Marokko

	Monday, 19th. This day we went by grand taxi (390 Dirham, the whole taxi) to the Todra Gauge (kloof). This cleft is 300 meters high on his smallest point of 10 meters. The ride wasn’t all that exciting, but the view of our hotel room certainly was. At four o’clock we took a walk into the mountains (north of the village, just to the left), without a guide (200-300 Dirham) and climbed a lot. Because of the time and the thought “could we also go down this way?” we returned back at six nearby the top. A lot of more-day walks into the mountains are possible here. Foto rechts: De Todra Kloof
Tuesday, 20th. We both slept only a couple of hours. Voor de bijdehandjes: niets achter denken, er waren heel veel diertjes en het was bloedheet, dit tezamen met een heuvelmatras. We walked through the valley, but this time to the south. We stopped for a drink at Amazir hotel. When you come by car, you definitely stop at this hotel with swimming pool, it’s a very good place. Then we took a taxi to Tinerhir, along the way the driver stopped for 5 minutes to eat couscous with his friends, and there we saw the first rain of our holiday. It rained for 20 minutes, but it didn’t seem to bother the inhabitants. In Tinerhir we took the bus to Ouarzazate. On the bus we ran into a Belgian couple, that we previously met at the dessert hostel. Of course, the bus driver had to have a good lunch on our trip, so we had to stand for more than half an hour still somewhere. In Ouarzazate we took a taxi together with the Belgian couple (they could negotiate in French) for 200 (total) Dirham to Ait Benhaddou, which is the city where for instance “the Gladiator” was filmed. We visited this by ourselves and it was great place to see. The Capitool even managed a photograph at an impossible angle. Ten families are still living in this place. After the visit we had a cup of tea in a little store. The owner had some friends in our land and wanted to write a Dutch letter to them, so we helped him a bit. The hotel was great. We had small rooms next to the swimming pool and views over the city itself. Diner and breakfast were at the swimming pool.	Ait Benhaddou
	Wednesday, 21st. We (read: the Belgiun guy) had asked the taxi chauffeur to pick us up at twelve o'clock, for a three and a half hours ride through the mountains to Marrakech for 440 Dirham. Local people only pay 420-580 Dirham for this distance, however, tourists have to pay 600-800 Dirham. Therefore off course “lieten we ons bruin bakken” at the swimming pool. With the same taxi, but without the Belgian couple, we drove to Imlil, a small village south of Marrakech, nearby Asni. We had another great hotel, very big with a bank, table and some chairs in it. The village looked like the end of the world or Donkerbroek (existing of only one real street). In less than half an hour we had visited the north and the south side of the village, and then north again. Across the street from our hotel (ecole du Toebkal) we had a very simple but good meal on top of the roof. Unfortunately, Milo didn’t feel that good and became ill after dinner. The only thing different that he ate compared to me, were pieces of orange and… watermelon. Foto rechts: Het Toebkal/Imlil gebergte
Thursday, 22nd. I slept wonderfully in a two-persons bed. Milo didn’t sleep very well in his one-person bed and felt likewise. After a breakfast in our room I went alone at eigth o’clock into the mountains. After half an hour of walking I saw a small mountain village, which I decided must be the right way up when crossing it. It wasn’t. After about another half an hour, with friendly kids giving me incorrect directions, I decided to go further up the mountain, after crossing a big stone field. There were a lot of other hikers doing the same trip, most of them had big bags or donkeys. After 5 hours and 10 kilometers I was at the Refuge (Neltler hut volgens Capitool), the nearest hut to the top, the Toubkal at 4200 meters high. The Refuge was at 3200 meter, and Imlil, the starting point was at 1700 meters. At the Refuge hut, were you could prepare your meals, I saw a lot of campers (lui die kamperen dus met een tentje). I went down to see Milo. In another day it was possible to climb the Toubkal. Because of the extreme height, if your body was not acclimated to thin air, you could possibly become ill. A lot of other climbing and walking routes were possible here as well. You may want to choose another time of the year, it was just too hot. Luckly me, the sun was not shining that day. When I walked done, I saw a laboring Berber woman, just on the path. In Imlil we took a taxi to Marrakech and looked for the hotel which another Belgian couple had recommended to me. The hotel had rooms around a small place and was lying in the medina. It was a very nice place when it’s not that hot. It was hot…	Marrakech, the medersa
Marrakech, the square in the medina	Friday, 23rd. “We dreven” out of our beds and then decided to have breakfast at the neighbours. We visited the amazingly large palace La Babia. Just follow the tourists and you’ll find it. It was a very beautiful palace, with lots of different ceilings and a large inside square. After this we visit we went to the Saadischic graves. In our Capitool was a photo which had golden walls and ceilings… we didn’t find that gold, but found those ceilings… Then we went to the big mosque, it was beautiful from the outside, but we weren’t allowed to go in. We took a taxi and drove to the Palmaire, a big park with 15,000 trees and a luxurious hotel, clubhouse, golfing and all the rich-man toys. The souks and the very large square (a lot of people are here in the evening) lives for the tourism. We visited a medersa, a builing in which 9000 students lived, and some other things and went to another hotel, Ouagaya with a swimming pool. Spaghetti was on the menu…. Tip: don’t order spaghetti as your first course and then escalope. Details? Ask Milo. Saturday, 24th. So I told: a swimming pool.
Sunday, 25th. At eleven o’clock we took the three hour train ride to Casablanca. After visiting two hotels which were full, we found a four-star hotel called Littorat. It was a nice hotel with a good view of the beach. Casablanca had one important thing: the mosque. It was locate at the beach in a large square. After that we arrived at the medina, because the taxi driver didn’t understand where we really wanted to go. The port (haven) was forbidden for some reason, so we went to the beach and walked in the water for a while, ate next to its beach (similar to cote d’Azur) and then went packing. Inpakken en wegwezen…niet dus. Monday, 26th. The plan: Airplane at 11:45, arriving in Paris at 16:45 (two hours difference). 17:50 the plane to Schiphol, landing at 19:00 o’clock and at home at eleven. The execution: leaving Casablanca at 12:15 by plane. Landing at Madrid, because of a person who became ill. Landing in Paris at 7 o’clock. Here they gave us a drink. 20:45: leaving Paris by plane. 22:05 at Schiphol. One o’clock @ home (parents). I slept there and the next morning I went home by bus. Commentaar van Jeroen: “even Manchester heen en weer is niets voor jou”. En daarom werd het Marokko, dankzij de dame van het reisbureau.	The Mosque of Casblanca

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