Wednesday 4th December to Thursday 5th December 2019 It was a pleasure to be returning to the beautiful city of Bath and we were blessed both by good company and sunshine. Having pre-booked timed entry tickets to the Roman Baths for the following day we strolled around and were pleased to see that a local restaurant was promoting us. We visited Bath Abbey where . . . . . . a major refurbishment project is underway to repair the floor which is collapsing. Outside, the Bath Christmas Market takes over much of the city centre and roads are closed to traffic. It offers all the usual stalls, but mid-week, away from the week-end crowds, and in such a beautiful setting it was one of the most pleasant such markets we have visited. We walked up to the Royal Crescent as the sun was sinking in the sky. We then tried some restorative mulled cider in the “Apres-Ski Bar”. After some Christmas shopping, more refreshment was required and, naturally, Robert could not resist a beer named Stouty McStout Face. The next day we returned to visit the Roman Baths, walking through the Christmas Market . . . . . . .and […]
2019
Monday 2nd December to Tuesday 3rd December 2019 Having planned to meet friends in Bath to enjoy the famous Christmas market there we decided to break the journey and found a place to stay near the ancient site of Old Sarum. From here we walked into Salisbury and visited the Cathedral. The original building was constructed between 1075 and 1092 but just five days after the consecration ceremony it was damaged in a storm and needed repairs: we felt that some people might have taken this as a sign of divine displeasure. In about 1120 to 1130 the cathedral was rebuilt on a much grander scale, although some of these buildings have since been demolished. Today there is a peaceful cloister which is said to be the largest of any cathedral in Britain. In the Chapter House off the cloisters you can see the best preserved one of just four remaining original copies of the Magna Carta, dating from June 1215. This document covers such varied topics as the standardisation of weights and measures and the rights of the Church as well as the importance of legal due process and, crucially, the principle that no one, not even the king, […]
Tuesday, 26th November 2019 Due to its position and its dramatic geology Gibraltar has been a strategic military and naval base for centuries and many of the tourist sights reflect this. Testament to its importance is the determination of other nations to gain control of the Rock and Gibraltar. It had faced fourteen sieges in a 500 year period by the end of the eighteenth century. We took the easy option and rode the cable car again to the upper station at Signal Hill Battery. At the top we were enveloped in clouds, so there were no panoramic views today. We took a different route down this time, to the Great Siege Tunnels where the entrance is still guarded by ancient artillery. . . As we admired the impressive views across the airport, we overheard a local guide saying that Gibraltar is the fifth most dangerous airport in the world. As we would be flying out from there the following day, you can imagine that this was not the most welcome news. The Great Siege Tunnels were excavated through the solid limestone of the northern end of the Rock by the British during the Great Siege. The tunnels were the […]
Monday, 25th November 2019 Matilda, having thrown up on the ferry the crossing the Straits, was particularly disappointed to be feeling under the weather on the first morning in Gibraltar where the breakfast reflected “The Rock’s” close links with the UK and tempting “full English” cooked fare was on offer. However, she contented herself with some plain toast and enjoying the views from the dining room, hoping to be able to do the meal justice the following day. We felt that the management might wish to update their “rogues’s gallery” in light of recent royal developments and we offered to help. Despite feeling fragile, Matilda was determined to see some of Gibraltar so we went on the cable car, passing almost directly above our hotel . . . . . . to the upper station at Signal Hill Battery, on Gibraltar’s second highest peak. Signs as you queue for the cable car advise you not to take food or plastic bags with you as the infamous apes will make these a target. Sure enough, as soon as we disembarked, an ape leapt onto the cable car to assess the pickings and then, having spotted a carrier bag, made friends with […]
Sunday, 24th November 2019 As we left our hotel for the next leg of this trip, we told the gentleman on reception where we were going. “Ah, home from home,” he commented. The ferry to Gibraltar leaves from Tanger Med, a new port which is benefitting from an extensive development programme and which is about an hour’s drive from Tanger Ville. Ferries leave Tanger Ville more regularly but serve mainland Spain, not Gibraltar. Robert’s original plan was that we would be able to catch a train to Tanger Med port, but this is part of the massive infrastructure project and the line is unfortunately not yet running. When we arrived at the port, we could see the tracks already laid, directly into the terminal building. It was almost deserted although those few who were travelling seemed to have an inordinate amount of luggage in comparison to the two of us who like to travel light. Buses take passengers from the building to the dockside but the schedule seemed to be rather unpredictable and haphazard. It was nearing sunset when we boarded the boat and Matilda, who had been feeling unwell all day managed to climb the steep stairs up from […]
