Marrakech, how to arrive.

By plane:


Marrakech has an international airport called Marrakech-Menara airport, with many flight from all over Europe, for the others countries you must change plane in Casablanca. Many lost cost companies arrive in Marrakech. Royal Air Morocco is the company that travel inside of the country. The airport isn't far, 9 km, you can take a taxi or the bus number 19.

By bus:


There are many bus companies also for long distance. The recommended companies for tourist are CTM or Supratours, personally i travelled also with small locals companies to get the cheapest price, never had problems but sometimes is quite hard to be understood and the bus may stop many times without any logic, but is the others side of the travel and could be funny if you don't care too much about the delay.

By train:

There are tegular trains from Casablanca, Rabat and Tangier. If you are arriving from Spain for sure you will take the train from Tangier, and it takes around 10 hours, there are night and day trains. Morocco trains has first class with 6 seats or second class with 8 seats. No trains further south Marrakech, you must travel with buses. Unexpectedly i found the trains quite comfortable.

What a mess Marrakech!

Noisy then silent, colorful and rich of perfumes, exotic, magic and mysterious, Marrakech is everything. All yours  expectations won't fail. The city is moving all day long, the first impression is like a crash, every single thing draw your attention and once you get use the bloody mess become a different "normality".

pray time during Ramadam

I knew Ramadam was the best period to visit the city, you can breathe the strong spirituality and the devotion of all the people, even you are not a believer the atmosphere is charming. Koutoubia is one of the biggest mosques of muslim west, the tower is  67,50 m high. I was sitting there when the minarets were singing and was absolutely magic.

Koutoubia mosque

The bazar its called "souk", is located in the heart of the city, the old part (Medina), here are concentrated all the traditions old thousand of years. Once was divided into specific sales area, but now the division is vanishing. Dont be shy, here is normal accept a mint tea gave by a seller, and bargain the price is one the funniest game. Get lost around the souk and eventually find an exit, is always funny and never dangerous.

After the sunset the souk become empty and silent, welcome to mysterious Marrakech.

Djemaa El Fna square is a big space where you can see all the shows from jugglers, snake charmers and much more. While in the morning is used for the fruit and spices market. The name Djemaa El Fna is quite macabre, it means "dead gather" because once this place was used for public executions.

One of Marrakech jewels are the gardens, beautiful and peaceful, perfect to have a rest from the hot temperature.

Marrakech is a muslim city so there is not a full night life, but if need something stronger then a mint tea some hotels sell wine, beers and cocktails.

The city will give you many experiences and impression and the only way to discover it is walk. In my opinion is one the best city ever seen, and the reasons are hard to explain, some feeling are just for your self  thats why Marrakech is magic.

Drifting through Chefchaouen.

Chefchaouen (Morocco), how to arrive.

From Spain


If you arrive by boat from Spain is better to choose Ceuta then Tangeri.
Take a public bus to the Morocco border, once that you pass the police check and you finally are in Morocco there are many taxi.
Take one to Tetouan, always bargain the price first.

By bus
From Tetouan there are direct bus to Chefchaouen, they lived me quite far from the center. But it's possible that some kind guy give you a lift to the Medina (the old center of the city).

Accommodation
Chefchaouen is cheap like all Morocco, but here you can find a bed for only 4 euro a night, of course dont expect all comfort. I slept in a hostel, on the roof, at the end worth it. Sleep under the stars is always a good compromise.

Chefchaouen, on the top of Rif Mountains.

Chefchaouen, is located in the south of the city of Tetouan, northern Morocco, dominated by the Rif mountains.
Charming and traditional, Chaouen is paint of blue!

I spent here the best days of all my travel in Morocco, the atmosphere here is different, a weird air of tolerance and freedom. The answer could be quite easy to be found. The reputation of this small village is connected to the marijuana growing, all around the mountains. Quite funny to see how the local population seems to dont care too much, instead in Morocco drug use is scourge.
The beauty of all the small street of Medina (the old town) is absolutely catchy. The mosque singing with the sunset, and then the magic silent looking at the mountains around you is a perfect end for your day.

