Morocco 2015 Trip Day 3

Morocco 2015 Trip Day 3 September 27 Sunday

Wake up call 7:00 - Yoga 7:30-Breakfast at 8:30 on the bus by 10:00 Headcount, water and we are on our way for today's new adventure.

Today we again start our tour in the Medina, old city, of Marrakesh specifically the Mallah or Jewish Quarter. We were let off in the main square where I visited 2+ times the day before... as we started to go through the winding allies I saw they were very familiar because I was there!!! But this time I saw that we had another person with us on a motorcycle... he was for our local security.  Well, yesterday I also had some local security. First the view of the carpet seller at the corner, the entrance to the alley where the old Synagogue was, and even in this dingy dark alley the blue sky seeped through and remnants of patterned tiles could be found.

Composite plus Topaz Simplicity

Filter

The Old Synagogue Marrakech is still in use, but the Jewish population does not reside in the old quarter but is spread in newer areas of the city. I found this interesting photo album about Jews in Morroco. Rachel, one of our group was born in Marrakech and she remembers this Synagogue as a child. It was an emotional visit.

It was the eve of Sukkot and there was a decorated Succa along with many pictures  of the members of this congregation.

Succa in Old Synagogue

Composite plus Topaz Simplicity Filters

Entrance to Synagogue Courtyard

Composite

Another composite of the Old Synagogue and Ezrat Nahsim

the women's section

Our security escort

One of the many Boutique Hotels in the Mallach

Jewish Quarter

Leaving the Quarter  the Old cemetery of Marrakech

Will write more about the Morocco and Jewish connection in a separate post

Leaving Marrakech for the  Mountains through the  Ourika Valley. On the way we visited a typical Berber home and learned much about their traditions.... what views and what hospitable people.  it was very dark inside and I don't use flash my images are a bit grainy.

View from the upper balcony

Another view

A typical Casbah

View of the kitchen

Entrance area

Having tea with a special ritual.

That white lump is sugar!!!

Stopped at the tomb of Rabbi Solomon Bel-Hench

There are many tombs of Jewish Tzadikim (Saints) scattered in Morocco. The tomb of  Solomon Bel-Hench, who was the revered Head Rabbi of Marrakech. I found this interesting video. Muslims and Jews make pilgrimages to this tomb.

Composite of the courtyard

Composite

Tomb of Rabbi 

Solomon Bel-Hench

Picnic grounds on the Ourika river which flows all year round. many rickety bridges cross the river to many picnic grounds. Some picnickers put their tables and chairs  in the river. 

Picnicking on the Ourika River

Composite

River crossing

Have to be very careful

Look straight ahead and not down!

All along the road there are many vendors for food and of course souvenirs. One little shop much like a game arcade for playing hand football and pool.  Yael took her hand against the sons of the owners. 

The boys won every match!!!

We arrived back at the hotel late afternoon, time for some relaxing time at the pool early dinner and then off to the Fantasia.  It was an interesting show, but I guess my expectations were too high.  The sounds and colors were fantastic but, in the end I felt a little let down. 

Fantasia in Marrakech

Composite

Morocco 2015 Trip Day 2 Lost

Morocco 2015 Trip Day 2

Arrived at the  RM Menara hotel just in time for dinner last evening.
Wake up call 7 AM, Yoga 7:30... breakfast 8:30.. On the bus by 10:00..Hassan passing out our daily water for our tour of Marrakesh...  also counting the heads so no one is missing.

Yoga in the gorgeous lounge opposite the dining room

Composite plus Polaroid texture 

Our first stop was an artificial lake in the Menara Gardens..

Impressed with the wide plaza leading to the lake.... the local people including the venders that were everywhere.... Here is a composite of two views... one leading up to the lake and second of the lake.

Combined both photos and merged then  ran two filters in Topaz Simplicity, hard pencil and painting IV which I masked and blended in.

Lake Manara Marrakech, Morocco

Composite

 Koutoubia Mosque and Gardens  

I was impressed and a bit overwhelmed by all the patterns that where everywhere, sidewalks,buildings,gates etc. I made this composite of three photos. One of the entrances to the mosque a second of a prayer sitting at the entrance. I used one of the pattern detail images.  Experimented with filters from Topaz Simplicity 

Composite

Muslim prayer and gateway

Facade of the Mosque

Two filters from Topaz Simplicity

Our next stop was to the Medina, the old city in Marrakech....lots of alleys,shops, smells and textures.

Entrance to The Medina

Smartphone from bus window

Lost 

This is the where I got LOST.. Well really not lost..I knew I was in Marrakech but had lost sight of my group. Here is the last spot where when I lost the group.   On the top right I inserted a blowup of the people near a store where I thought I spotted my daughter with the new hat.  But when I got there... nada... no one from the group in site. Where to go left or right!!! Well I chose left as there seemed to be some attraction in that direction... a few twists and turns and I was in a sort of courtyard with people lined up to view a room. Thought I spotted the girl with the hat ...called out... no one answerd.  Went back to the store and looked to the right but didn't see any signs of any group... ( later I learned that they were in a cosmetic shop listening to a lecture about argam oil and cosmetics ) so back to the square.  One young Morracan boy asked me, in broken English if I was looking for something..answerd "I Lost my group" Well he seemed to know where MY group was among the many that were touring... so I started to follow him and another young man.

