Morning came pretty early the next day as we began the trip to Marrakesh. First up was the flight from Istanbul to Casablanca. We traveled on Turkish Air and I can't say enough nice things about that airline. Actual chefs prepare the food on board their 777 planes complete with reclining seats for sleeping, your own personal TV and service above the norm.
The VIP lounge in the Istanbul airport is nothing short of amazing. There are 8 to 10 food stations with delicious food made while you wait. There is a pool table in a library like setting, a driving range, an arcade, a computer/business center and sleeping rooms. (We took advantage of the sleeping rooms on our return trip.)
At the airport in Casablanca we boarded a train that took us into the city to catch the Marrakesh Express. Being of the generation in which the song is well remembered, we felt it important to experience this for ourselves. Unfortunately the train from the airport was the closest we would get to train travel that day. The train station was bedlam. People were traveling to Marrakesh to celebrate the end of Ramadan and there was no space for us or our luggage on the train.
We assumed that the train to Marrakesh would look about like this one from the airport. However, we found it to be packed from floor to ceiling with people and luggage and over 40 minutes late.
So, how were we to get to Marrakesh? It turns out we hired two old Mercedes cabs to drive us.
We stopped to let the police department know that they were taking us across the desert to Marrakesh and pick up some water for the trip. (Turned out to be a good thing we bought the water.)
Here's the scene from the cab at our stop. Note the donkey cart.
About half way to Marrakesh, the car Jon and I were riding in overheated. We coasted to a stop under an overpass and watched as the drivers opened the steaming hood. Probably the reason the car overheated was because there was no radiator cap. It certainly wasn't because of the air conditioner working. The windows wouldn't even go down in the back windows.
Everyone kept a positive attitude as all the water we had with us was poured into the radiator. Our only hope was that we would reach Marrakesh before we needed more water. We were unsure if the plastic water bottle that now served as a radiator cab would be sufficient.
After we got going again, I noticed that the ring Jon had given me for our 40th anniversary was missing. I was sure it was in the sand at the side of the road because I had moved it to my little finger in the heat of the car as my fingers swelled. I searched through my purse and the car but couldn't find it. It was a very sad moment for me but we decided the chance of me finding the right overpass to look under was very slim so we carried on.
Our hotel was La Maison Arabe a Riad-Hotel in the center of Marrakesh. It is possibly the most beautiful and interesting hotel we've ever stayed in. A Riad Hotel is a hotel that was created by combining several residences. This riad had 28 rooms on multiple levels. I counted the stairs from the front desk to our room as 46. Given that I was four weeks post knee surgery, I took them one at a time with my left leg and looked like a geriatric patient practically crawling up the steep steps. Here are some photos of our room which included a sitting area as well as a private patio overlooking the pool and dining area.
We dined in the hotel by the pool and spent the evening laughing and going over our day.
No comments:
Post a Comment