Waiting for the train

The another day we departed from Marrakech to Casablanca. But as I told that the way to hostel was kinda difficult to find, there is way. Some pictures of the way from hostel at first.

Entrance to the hostel Riad Massin II

There you must turn from the main street…

Smog from burned oil was incredible!

Waiting for the train in Marrakech

Waiting for the train in Marrakech

In the dessert near Marrakech

They build fences from cactus plants

As I said before, the trains are just nice. However, they have problems as well. I don’t know why at railways companies always work such incompetent people. There is always something to breaks down. I didn’t really understand what was it since the attendant in the train tried to speak french with me, and I don’t really speak french good enough to understand him. But anyway, we were waiting 3 hours to get something repaired until the train started moving.

Waiting for the train

Casablanca at night

We arrived to Casablanca quite late. We took a taxi petit in the railaways station and headed to Hotel Central in medina. After we arrived, we went to a great fish restaurant (but the one in Madrid is better, and also cheaper! [-;). But we ate really great. I had some shrimps and sepias, and Tomáš had some fish soup and fried seafood with various fishes.

Casablanca at night

After the dinner we climbed on the terrace on the top of the hotel, and took some pictures.

Lots of satellites

Square in front of our hotel.

After breakfast in the hotel in Casablanca

After brekky, we tried to get into the main mosque, but sadly we came about 15 minutes late, and we didn’t really want to wait till the evening for the opening hours. So we made a long walk throught the whole city to medina, and went to Féz which was our last stop on the journey.

In Casablanca

In the middle of souks

Narrow streets in Marrakech are incredible experience. The life in the streets is so unique, that I made a special post about that.

Woman in the middle of souks

Shopping. Scooters are unevitable…

In the middle of souks

Internet café

Be careful!

There are not only scooters, but also people on donkeys

Shop

Street

Street to hostel

Djemaa el Fna late evening

The rest of the day we were hanging around the city. We had a lunch at some restaurant at upper terrace at the Djemaa el Fna square. We also went to two palaces – Badi and Bahia. Well, just another day in Morocco… [-;

Overlook above the city

Yellow Mercedes’. An African classic.

Street in Marrakech

This lorry is just all right.

Djemaa el Fna during the afternoon

The dirt is not on your display…

Badi palace

Walls of Badi palace

Badi palace

Bahia palace

On the street

I saw it!

Traffic

Almoravid Koubba

The second day in the morning, as Kemar recommended us, we went to see three museum. Now, I will try to guess the names: Arts museum of Marrakech – museum of modern arts, Ben Youssef Madrasa (moorish school) and Almoravid Koubba.

View from the hostel’s terrace

Our room in the hostel

Hostel’s atrium

Arts museum of Marrakech

This museum was a modern arts museum, but to be honest, the paintings were sooo close what were they selling in every shop that you can’t believe it. I don’t know, I would imagine modern arts a little different way. But on the other side, the building, the architecture was just great. Again, there was a big atrium and small rooms around.

Great architecture

Tomáš watching his camera

Self portrait

An old lamp

Almoravid Koubba

Ben Youssef Madrasa

The madrasa was the last of three museums in that area, and indeed was nice too. I specially like the swimming pool in the middle [-; and I also like the small rooms. The only shortage was that most of the rooms were without windows or without proper illumination.

From the bottom

From the top

Street view

A random walker

Tea set

I wish I had such a swimming pool at school…

Way on the roof

Entrance to the school

A room for students

Two windows

Ceiling with writings from the students

Inside one students room

After spending the whole day in a train from Tangier, we finally arrived to Marrakech. We were glad to do so. Sitting in the train for 11 hours is not really pleasant even when you travel in the first class as we did. However, I will tell something more about trains in Morocco. Czech Railways should be ashamed that trains somewhere in Africa are actually cleaner than here! And it seems to be as fast as well. And I’m not talking about the railway stations. We were really in shock when we came in Tangier to the railway station. It was newly build (as in Marrakech), and so shiny. Imagine the contrast between the city which is destroyed from a half, and really dirty, and so new european style station. It seems that Moroccans took the trains seriously unlike here where the only train company is just a dump for money.

Airconditioned luxury restaurants in Djemaa el Fna

So you can imagine, we were exhausted after the ride. We arrived in Marrakech quite late in the evening, and took a bloody taxi. Be careful in front of these bloody bastards! They will try to rip you off. Sir, €10 is nothing. Hell no! It’s pricier than here! Don’t give them money they ask. This is rule number one in Morocco. Not even a half, not even a third, maybe 20%, or less. This is the rule number 1 in Morocco in general. We were really fed up of everybody overpricing everything. It’s specially embarrassing when you have no idea how much should you really pay. You don’t come there to be annoyed all the time. I reckon it’s all right that the tradition is to not to have fixed prices, but they are just over using that idea to rip off people. I must also say that some people don’t do it. And you should ask in the ho(s)tel how much you should pay for things.

Me in the train…

Cabrón, saluda al campeón. Real!!! (On the way to the hostel…)

So after this horrible taxi experience we arrived to the gates of medina. Medina is an old town in general. And they are amazing. These narrow streets are just incredible. You can imagine how were they came up as people were building chaotically more and more buildings. And watch the people, and the scooters in these streets wide just 2 metres. Also watch the bloody so called guides, and don’t promise them anything. We stayed in a hostel Riad Massin 2, and this one was way nicest hostel I have ever been to, and I have been to some… Really beautiful building. The amazing thing is that buildings in medinas have just one entrance, and a palace inside. Four walls, and a small garden inside. The hostel was a little difficult to find, but was worth it. Also the hotel was run by really nice people – Kemar was the boss, and he always made sure to show us everything important there. Specially the way.

Palace inside

Tea set

A welcome drink in the hostel. Mint tea.

We took a dinner in Djemaa el Fna, the main square in medina. There is always plenty of people, there is a lot of artists. And also lot of restaurants with air conditioning. Ehm, tents with air conditioning. Well, there was no air conditioning at all, as you find out… [-;

Me having a dinner

Cooks

Djemaa El Fna

Djemaa El Fna

Empty souks