Like so many great trips I’ve been on, it all started out started out as a bit of joke. That’s how at 3 am, I once left AJ’s bar and still made it to Cocoa Beach in time for the first Space shuttle. It’s how leaving from the same Florida, bar, we drove 18 hours for my first ever ski trip in West Virginia. Although in hindsight starting my skiing career at the top of the black run was a mistake, I was luckier than Sunny Bono to survive. A joke was also the start of our 2000 miles, four day trip to Africa. “Hay Stev,” I said to my old school friend. “Why don’t we go to Morocco, it looks really close to southern Spain?”
“Yea, alright” he said “Lets do it!”
So with no planning or preparation of any kind we drove, two hours from Malaga down to the tip of Spain and bought a ferry ticket to Tangiers. And no we didn’t ask the rental car company what their policy was on taking their car to North Africa!
The ride was just 35 minutes, then the fun started. In typical third world fashion the entry process, if you can call it that, is a series of minders, worthless papers, official stamps and bribes. Once through the chaos of Tangiers though we were really impressed with the quality of the motorway as we sped on an excellent road towards our first stop Rabat some 300 km south. Rabat was a surprisingly modern city like any large city but with the impressive Kasbah right on the ocean. Although the signage and experience on the motorways including frequent, clean, well lit gas stations was great. Once you get off the motorways all bets are off!
Signage is non existent, and the combination of cars, donkeys and suicidal throngs of pedestrians is just the start. For those of you who think you are battle tested behind the wheel because you drive in Los Angeles, New York or Atlanta morning traffic, think again. For the worldlier among who have tried a roundabout in say Paris, Rome or Milano, I assure you, that’s mere amateur stuff!
That we made it through the week, without a fatality is still amazing. Pedestrians jump out of bushes, over walls and through fences to cross roads whenever they feel like it with virtual immunity including on all the motorways. This, despite the fact, that there are police everywhere, usually four on each junction and every few hundred yards in every city. On foot, they simply step into the middle of the road and point at you for whatever infraction they can dream up. At this point they either wave you on your way as a Touristico or start negotiation on a fine based on your supposed, although totally unrecorded on any paper, infraction. On the two out of five times we went to this stage we turned a $40 fine into $10 by claiming to understand nothing. Surprisingly enough both cops actually gave us change, although Brittany Spears has more chance of become president than that that money ever has of making it back to city hall!
But hay on the plus side no points on your license!!
Marrakesh was Amazing. It’s a huge city of 1.5 million people. Part Palm Springs, part Los Angeles with miles of low-rise buildings, part ancient city! Whatever hit the rest of the world is taking they are still building like crazy there! Lots of high-end resorts, shopping centers, a formula one circuit and thousand of new apartments.
The old section, which includes miles of tiny allies full of shops, was amazing as was the nightly gathering of humanity in the huge square, shared by food vendors, snake charmers and entertainers!
We took a local guide whose main job was to guide us to shops where he got a kickback. This proved to be a lucrative day for him as my friend bought a carpet, some ceramics and some antiques. In fact he spent so much money they are already talking about naming a street after him. I resisted all efforts and was quickly whisked out of the way for mint tea, so I didn’t not get in the way of the selling process, em, cunningly clever!
Royal Marrakech was a fine 27-hole complex that dates backs to the 1920’s. The atmosphere was very relaxed and friendly and 27 holes including a generous tip were just $25! Green fees for the day were $55. The course was in great shape and an interesting mix of very tight and tree lined holes and more open American style holes. While they’re where few holes that would knock your socks off 18 is a notable par three, and the over all experience was well worth the visit!
Onwards to the Royal City of Fez, over the Atlas Mountains…it looked close on the map!!!! Eight hours into our 5-hour journey, having driven like the Paris to Dakar rally, we gave up an hour short of our target, at midnight. Despite the hour the hotel we stayed at were most accommodating and opened up the kitchen to cook us a full meal… try doing that in England!
Stopped to check our Royal Fez, golf course but opted to play tourist instead. Fez in many ways has more history and culture than Marrakech but if I was going to do one or the other I choose Marrakech. The ancient tanneries are not to be missed in fact all various artisan sections are all cool. Each starts with a very interesting tour watching the craftsmen at work and of course ends in a shop. It’s easy to see where Disney got the idea of every ride exiting through a store! Despite me giving him the perfect out, by telling the carpet seller that my friend had just bought a carpet two days ago and that he was a little late in the game…. my friend bought a larger, even more expensive carpet anyway!
“No buy…. just look…..!”
Man these guys are GREAT salesmen, If the golf industry had this type of training and persistence courses would have waiting lists again!