Last spot 

See girl with hat in insert.

Well then I thought that the group would be visiting the Mallah, Jewish Quarter so my new companions took me through the alleys to the Jewish Quarter to the Old Synagogue.  There I met a lovely lady from the Jewish Community that explained that there were no groups expected that day... which was the eve of Sukkot and also of Muslim feast Eid al-Fitr.  So off we went through the allies back to some main square. Took only 2 shots during my walk. Mind wasn't exactly on photography....composite showing the alley from the Synagogue and an interesting door with a Hamsa doorknob. I must have been some sight following two young Morocan boys.

My Morrocan guides 

Alley from Jewish Synagogue

Composite + Topaz Simplicity filters

Back to the main square there many tourist buses and we asked a driver about our group... Showed him a shot taken the day before of our bus and driver.... he didn't know him... Then I got the idea that I may have the the telephone number of our guide David... seaching through my phone found the number but alas it was his Tel-Aviv cell number... and the paper with his Moroccan number was back at the hotel...  my new guides helped me change money to make public calls... in the end got change from a local woman sitting and selling some odd items.... the boy saw that the change was not correct and spoke with her harshly demanding the correct amount.... why I didn't think to call the hotel was beyond me... had the hotel card....

Our GREAT driver

Well this is really turning into a long blog!!!! Long story short decided to taxi back to the hotel....David, our guide told us it would cost about 20 Dirhams but taxi driver charged me 50... one of my guides accompanied me in the taxi... saying he was to visit a friend in the Police station nearby...so off we went... let me tell you you are taking your life in your hands driving around Marrakech.... my guide got a generous tip... actually more than he asked for... wasn't that familiar with exchange rate ...the taxi driver also wanted another 20 dirhams to take my guide back to the square.... end of the line buddy... NADA...

Back at the hotel went immediately to the conseirge and told them that I was from David's group and they  told me that he has called about 1000 times looking to see if I returned..... I thought well I would spend the rest of the day relaxing by the pool... think I deserved that!!! It wasn't much more than 15-20 minutes that my daughter Yael  knocked on the door.... she also had a story to tell... remember the cosmetic shop... well the owner brought her back to the hotel on a moterbike... YIKES.   So back in a taxi ... back to the to the square... the group was on its own to wander ans shop....

.

Steet Scene

Marrakech

Also we got Henna drawings...

After bringing some refreshments she grabbed my hand and also made a drawing on my hand... which lasted the whole trip....

Henna Drawing

 In the early evening we went back to the Jemaa el-Fnaa square for more shopping and Marrakech experience... this time we rode there by horse and buggy!!! I was quite tired and overwhelmed by the crowds etc.  Yael said it reminded her of India only India MUCH more.... 

Horse and Buggy

A very popular way of transportation in 

Marrakech

Jemaa el-Fnaa Square

Early Evening

Jemaa el-Fnaa Square

Early Evening

Bazarre Jemaa el-Fnaa Square 

Composite plus filters from Topaz Simplify 

My Moroccan Album on flickr 

 

Morocco 2015 Trip Day 1

Morocco 2015 Trip Day 1

I am going to stray from my usual format of showing what's on my easel or sketch book to a description of my wonderful trip to Morocco --September 25 - Oct 6....I had brought my sketchbook and pencils hoping that I would have time to do some on spot sketches... what a dream that was.... Everyday day was so packed that I hardly had time to breathe let alone sketch.. many times arriving at the hotel just in time for the dinner. I did take loads of photos  with my regular Canon G11 and my new smartphone Meizu Note2 which has a marvelous camera. The trip was integrated with daily Yoga class in the mornings. My daughter was the instructor.

At first I thought I would make some sketches from the photos... how to choose which one..there are so many and each day there were 3 -4 different experiences. I have yet to process the photos, I shoot mostly in RAW,  so I decided to make some compositions using 2- or more photos.... I did a course with some online friends of the book by Katrin Eismann  Photoshop Masking & Compositing so it will be a good chance to brush up on my Photoshop skills. So this will be more like my travel diary.

Day 1 was a long and tedious day traveling with about 3-4 hours left of daylight after processing our passports at Mohammad V airport in Casablanca. First an explanation.. I was part of a group tour from Israel to Morocco. Since Morocco does not have diplomatic relations with Israel  the visa process was long almost 3 hours since they had to process 6 large groups from Israel with only 2 clerks.

Waiting

Yael relaxing with a head stand!!!

That's me in the reflection!!!

After finally leaving the airport we headed to the Grand Mosque Hassan II.  It then really hit me. Here I was in a Muslim country..I was  greatly impressed with the wide open spaces, the patterns, the people and the beautiful day!!! I have uploaded a group on my Flickr account. Its minaret is the world's tallest at 210 metres (689 ft). Wikipedia

The main tower, the plaza, family groups

Mosaics and tiles

With not much time left we headed over to one the popular Boulevard de la Corniche and the Miami Plage for some refreshment before heading  to Marakech... 2 -3 hours away.  

Yael had coffee

I had ice cream on a waffle!!!

On the way we stopped for --rest rooms- and some refreshments at a gas station on the main toll road... like  "Yellow" in Israel... Moroccan style!!! 

On the way to Marrakesh