set on home. The last picture is a spice vendor that we passed on our way to the main square where we could grab our cab to the airport.

Diner with the tourists

On our last evening we arranged to be wisked off to the far outskirts of Marrakesh for the whole dinner tour package. This was Morraco, homogenized and sanitized, just the way you would think it would or should be. As travelers, we would normally turn our noses up at such a contrived spectacle. However, at this point in our trip it was probably the perfect activity.

An awesome last full day in Marrakech

Our goal for the day was to get up, get some cash, get some lunch, see the old palace, get our daughter a henna tattoo and then to a fancy touristic dinner at the end of the day. After we got some cash we started walking towards the old palace looking for a spot to eat at along the way. We just happened to enter one non-descript hole in the wall that turned out to be a huge palace from the 1600's. Alfred Hitchcock filmed a movie there. Sean Connery had eaten there and we had this huge palace all to ourselves. Really really amazing. Really really cool.

After lunch we walked though the heat some more to the ruins of the old palace. This area was set up with stages for the Marrakech popular arts festival.

By the time we were done with the palace, our daughter had melted.

After some water and a spot to rest awhile she was revived enough to enjoy getting a henna tattoo (permanent for about 2 weeks).

Sleeping, Souks and Surfing

We slept in until, well, until late today. this photo was taken at noon. Our kids are still in pajamas. Our niece . . . (shhhh, read quietly, she's still sleeping)

We walked over to the Souks, the small shops on the small twisty streets. They are a bit more shaded so it wasn't actually very horrible during the hottest part of the day. We were able to find some nice leather goods and a few other baubles to take back to the States with us.

After some shopping in the Souks we had a very late lunch and went back to our Riad for a swim and to take a short nap out of the heat. Our plan was to join a Couch Surfing meeting taking place at a local cafe. This would be our chance to meet some locals and ex-pats who might be able to show us a better side of Marrakech. Unfortunately, nobody showed up. The cafe had no food so we had a couple of Cokes and some icky coffee and banana drinks and headed off in search of some food and an early night back at our Riad.

Cooking class

We took a cooking class at a swanky resort. For us this was a nice break from the real Morocco.

Aye, what manly men we are.

If enough of the work is pre-done Laurel actually enjoys cooking.

The results were by far the best food we had in Morocco (and by far the most expensive (but worth it)).

Adjusting to Marrakesh

It takes some time to adjust to Marrakesh so we elected to keep it simple. We went to a shopping area that sells things at fixed prices so that we do not have to barter. This way we can learn what prices should be before we are eaten by the sharks.

We took a carriage ride to get back to the main square near our Riad.

We made a quick stop on the way back for a Camel ride.

This is the picture that we intended to get of the snake charmers in the main square. What I ended up going through to get it is another story.

First full day in Marrakech

The Djemma al Fna main plaza is the main destination for tourists but is probably one of the riskiest places for them. Away from the plaza and the Souks I believe that Marrakech is a decent city with decent people. And indeed, a high percentage of people in the square are decent people. But with so many people in a given area there are definitely some who are not.

I am in search of a better side of Marrakesh. We have certainly met some wonderful local people. Hopefully we will meet more.

Marrakesh, some first impressions

When you are flying into Marrakech it is like flying into a cotton field. Each building has from 1 to 5 big white round satellite dishes of different sizes. The overall effect is live looking at a cotton field after all the plants have dried and turned brown, the leaves have dropped leaving nothing but brown sticks and a brown field with white balls of cotton.

The street are full. Really full. At first I was really impressed by the use of donkeys. Then I was really impressed by the number of motor cycles and scooters and just how crazy they drove. Then I was impressed by the number of accidents and the fact that no one really cared enough to slow down.

The pushcart that brought our luggage to our Riad is a very common mode of transportation.

No pictures, no video, no amount of words or oration can describe the complete and utter chaos, the heat without air conditioning, the screaming of competing music and vendors, the smells of people and animals and food and spices, the constant jostling and grabbing and pushing, the continuous blur of movement and sounds and smells. All of this then abruptly parts to a man who suddenly throws a snake on you without your permission and yells "cobra!" while another blocks your family and places a larger monkey on your terrified niece. This is Marrakesh: highly interesting and well out of my comfort zone.

Arrival on Marrakexh Morocco

Just off the plane the Arabic writing on the airport was the first indication that we were heading someplace very different. Our driver failed to meet us at the airport so we hired a taxi and headed to the main square hoping to locate our Riad (guest house/small hotel)

The taxi driver arranged to have this guy carry our luggage to our riad from the main square (Djemma al fna). Unfortunately he did not know where our riad was either, but got us to a smaller square where we enlisted the help of some young boys who got us to our Riad.

There were so many people, donkeys, motor cycles, bicycles, cars and bulldozers in the tiny streets it was very difficult to keep an eye on our luggage.

After successfully getting to our Riad a relaxing lunch in an air-conditioned restaurant was exactly what was needed.

Madrid Spain

Our apartment was a perfect fit for us. Perhaps the best of the trip. Nice area and comfortable.

The area around the presidential palace was very upscale.

We just happened to be there for one of the changing of the guard ceremonies.

Ah, the Iowa. Serving fresh porkchops and mash potatos from who knows where. Not to be outdone, one street over and slightly more upscale is the Nebraska. Go figure. Funny what makes up exotic foreign food!

Touring Aarau

While Tobias and I bicycled outside of town, Suzanna and Laurel took all of the kids on a tour of Aarau.

Any town with bronze monkeys hanging around has their priorities correct. (Fun first!)

The town was very pretty and had so much going on. With only 17,000 people it made our town of 15,000 feel like it had only 5000.

Switzerland, scenic? Who would have thought it?