From Rabat to Fes

I have been without email for 3 days. Will upload more photos and info tonight from Marrakech.

Riad Kalaa Rabat

These photos do not do justice to my wonderful Suite at Riad Kalaa in Rabat. Every room is unique, stunningly beautiful and the colors are amazing. The rooftop pool, the hundreds of candles lining the stairs, the open air courtyard with palm and ficus, the 40 foot doors leading into the guest rooms all provide an amazing backdrop. From the roof you look down on the city and it is amazingly quiet.

Travel truly is the only way to broaden you mind and better understand the people of this unique planet.

My first day in Morocco. I flew in from DC with a connection in Madrid to Casablanca. I was met by my Guide Lahcen Zaaim and Driver Mustaffa and we were off on our adventure in Casablanca. The city is a major trading hubb and as such has lost a lot of the charm of smaller Moroccon cities. It is very urban, fast paced and modern is replacing old. With that said it is an amazing feeling, every street is a visual feast of color, movement, smells and sounds. The old and new clash and mingle.

It is hard not to come to Morocco without some pre-concieved notions of what the people will be like. I had so many friends say that I would need to be careful, but I have felt so welcomed, safe and accepted in my first 24 hours that I fear this trip will be over before I can truly appreciate it.

The history of the region is amazing. The recorded history of the country begins around 1100BC with the arrival of the Phoenicians, at one time the Berber tribes formed the Kingdom of Mauretania, then the Romans arrived in 24AD or there abouts and then the arrival of Islam in 622AD, then it gets very detailed and requires me to be much more awake than I am at present.

The photos above are from Place Mohammed the V in Casablanca, went for a great walk downtown with Lahcen, then we headed of the 2nd largest Mosque in the World. This stunning site includes doors of Titanium, Venetian glass chandeliers, marble floors, rooms for purification and the list goes on. Inside it can accommodate 25,000 men and 5,000 women at times of prayer and 75,000 outside in the square. The Hassan II Mosque has a roof that opens to provide prayer in the open air, this is larger than a football field. The mosaics are stunning the architecture is breathtaking and I could not resist the opportunity to tour this amazing building, one of only 2 mosques that allow non-muslems to enter.

I am sitting in the courtyard of my wonderful Riad in the Medina (walled city) in Rabat. It is stunning, owned by a French family and located down a myriad of small streets and alleys...trust me I am not getting out of here without help. I am in love with a country that in 24 hours has stolen my heart and I can't wait to bring Allie, Connor and Alec back to experience this wonderful place.

More tomorrow.

Morocco Bound

To say I am excited is an understatement. The only place I would rather be (apart from with my family) would be onboard Orion in the Sub Antarctic Islands!

I will be attending PURE next week and can't wait to introduce Orion and our unique Expeditions to a new audience.

I attempt to keep this blog up to date with my travels from Casablanca over the Atlas Mountains.

Stay tuned.