WAKAWAKA! It’s Time for Africa!

My trip to Morocco turned out amazing. I’m so glad I didn’t end up switching the date of me going.

First I’ll explain a little bit about the places I visited. Tanger (Tan-geer) is where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean. It’s full of LUSH green hills and trees and mountains! It is not what you expect when you think of Africa at all. It is basically a mixed city where everyone has left their mark throughout history Phoenicians, Berbers, Portuguese and Spaniards before the Moroccans took it over. Tetouan (Teh-ch-won) is in the Rif Montains and looks over the Mediterranean Sea. The Berbers founded this city and it is just quaint and beautiful for sights. Finally we visited the town of Chefchouen (Chef-shou-en). The whole town is very windy and it is super easy to get lost in. The people are welcoming and the houses are simple. Each house is usually decorated with white walls and a bright blue door. It is relatively clean and the town sits between two mountains which makes for a nice view!

My weekend went like this:

Friday we left Sevilla around 5 and got to the port where we would take a ferry to Tanger (where our hotel was at for the weekend) at around 730 and got to our hotel at 830 or so. This hotel was amazing, beautiful and different to me but probably standard architecture to those who live in Morocco. We settled into our rooms (I got to room with Madelon) and ate dinner which was a little different because, obviously it was things we don’t even eat here in Spain! We had Cous-cous (which I have had before and like a lot) and LOTS of veggies and just, a HUGE spread of different foods! It was great. We went basically right to bed that night because we had to get up and be ready to go by 8am. 

Saturday we got up early and went to Ride camels on the beach! It was a short ride, but that was enough for me! Haha! Having the camel stand up and get down with you on it is quite an experience!! Then we had time to hang out at the beach a little-just going down to the ocean and taking pictures which was absolutely beautiful. Then after the Camel rides/Beach we went to the caves (de Hurcules). After that we got back on the bus and drove to Tetouan which was about 2 hours away. There we ate at a restaurant which again, aesthetically beautiful and I enjoyed the food; and then took  a walking tour of the city. It was quite beautiful with all the mountains. We visited a Moroccan Rug shop.. I think our guide said it was the Berbers.. and met some adorable little children and just had a great time. At the end of our walking trip we were supposed to go have free time to shop but they had found out there was supposed to be a peaceful protest in the square where we were going to be, and just got us out of there right away. No need to chance it. J So that night we went back to the hotel and hung out and had supper and then Rufus, one of the guides, put on a magic show for us which was awesome. He’s an amazing magician. And we played a game which my team won, BUT we all get to win a prize…which is a calendar of the Discover Sevilla team (men).. which they made to raise money for the children in 3^rd world countries. Then some stayed downstairs to hang out and some of us just went back up to our rooms for the night to relax. 

Sunday we took a bus ride to Chefchouen which was about 1 hour/45min away from Tangers. Our guide here was the best one I had the entire trip I think. He took us on a walking tour and joked around and just was very knowledgeable about different information. Sunday was a market day in Chefchouen and so we got to experience the Moroccan Market which was DEFFINATELY an eye-opener! I could not imagine some of the things we saw and heard… Blair and I heard a cluckcluckcluc—crack and knew that meant he had just killed the chicken. Which, totally weird for me but I’m glad he was doing it and they were healthy chickens not like in the US with some companies who mistreat/fatten up their chickens with hormones, etc. Anyway, and they definitely eat every part of the animal there too. You will see if you look at my pictures on Facebook. Then after the tour we had lunch which was cous-cous again… and Kabobs which were both really delicious and also some Moroccan cookies for dessert. After lunch we visited the ‘Pharmacy’ which was really like a mixture of spices and natural ingredients they use for cooking and also for curing things like snoring/etc. but it was awesome! I got a 3 Euro massage which was amazing. At the pharmacy I bought a few presents. I got 9 grams of Saffron, and the stuff that is "supposed" to stop snoring! haha we will see!! and I also got a free lipstick which depending on the temp of your body is like clear, pink, or red if your hot. IT STAYS ON ALL DAY. so hard to get off but kinda cool haha! Then we went to a Moroccan Rug shop again which had some really cool cool pretty prettyyy rugs but LittlE DiD I know... he wanted 300 EURO for it. I tr

Monday, February 28, 2011

WAKAWAKA! It’s Time for Africa!

My trip to Morocco turned out amazing. I’m so glad I didn’t end up switching the date of me going.

First I’ll explain a little bit about the places I visited. Tanger (Tan-geer) is where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean. It’s full of LUSH green hills and trees and mountains! It is not what you expect when you think of Africa at all. It is basically a mixed city where everyone has left their mark throughout history Phoenicians, Berbers, Portuguese and Spaniards before the Moroccans took it over. Tetouan (Teh-ch-won) is in the Rif Montains and looks over the Mediterranean Sea. The Berbers founded this city and it is just quaint and beautiful for sights. Finally we visited the town of Chefchouen (Chef-shou-en). The whole town is very windy and it is super easy to get lost in. The people are welcoming and the houses are simple. Each house is usually decorated with white walls and a bright blue door. It is relatively clean and the town sits between two mountains which makes for a nice view!

My weekend went like this:

Friday we left Sevilla around 5 and got to the port where we would take a ferry to Tanger (where our hotel was at for the weekend) at around 730 and got to our hotel at 830 or so. This hotel was amazing, beautiful and different to me but probably standard architecture to those who live in Morocco. We settled into our rooms (I got to room with Madelon) and ate dinner which was a little different because, obviously it was things we don’t even eat here in Spain! We had Cous-cous (which I have had before and like a lot) and LOTS of veggies and just, a HUGE spread of different foods! It was great. We went basically right to bed that night because we had to get up and be ready to go by 8am. 