Saturday, 23rd November 2019 This morning at breakfast we again fell foul of a miscommunication, which we had also experienced in India, when Robert’s request for two fried eggs was interpreted as two portions of two fried eggs each. So, fortified by a surfeit of eggs, we set off on a walk taking in the major sights which we had identified the evening before. This took us along the beach . . . . . . where an intriguing fishing technique was in progress. A row of fishermen were pulling in a line, which we think was attached to a fishing boat, but it could have been attached to nets. They had a rhythmic action going, almost like a tug of war, which involved stamping one foot in unison as they worked their way up and away from the sea hauling the line up the beach as they went. The one furthest from the water would periodically move back towards the ocean to take up the rope and start pulling again. We had thought to stay long enough to see what they hauled in but it was a more time-consuming process than expected and we walked on. Tanger, also called Tangier and […]
Friday, 22nd November 2019 Today we travel from Rabat to Tanger and move from predominantly French influences to a previously held Spanish territory. As we left Rabat we said farewell to the performance hall/opera house which was being built on the river bank opposite our hotel. An amazing construction [see feature photo at the top of the blog], this manages to combine elements of Concorde with the organic majesty of a whale. It is streamlined and beautiful. We have been impressed throughout out trip to Morocco with the huge infrastructure developments that are underway. There is building work everywhere and the completed buildings are impressive and modern with a Moroccan style. The most notable developments that we have noticed have been the railway stations: Marrakech, Casa Voyageurs and Rabat. At all of them ONCF, the Moroccan railway company, has left the original French railway building and attached to it a modern, functional and spacious railway station. As in much of the rest of Rabat, there are building works going on at the station at Rabat Ville. It looks as though the tramline will eventually come undercover into the station and the exterior is already taking shape. In 2018, after 10 […]
![Rock[s and] the Kasbah, Rabat](https://i0.wp.com/iciel.uk/imagesTH/19-09-Morocco/Post8/19-09-08-feature.jpeg?resize=570%2C350)
Thursday, 21st November 2019 We had a leisurely start to the day then set off to walk the walls and the coastline. Our first landmark was the old lighthouse, which became visible through the Bab Laalou [below left] entrance to the Cimitiére Chouhada. The day was rather overcast and the Atlantic Ocean was demonstrating the impressive force of nature as it . . . . . . . crashed onto the shore by the lighthouse. As we walked on past the lighthouse and past the Plage de Rabat it was clear that work was well underway to make this area a seaside destination for tourists. The beaches need to be kept clean, but a promontory was being built out into the sea and the facilities and infrastructure were being improved. It was also clear that the man-made breakwaters were very effective: once round the headland and into the estuary, the waters were almost still. You can climb up to the battlements of the Kasbah where there are panoramic views across the mouth of the river and out towards the breakwaters. Our route back towards the town took us past one of the ancient, ornately-carved entrances to the Kasbah. From here […]
Wednesday, 20th November 2019 There were conflicting reports about whether it was possible to visit the Royal Palace, but we set off to try and gain entry, armed with our passports which we had been told we would need if we were successful. This quest proved to be an exercise in perseverance. Initially we took the tram to the Nations Unies tram stop and walked a short distance to one entrance to the Palace. Here we were told by one pair of guards that it was always closed to the public and we were not allowed to take photos. A little further down the street a second set of guards told us that we had to walk clockwise around the perimeter to a different entrance. On the way, we passed the Rabat Ville Railway Station which has a well tended fountain in front. We also took some time out from our quest and visited the Art Deco Cathédrale Saint-Pierre situated on a pleasant circus, Place du Golan. Construction began in 1919 and it was inaugurated in 1921. The two distinctive towers were added to the striking exterior in the 1930s and the interior is beautiful yet rather minimalist by comparison […]
Monday, 18th to Tuesday 19th November 2019 Having had a drive around the city sights to get our bearings we thought we would walk a similar route towards the Hassan II Mosque for views across the rocky strata to the lighthouse. . . . . . and along the seafront. On the drive the previous day Matilda had noticed “Rick’s 1942” which had a sign outside announcing it would be “opening soon” as the “ultimate tourist experience”. This is a bold claim indeed given it is up against the Hassan II Mosque. From the outside it seems to have sufficient space to make it appear more like the film set version than the one we visited last night. No doubt it will be a success as people [Matilda included] will want to pay their own small tribute to the enduring appeal of this iconic movie. We decided to visit another of the recommended restaurants for our evening meal, this time with a Spanish influence. The meal, the service and the ambience were all excellent. The following morning we had a train to catch from Casablanca to Rabat, the capital of Morocco. Our carriage for the journey to Rabat was in […]
Sunday, 17th November 2019 The priority in Casablanca is to visit the Hassan II Mosque, the only mosque in Morocco which non-Muslims are allowed to visit. The hotel concierge said it would be a pleasant walk in the sunshine, but the route he directed us to, took us through an area where there was much heavy building work going on and the pavement was often out of bounds so we were walking with the traffic. We felt we could find a more picturesque route back but the works seem to be designed in part to create a more picturesque approach to the mosque. On the way we spotted Rick’s Café which Matilda, who studied film, was adamant had to be on the itinerary and was already scheduled for later that evening. We carried on towards the Hassan II Mosque which was built between 1987 to 1993 by [unsurprisingly] King Hassan II, the father of the current monarch, Mohammad VI. The mosque was originally scheduled for completion in 1989 to coincide with King Hassan II’s sixtieth birthday but [also unsurprisingly] this was delayed. It combines traditional Moorish architecture with modern technology and is simply beautiful: the exterior is predominantly polished granite with […]
