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?

Aarau Switzerland

We spent our days in Aarau Switzerland with the wonderful Linder family.

This is Tobias's BBQ grill. In Tobia's words and accent: "This is sutch a daum nitce grill." It was really nice for us that their English was so good that we could really enjoy each other's sense of humor.

I have to admit that this daum nitce grill made some "daum nitce piedza". I think that our son agrees.

What a wonderful family. The Linders remind me of what I hope our family was like 10 years ago. They are such nice people. Warm, generous and friendly. We miss them already.

Leaving Besancon France

This is some of us with Eric and Ely, our hosts in Besancon.

Our sons had a good time getting all their energy out.

This is my new Bronze friend ala Cobert style.

Besancon was definitely one of the prettiest cities that we have visited this summer. If we were to choose 1 place to spend a year in Europe out of the places we have visited so far this summer this would definitely be it. The people living there were friendly to us and stopped to say hello to each other on the street. People seemed relatively happy with their lives and the city had a good healthy vibe to it. At this point we have spent nearly 2 months traveling and are getting tired of everything being an extra struggle with the unfamiliar. We are currently thinking that when we spend a year somewhere it will be at our condo in Mexico just to keep things easy. Of course, another 2 months from now when we've had a chance to recover a bit, who knows what we'll be thinking.. Our exchange student will definitely get a lot of empathy when she gets homesick and overwhelmed. (been there, done that, but not for a whole school year completely on my own).