Saturday we got up early and went to Ride camels on the beach! It was a short ride, but that was enough for me! Haha! Having the camel stand up and get down with you on it is quite an experience!! Then we had time to hang out at the beach a little-just going down to the ocean and taking pictures which was absolutely beautiful. Then after the Camel rides/Beach we went to the caves (de Hurcules). After that we got back on the bus and drove to Tetouan which was about 2 hours away. There we ate at a restaurant which again, aesthetically beautiful and I enjoyed the food; and then took  a walking tour of the city. It was quite beautiful with all the mountains. We visited a Moroccan Rug shop.. I think our guide said it was the Berbers.. and met some adorable little children and just had a great time. At the end of our walking trip we were supposed to go have free time to shop but they had found out there was supposed to be a peaceful protest in the square where we were going to be, and just got us out of there right away. No need to chance it. J So that night we went back to the hotel and hung out and had supper and then Rufus, one of the guides, put on a magic show for us which was awesome. He’s an amazing magician. And we played a game which my team won, BUT we all get to win a prize…which is a calendar of the Discover Sevilla team (men).. which they made to raise money for the children in 3^rd world countries. Then some stayed downstairs to hang out and some of us just went back up to our rooms for the night to relax. 

Sunday we took a bus ride to Chefchouen which was about 1 hour/45min away from Tangers. Our guide here was the best one I had the entire trip I think. He took us on a walking tour and joked around and just was very knowledgeable about different information. Sunday was a market day in Chefchouen and so we got to experience the Moroccan Market which was DEFFINATELY an eye-opener! I could not imagine some of the things we saw and heard… Blair and I heard a cluckcluckcluc—crack and knew that meant he had just killed the chicken. Which, totally weird for me but I’m glad he was doing it and they were healthy chickens not like in the US with some companies who mistreat/fatten up their chickens with hormones, etc. Anyway, and they definitely eat every part of the animal there too. You will see if you look at my pictures on Facebook. Then after the tour we had lunch which was cous-cous again… and Kabobs which were both really delicious and also some Moroccan cookies for dessert. After lunch we visited the ‘Pharmacy’ which was really like a mixture of spices and natural ingredients they use for cooking and also for curing things like snoring/etc. but it was awesome! I got a 3 Euro massage which was amazing. At the pharmacy I bought a few presents. I got 9 grams of Saffron, and the stuff that is "supposed" to stop snoring! haha we will see!! and I also got a free lipstick which depending on the temp of your body is like clear, pink, or red if your hot. IT STAYS ON ALL DAY. so hard to get off but kinda cool haha! Then we went to a Moroccan Rug shop again which had some really cool cool pretty prettyyy rugs but LittlE DiD I know... he wanted 300 EURO for it.. although i didn't end up getting it, it was a great experience to bargain with them. Such an interesting cultural aspect.

After the rug shop we had a little free time to shop there so i got a few presents and then we took the bus, to the Ferry and then the bus to Sevilla and got home at about 12 or 1230am. The whole experience was amazing in Morocco. I am glad it wasn't more than three days because I was getting HOMESICK of Sevilla :) and I also just was kinda tired of the lack of variety in the food, it seemed as though we ate cous-cous for EVERY MEAL, which, i actually think we did. haha, I also I just was kind of feeling like (in the shops) that they took advantage of our skin color.. I know it happens to everyone. It really opens your eyes up to the problems when it is happening to you. This really affected me because even though I don't discriminate, You don't realize how it feels to be the one discriminated against.

Morocco was totally beautiful and were really accepting of kind of anyone who wanted to come visit their country. But you could totally tell the cultural difference between us and them. They acted like they had never seen a woman before in their life which got annoying at times but it was easy to brush them off with saying things like "i have a boyfriend/husband" :)

Cultural experience=awesome

Would I go back=yes.
Do i recommend others to go=with a group, not alone. but it is so cool to go for a weekend.
Overall experience=AMAZING- WAKA WAKA EH EH

:)

TQM/ Hasta.

Posted by Katrina at 2:43 PM 2 comments n

After the rug shop we had a little free time to shop there so i got a few presents and then we took the bus, to the Ferry and then the bus to Sevilla and got home at about 12 or 1230am. The whole experience was amazing in Morocco. I am glad it wasn't more than three days because I was getting HOMESICK of Sevilla :) and I also just was kinda tired of the lack of variety in the food, it seemed as though we ate cous-cous for EVERY MEAL, which, i actually think we did. haha, I also I just was kind of feeling like (in the shops) that they took advantage of our skin color.. even if we said I only have 20 durhams they would say ok final price 30.. but SOMETIMES if you walk away they will say, OH OK OK OK 20! haha!

Morocco was totally beautiful and were really accepting of kind of anyone who wanted to come visit their country dispite the race. But you could totally tell the cultural difference between us and them. They acted like they had never seen a woman before in their life which got annoying at times but it was easy to brush them off with saying things like "i have a boyfriend/husband" :)

Cultural experience=awesome

Would I go back=once is enough for me
Do i recommend others to go=with a group, not alone. but it is so cool to go for a weekend.
Overall experience=AMAZING- WAKA WAKA EH EH

:)

TQM/ Hasta.