We were in no hurry to get up and out. After spending a bit of time in one spot you often get bored and tired of it. This is the point when true vacation relaxation sets in. You feel compelled to do something, but it can often feel monotonous. As we get older we prefer this to ‘all inclusive’ which is all the same. We get a couple days of exciting tourist exploration, followed by a couple days of just cultural immersion.
After chilling in the hotel for most of the morning, we set out for the hop on hop off. The bus was a 40 minute wait, so we discovered a Sky Bar with a view of the stop. The beer was expensive but the view was perfect.
We boarded the bus and changed routes at stop 1. We decided not to wait 40 mins for the next bus, but walk for a bit instead.
Although most were very well marked, we couldn’t find the next stop. Instead, we flagged down the bus; we had told the guy we were walking so....they were watching for us.
We enjoyed the tranquility of the bus; taking in the local sites. This bus took us far outside the city where there was quad and camel riding. We stopped for a photo opt with some not so friendly camels.
There really is not a lot to say about Marrakesh. We enjoyed our time here, but this city is tourist hell. The market is largely a scam waiting to happen and the tourist sites are dishevelled and over priced. The food in the tourist areas is expensive and lacks flavour. Overall, it was nice to be here for weather and the experience was worth it. Our hotel was very comfortable and we had a very relaxing time there.
The morning after 1 Feb 2020; we set out for Casablanca on the train, fairly uneventful. After arriving, we walked the 100 feet from the station to our apartment where the maid let us in. There was a bit of double booking confusion, but it worked out fine.
After a quick walk through the market, we found some nosh for dinner. I was hoping for a fantastic shawarma like I had the last time we were here, but the downtown area only had the style we had in Marrakech (more a half circle instead of a roll). It was delicious however and the fries were amazing.
Walking around, the crowds were electric. Being the sabbath, people were out everywhere.
My last Moroccan bucket list item was snail soup. I love escargot, but I could give or take the snotty textured snails out of the shell. The soup, however was very unique, spicy, quite medicinal. It was good and only 5 dirhams (about 80 cents).
2 Feb 2020; Our last day was not unlike other vacations relaxing and time spent shopping. We bought a variety of spices, cookware and other small items. Time for home!
