Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/01/26
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Hey Jim - amazing stuff.
My wife's father is/was an exploration geologist and she spent a good part
of her very early formative years from the age of 6 months living in those
desert and mountain regions being brought up by the Berbers who acted as her
Dad's guides.
She was peering over my shoulder looking at your pix, seeing what I was
ooing and aahing about. Now she's on her laptop busy looking up holidays in
Morocco...!
tim
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Jim Laurel
> Sent: Monday, January 26, 2004 11:01 PM
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: Re: [Leica] OT Venice Hotels / Marrakesh
>
>
> Howard,
> I just got back from North Africa doing one of my favorite things
> - roaming
> around deserts in Land Rovers! We were in Marrakech for Christmas and in
> the Draa Valley for New Years. ;-)
>
> Without a doubt, the best place to stay in Marrakech is in a traditional
> house ("Riad") right in the old city ("Medina"). We have done this twice
> now, and each time it has been outstanding. You and your family
> could rent
> a small one and I guarantee you that it will be cheaper and a better
> experience than any hotel. These are generally 3 stories high,
> with a small
> courtyard open to the sky. Around this courtyard on each level are the
> bedrooms. This Christmas, we had a large one, as we had 5 other friends
> along. We had our own housekeeper and cook as well. Even when
> we rented a
> small one just for our family (4), we had a cook/housekeeper with us.
>
> Contact Marrakech Medina for details. The URL is below. Talk to
> Nora. She
> speaks a little English. You will have to pay in advance, but trust me,
> they are a good outfit with the best riads.
> http://www.marrakech-medina.com
>
> Looking down into our small riad during the '00 trip
> http://www.spectare.com/dispatches/LondonBombayCebu/d05-Morocco/im
> age15.html
>
> Whatever you do, avoid the Grand Hotel du Tazi near the city centre, which
> is recommended by some guide books - an older edition of the Lonely Planet
> in particular. It is awful. Hair and stains on the pillows, pubic hairs
> all over the linens, glass broken out of the windows, centipedes in the
> bathrooms... Horrible.
>
> I'd also avoid the much vaunted "La Mamounia". We stayed there
> once to see
> what it was like and we found it a real turn off. Snobby staff, equally
> snobby guests, and we all became very ill from eating club
> sandwiches there.
> On top of that, thier prices are just insane. La Mamounia is not
> the place
> to have an authentic Marrakech experience. You must stay in a riad inside
> the medina.
>
> The Medina at night - a safe and secure place...
> http://www.spectare.com/gallery/Maroc%2003%20Gallery/source/20cw0465.htm
>
> That brings us to food. Many of the restaurants that surround
> the Djemaa el
> Fna are a rip off with lousy food to boot. My advice is to have your cook
> prepare a good solid breakfast at your riad, then just grab a small snack
> for lunch. Then, at around 6-7pm, eat at one of the many food stalls that
> are set up in the Djemaa el Fna in the evening. We have done this many
> times and have never been sick. Some people find it a turn-off that the
> food (particularly meats) are on open display uncovered, but they are all
> cooked well and very very tasty.
>
> Tip: One of the best of these stalls is #41. Great every time. Ask for
> Ahmed. He will take good care of you. Come back a few times in a row and
> you will get the royal treatment. His grilled aubergine is great, as well
> as the kefta.
>
> Photo: the guy on the far left is Ahmed at stall #41. My son is
> just to his
> right taking a photo. If you go there, could you print out a
> copy and give
> it to him for me? I can provide a high res original.
> http://www.spectare.com/gallery/Maroc%2003%20Gallery/source/20cw0452.htm
>
> Cooking mussels at Djemaa el Fna:
> http://www.spectare.com/gallery/Maroc%2003%20Gallery/source/20cw0443.htm
>
> As far as photography goes, it is tough in any Moroccan city.
> People often
> want a tip for a photo, but people with whom you have engaged in a
> transaction already are always happy to pose for you. But candids are
> tough. It gets better in the desert. Down toward Zagora and
> Mhamid in the
> Draa valley, people are a little more mellow about it. Women
> will generally
> not appreciate thier photo being taken by a stranger. Take some
> time to get
> to know people and it gets a little easier.
>
> These shots of Omar was taken at dawn near Merzouga:
> http://www.spectare.com/gallery/Maroc%2003%20Gallery/source/20cw0902.htm
> http://www.spectare.com/gallery/Maroc%2003%20Gallery/source/20cw0900.htm
>
> One of our campsites near Merzouga
> http://www.spectare.com/gallery/Maroc%2003%20Gallery/source/20cw0893.htm
>
> My wife, Karin near Mhamid
> http://www.spectare.com/gallery/Maroc%2003%20Gallery/source/20cw1348.htm
>
> Thing is, it can be hard to get access to these people unless you have
> wheels. We had driven our own Land Rovers down from the UK. But
> there are
> many agencies in Marrakech with the white Land Rover Defender
> 110s that can
> take you out for a few days. It is well worth the trouble to do so.
>
> Cool Land Rovers
> http://www.spectare.com/gallery/Maroc%2003%20Gallery/source/20cw1228.htm
> http://www.spectare.com/gallery/Maroc%2003%20Gallery/source/discoj
ump1024.htm
http://www.spectare.com/gallery/Maroc%2003%20Gallery/source/20cw0845.htm
http://www.spectare.com/gallery/Maroc%2003%20Gallery/source/20cw1550.htm
One of the white tourist D110s near Mouzouga
http://www.spectare.com/gallery/Maroc%2003%20Gallery/source/20cw0865.htm
Email me off list if there is anything else you want to know.
- --Jim Laurel
- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Howard Cummer" <cummer@netvigator.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 8:03 PM
Subject: [Leica] OT Venice Hotels / Marrakesh
Also, after Venice we are going to Marrakesh for a
> conference and travel tips for that area of the world would also be
> appreciated. I expect I will take my Canon digital SLR and Leica R
> lenses on this trip - just to stray back on topic.
> Gong Xi Fa Cai (Happy New Year!)
> Howard in Hong Kong
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