On the Road to Morocco

Jeff and Orville (Bob Hope and Bing Crosby) are on board an Ocean Liner when disaster hits and the ship sinks! The result, as could only happen in a Bob and Bing 'Road' movie is that they are eventually washed up and on the road to Morocco.

My arrival was hardly that dramatic.

I was holidaying on the Spanish Costa del Sol when I received a telephone call from a colleague in Marrakech. They wanted my input on a project they were developing. I have been a consultant to the resort sales and development industry for the last 19 years.(http://picturethedifference.com )

My friend offered to fly my wife and myself to Marrakech, Morocco for a week as their guest.

And so it was we arrived at the airport and were met by my friend for the drive to our Hotel.

If by any chance you have the opportunity to visit this remarkable city, explore the accommodation provided by the traditional Moroccan Guest House. Many of these are private traditional Moroccan Villas and are spectacular to say the least. British millionaire Richard Branson I am told owns one, though I hardly expect it is up for rent!

There is no question in my mind that the two most outstanding locations of the many we visited were the Place Djemma El-Fna and the Moroccan "Fantasia".

The Place Djemma El-Fna is a remarkable market square that defies description. It is nothing like anything I have seen anywhere in the world that I have traveled, and I have had the pleasure over my 70 odd years of visiting over 25 countries.

It is an open air restaurant, it is a palace of variety entertainment, it is a miniature zoo, it is "Ripley's Believe it or Not" live and in one place! We bought bargains galore, ate exotic foods of every description, got tattooed and totally mesmerized by everything around us. For those of you who fear the dangers of foreign travel have no fear; these are the friendliest people in the world. At no time during our week long visit did we feel endangered or threatened in any way.

The "Fantasia" was a night of sheer magic. We were transported back in time . Our host drove us to the outskirts of Marrakesh where we were welcomed with traditional ceremony befitting visiting Royalty. Native singers and dancers chanted as we were led to our Maharajahs tent where we were served a delicious traditional meal as the folk singers serenaded us. No sooner were we finished our opulent feast than we were ushered to a grandstand front seat to witness the "Fantasia" This tradition involves a 'mad furious' race involving remarkably skilled horsemen who charge full pelt directly at us with long slender rifles whirling above their heads and shouting at the top of their lungs!

All of a sudden the riders lean out of their saddles seemingly defying the laws of gravity - and the air is filled with shots and flashes and explosions everywhere! Nor will we ever forget the amazing 'Berber' horses. These strong animals carry their riders at full speed criss-crossing each other as they thunder toward us.

I was able to trade my wife for two goats and a camel on our way to the parking lot - unfortunately they wouldn't fit in the overhead locker of our aircraft, so I had to decline.

You can see more and some amazing pictures at http://mysteriousmorocco.com.