What you dont have to miss are the cascade!
I took a taxi to go there, but for be sure that he would come back in the evening to bring me back Chaouen i asked to the guy of the hostel, need to be clear on that with the time, there arent taxi there!
The drive until the mountains was the first part of the day adventure, literally! The dirt road were simply scary, and even i was laughing on the fast driving of the taxi driver, inside me i was just praying to get there more then safe, alive!
Once that i arrived, i realized that the cascade still far. More then 2 hours by walk though the mountain path, found out that is better to dont venture alone, a little kid become our guide for some money.
Hot temperatures didnt help me to walk, definitely trekking is not for me. And after that the kid indicated me at the other side of the mountain a "big animal" seems like a lion mountain, my walking get faster!

When finally the cascade was in front of me, all of this worth it.
There were even some tables, and other guys simply happy to be there, and with reason. The place was amazing, and also a natural swimming pool just before the fall. Have a swim there with the pure and so cold water gave me all the energy  i lose walking. A perfect day that i truly recommend you.

I ain't got no plan.

"The World At Large"

Ice-age heat wave, can't complain.
If the world's at large, why should I remain?
Walked away to another plan.
Gonna find another place, maybe one I can stand.
I move on to another day,
to a whole new town with a whole new way.
Went to the porch to have a thought.
Got to the door and again, I couldn't stop.
You don't know where and you don't know when.
But you still got your words and you got your friends.
Walk along to another day.
Work a little harder, work another way.

Well uh-uh baby I ain't got no plan.
We'll float on maybe would you understand?
Gonna float on maybe would you understand?
Well float on maybe would you understand?

The days get shorter and the nights get cold.
I like the autumn but this place is getting old.
I pack up my belongings and I head for the coast.
It might not be a lot but I feel like I'm making the most.
The days get longer and the nights smell green.
I guess it's not surprising but it's spring and I should leave.

I like songs about drifters - books about the same.
They both seem to make me feel a little less insane.
Walked on off to another spot.
I still haven't gotten anywhere that I want.
Did I want love? Did I need to know?
Why does it always feel like I'm caught in an undertow?

The moths beat themselves to death against the lights.
Adding their breeze to the summer nights.
Outside, water like air was great.
I didn't know what I had that day.
Walk a little farther to another plan.
You said that you did, but you didn't understand.

I know that starting over is not what life's about.
But my thoughts were so loud I couldn't hear my mouth.
My thoughts were so loud I couldn't hear my mouth.
My thoughts were so loud.

All aboard Istanbul / Sofia night train.

If you have some days more, and the flight tickets are getting expensive this is an alternative way. I paid only 12 euros, and i was ready to be awake for all the 12 hours, but surprisingly even we were six person in a cabin, there were six bed with clean sheets. Many travelers choose this train to move in Bulgaria, to the airport of Plovdiv where there are many low cost companies. A good opportunity to meet new people...

But be prepared! At 4 o'clock in the morning someone will wake you up screaming "TURKISH BORDER".
Hundred sleepy guys holding the passports.

                                                                   Good morning Bulgaria!

From south east coast to Antalya

Spend the last days in the seaside is almost like a prize after a long travel. The turkish south east coast is attended by turkish people, until Antalya which is considered one of the most touristic places.

Hatey (Antakya) is a great example of peaceful cohabitation between different cultures and religions. See the sign of a catholic church close to a  mosque give you the idea of how special is this city, where they still to speak arabic, Syria is only 30 km far.

While i was having a rest in a park, i had a sweet scene in front of me that for sure i wasn't expecting coming here. Some women with the burka, close to the them some girls with mini-skirt, sitting on the bench a couple kissing, others men speaking in arabic, and all of this surrounded by a calm atmosphere. I just thought to have found a small peace island.

Arsuz is a small village, there is nothing but some restaurants, cheap hotels, small bars and the beach, a choice by families, but perfect to have a rest for two days enjoying the beach that is not one of the best, but the water is cleaned and no kind of stress around you.

Kizkalesi gave me the impression to be a big circus, not in a nice way, full of hotels on the beach, and nothing more, but there is jewel just in the middle of the sea, is worth at least for a nice swim, right on the beach there is also a castle ruins. Spend one day and half is enough.

Antalya if 10 hours far from Kizkalesi, so again a night bus. Personally i moved to Antalya just because had my flight to Istanbul. A literally trap for tourist, and after saw the east of Turkey couldn't enjoy this place too much even i have to admit the sea water was of an amazing color and limpid. And i had to pay to enjoy it, well guess is the price to stay close to the hostel.