Saturday, 16th November 2019 Today we travel from Marrackech to Casablanca by train. Marrakech Station is in the modern part of the city, as is our hotel. It is a bright sunny day so we decide to walk the 20 minute route to the station, straight along the wide, modern boulevard where the national flag predominates. Along the route we pass many modern buildings all built in the same red rendered style, typical of which is the Royal Theatre. The terminus station was built in 2008. It is clean, large, civilised and even has it’s own McDonald’s. This is the southern most point of the Moroccan railway system (ONCF). Our train was on time. As we leave Marrakech, travelling north, we go through arid, desert terrain. The journey to Casablanca is 138 miles long and is scheduled to take two and three quarter hours. The line between Marrakech and Casablanca was originally built as a narrow gauge 600mm (2ft) railway in the early 1920s by the French. Travelling by train allows you to relax, look out of the window and enjoy the views. As you travel north more vegetation is visible as the land becomes less arid. At one point […]
Friday, 15th November 2019 Matilda had identified the eponymous Art Deco Jardin Majorelle as today’s “must do” visit and became quite excited when Robert suggested catching the Marrakech hop on hop off bus as the means of getting there. There was a convenient stop outside our hotel, opposite the Menara Mall. Although many cities have them, Robert will never normally contemplate these hop on hop off buses. However, in Marrakech one ticket provides multiple trips on two different routes – a red “historic” route and a green “oasis” route – over a 48 hour period and the green route finishes at the Jardin Majorelle. Initially we took the red historic route, past the Koutoubia Mosque . . . . . . and Bab Agnaou which once marked the main entrance to the Almohad Palace. The red and the green routes converge at stop number one and we changed here onto the green route which is more rural and offers views of the hills to the north of Marrakech . . . . . . and hilltop fortifications. We were told when we got on our first bus that two out of three buses on the red route had audio commentary […]
Thursday, 14th November 2019 Following a leisurely breakfast, we set off to walk round Marrakech. Our walk led us along tree-lined boulevards with wide pavements to the Koutoubia Mosque. The city was founded in 1062 by Youssef ben Tachfin, the leader of a tribe of nomadic warrior monks known as the Almoravids and it became Morocco’s second capital. In 1147 the Almohads took over control of Morocco’s major cities and it was under this dynasty that the Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech was built. The minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque rises proudly above Marrakech and dominates the skyline. Its continued supremacy is due to a century old piece of legislation introduced under French colonial rule which remains on the statute books to this day: it is decreed that no building in the Medina (old city) should be taller than a palm tree and no building in the New City should rise above the height of the Koutoubia minaret. We were unsure whether all palm tress are aware of this restriction or whether one might, inadvertently, in a season of plentiful water and in a burst of ecological enthusiasm exceed the accepted height. The minaret itself is 77 meters tall and complies […]
Wednesday, 13th November 2019 This trip is a first for both of us: the first time either of us has stepped on African soil and, in Paul Simon’s words, “walked under African skies”. Flying into Marrakech Menara Airport the landscape beneath us looked predominantly arid but, where it had been cultivated, the fields were very regular and angular with regimented rows of crops. In the arrivals lounge there were a couple of kiosks offering local SIM cards at a cost of €1 per Gb. A WorldSIM from our usual international supplier, for short stays in non-European countries, works out at £230 per Gb in Morocco, whilst O2 sent us a message saying the charge was £7 per Mb (the equivalent of an eye-watering £7,000 per Gb). The local offering is clearly considerably cheaper than a WorldSIM and we opted for two 20 Gb SIMs so that we could both stay in touch. Buying a local SIM obviously makes financial sense and all you need to provide is your passport. However, you do need to be aware that, at the kiosk we went to, payment was cash only – no cards – so you may need to get some local cash […]
Thursday 12th September 2019 The plan was to go up the Eiffel Tower early and when we arrived there were signs alerting visitors to the fact that the upper level might be forced to close. We therefore decided to go to the very top first and work our way down. The views are impressive, with the River Seine snaking its way through the city to left and right . . . . . . while the Champ-de-Mars spreads out toward the Place Joffre and the École Militaire. Partly due to its sheer height – the Eiffel Tower measures 324 metres to the tip – even famous landmarks can be hard to identify and we struggled to find Sacré Coeur from the platform at the summit, although we found it could be seen clearly silhouetted against the sky from the lower viewing platform. Apparently Gustave Eiffel built himself a small apartment at the top of the tower where, accompanied by his daughter Claire, he hosted exclusive receptions for important guests. This has been staged to show the visit by Thomas Edison on 10 September 1889, when he gave Gustave Eiffel a model of the famous phonograph which he had just presented […]