Morocco

May 2015

Morocco round trip: Fes, Chefchaouen, Casablanca, Marrakech, Merzouga


Satellite dishes of Fes Medina are the only thing that reminds us it is not 1700s anymore View of the riad from the roof Time has stopped in Old Medina Donkeys are a popular way of transporting goods Entering the Old Medina of Fes One of the gates in Fes Bazaar of Fes Medina Camel meat Inner court of a Fes riad Exit from the riad to the bazaar Bazaar merchants don't like to be photographed Medina has many hidden courtyards and mosques The narrow streets of media get very crowded Fes has many animal skin workshops This is how you scrub the fur to get the leather The famouse tanneries of Fes Animal skins are drying first on the roofs Fortunately, there's plenty of sun in Africa for drying of stuff People work with bare hands After dying the leather is put onto donkeys for transport This all doesn't smell good A hell of a job - dirty, smelly, sweaty An abandoned mosque somewhere to the north of Fes I always wanted to climb a minaret Stairway from the devine world back to Earth Chefchaouen by night Blue city cat By night the Blue City looks purple Interior of a mosk, normally forbidden to non-muslims Laundry in a mountain river Naturally, women didn't like to be photographed Rabat Mausoleum of Mohammed V The famous Casablanca, one of the least pretty Moroccan cities The port of Casablanca Casablanca skyline Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca A proper mosque must be by the sea The second largest mosque, after Mecca The mosque is a popular gathering spot in Casablanca The mighty mosque was built by a French architect, who is a Christian You can get the tour of the mosque when it's not the prayer time The giant roof opening is very impressive The men's washing place before the prayer Hamam underneath hte mosque, never used as intended No bikins at the beach in Casablanca Abandoned Christian cathedral in Casablanca. This is where the city got it's name? :-) Nowadays the cathedral is used for exhibitions Motorcycle repair in Marrakech Old Medina of Marrakech has funny gas stations Backstage of a Hamam Entrance to our riad (hotel) Old Medina of Marrakech has plenty of motorized traffic A covered bazaar Lots of performances at the main square of Marrakech You can't see who you are offering your money Jardin Majorelle - very touristy gardens in the middle of the desert Restaurant Glacier in Africa In Marrakech you are literally forced to drink fresh orange juice Competition is extremely high smiling is mandatory The famous gay henna painter Make-up is important even if you are wearing a burqa Year is 2015, even in Morocco Jemaa el-Fnaa Strong tea replaces alcohol Night touareg drummers Everything's for tourists Hijab probably is as safe as a helmet Touareg woman Carpets for sale Ourika valley has some nice castles Buildings are made from the same stuff as the ground Ourika is full of places where you can eat Tajin by the river Ourika tajins African snow Ptayer time in the mountains Shop for hikers Crossing the High Atlas Kasbah Fenneca in early morning Kasbahs are old clay fortresses Pool and wine in desert - luxury stuff! Morning tea in the desert Approaching Aït Ben Haddou It was twice as scary to do this in the dark Ait Ben Haddou is an oasis Where do they find all these snakes? Aït Ben Haddou is home to many movies Tajins for sale The mighty kasbah Some of the buildings beyond repair View from old to new Oasis River is crossed on bags of sand Sheherazade Lots of film studios around Ourzazate Fake movie cars Tibet in Morocco Egypt in Morocco Dead hedgehog Entering Toudra Gorge The night in berber camp among Saharan dunes Berber darboukas in Sahara Berber camp during the night Starry moonless night in Sahara Scarabeus Leaving the camp Strange structures in Sahara Berber children in Merzouga Luxury Berber home at the edge of Sahara Dining hall in Berber home Planet Tatooine? Fossils in Sahara Berber chill-out tent Berber kitchen Tea time Abandoned military city at the border with Algeria Military mosque, this one is still operational for local miners Coal mine, very deep Tough work of Moroccan miners