As an avid reader of trip reports, it was about time that I return the favour and create one myself. This will be mostly a photo trip report as I personally prefer this format (hell I can't write as well as Seat 2A).
I must begin by saying that there will not be many airport/boarding/in-flight photos, and that these shots were taken with my Nexus phone. This was my first attempt at taking photos during these times and I found it to be quite difficult. I become self-conscious about taking photos in these areas. Hopefully with more practice, I will take more and better photos. Much of this trip report will also included areas that I visited during my travels through Spain and Morocco. There are no photos of the few hotels/riads that I stayed in either, for the simple reason that I don't shoot lobbies, hotel rooms. I will begin though for future TRs as I know that many people here at FT enjoy the info/photos of accommodations.
Introduction
Last spring, my girlfriend's parents had the wonderful idea of renting a villa near Marbella for 2 weeks for the Christmas holidays. I get along extremely well with the in-laws and they always make sure to include my brother and myself in all their family activities. It would be the first time that my brother and I would visit Spain so we were very excited about this opportunity. We started looking for tickets last summer and finally found a good deal in August. The ticket came to 1045$ for the YUL-CDG-AGP/AGP-CDG-YUL leg which would be booked between Dec 25th-Jan 15th. This would also lead to the opportunity of flying on an A380 which was awesome for my bro and I (my GF never gets this, "Who cares what we fly on..."). The CGD-AGP leg would be on an Air Europa B737-800. Now for the final week my GF and I decided to head to Morocco since it was close to Spain, I've always wanted to go and my GF wanted to return since she had spent a month there over 10 years ago. We found a RAM flight AGP-CMN/CMN-AGP for 225$ for the week of Jan 7th-14th which would again feature a plane I've never flown on, an ATR 72. Perfect.
The week before our Christmas day flight, we were notified by Air France that we could upgrade to Classe Affaires for the YUL-CDG leg for an additional 390$ each. My brother and I thought that this would make an excellent surprise for our GFs to fly in style on the upper deck on Christmas!
Did the OLCI 36 hrs prior to boarding. On Christmas afternoon drove to my brother's, parked in his garage and we took a cab to Trudeau. Arrived in a zoo, and we were very thankful that we had upgraded to business since the baggage drop line was ridiculously long for cattle class. There were 6 people ahead in the business cue, we dropped our bags and headed towards the Air France Salon. There was no line-up for security and we were cleared in 10 minutes.
Just before entering the Salon, our A380 was just about to park at the gate, not a good sign for our departure time (there was no change of our departure on the boards) and bad since we had 1h50m to catch our Malaga flight. The snow really began to fall during this time.
The Air France salon is really nothing to write home about, it has some snacks, Roederer Estate Anderson Valley sparkling, and some decent whites and reds. It has a decent view of the tarmac and I love seeing the snow removal crew at work at YUL. We finally began boarding at around 9:15pm.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7179/6774907122_d072a55467_z.jpg
"jv66 why are you taking pictures of the lounge??????"
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7188/6921021423_0520162760_z.jpg
"Missjv66, pour me another glass please..."
Flight: Air France 347
Depart: Montreal (YUL) - 7:55pm -Actual 10:00pm
Arrive: Paris (CDG) - 8:35am - Actual 10:15am
Duration: 6h40m (Actual 6h15m)
Aircraft: Airbus 380-800 Version 2
Seats: 67 AB
http://www.linternaute.com/voyage/magazine/photo/revivez-le-vol-inaugural-paris-new-york-en-a380/image/petit-tour-classe-affaires-515045.jpg
(stock photo of interior)
Finally boarded, first impressions were good. We were greeted (not by name) and shown to our seats. Unfortunately, no pre-takeoff drinks were served. First impressions of the seats were good, very comfortable, roomy, and clean. Some kids near us were constantly playing with the seat settings and the noise of the seat motors reminded of John Candy playing with the passenger seat in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. The Captain went on the PA and apologized for the slight delay and then prompted to tell us that the plane needed de-icing. Great, more delay and no champagne to drown my sorrows. I don't know if this was the first time the captain was taxiing the A380 on a snowy runway but he took the slowest time to get the plane to the de-icing area. On our way, we could see another AF A380 parked because of a mechanical problem (possible wing cracks?), I never found out why.
During the de-icing, we had access to the tail camera and it was pretty neat to see all those trucks working on the big girl. The whole process took about 20 minutes and we were finally off.
Drink service began and we immediately hit the champagne (Charles Heidsiek NV) and we were given our menus (sorry no photos). We only one choice for a starter and two for our mains, pretty lame if you ask me. I chose the beef option while my GF chose the fish. My GF chose a decent Chablis while I had a decent St-Emilion '04.
The beef was well done but it tasted ok, while my GF fish was decent and not to dry. I still was expecting much more of AF for their business catering considering the food was basically the same as what you get in Y.
After dinner service, we had some white and then began getting comfortable in our seats with out blankets and pillows and our noise-cancelling headphones. The AVOD is quite good and the screen size and clarity was the best I had seen in an airplane although the remote control is unnecessarily complicated (it is a French design ;)).
The bed reclines to about 165 degrees and is actually quite comfortable. Each pair of seats has 2 windows and 2 bins so there is ample storage space. One thing i don't like about the A380 is that the windows are quite small.
The flight was quite smooth and extremely quiet (on take-off and landing as well). I got about 2 hours of sleep and 90 minutes before our landing, breakfast was served with options of pastries.
The service provided by our crew was excellent, they were attentive, and always at your disposal. We finally landed at 10:15am and of course, missed our connection and that was when the fun began...
jv66
Feb 21, 12, 10:48 am
The customs line was thankfully relatively short, and we headed towards the Air France connections desk in Terminal 2C. CDG is really a terrible airport, it offers pitiful shopping, restaurant, and other options for such an important airport. I digress, anyways we didn't think it would be such a problem getting to Malaga since there were 2 later Air Europa flight CDG-AGP in the day. We get to the desk and explain our situation (bear in mind that no agent was there to assist us when we debarked from the A380, while every other conceivable connection for other passengers on the plane, agents were there to assist them). First, the agent seemed at a complete loss as to how to proceed. Long story short; options that were given in order were: fly out of Orly to Barcelona, stay overnight, and then to Malaga. Stay 2 nights at CDG and then get on an CDG-AGP flight, and several other idiotic options. I kept telling the agent why couldn't we try to get on standby for the two later Air-Europa flights to AGP. After two hours (yes), the agents (yes it was that complicated :rolleyes:) finally realized, hey why don't they put us on standby for the later flights. BRAVO! (After sending and email to AF, we were given 10000 miles each in our Flying Blue accounts). The agent runs to the Air Europa counter, is there for about 15 minutes and comes running back, hands us our boarding passes and says to run to gate x (I don't remember the number) so we can finally catch the flight and that he will take care of our bags (which were tagged for AGP in YUL).
We start running like mad towards the security area, which thankfully wasn't that busy, went to the gate to catch the bus and waited another 25 minutes (along with many other passengers). So much for running like mad through the terminal. Actually, I had a great time running like mad through Terminal 2C, I felt like one of those heroes from a movie, pushing all those people out of the way :p. We couldn't believe that we were actually going to arrive in Malaga on that day (we were really depressed at some points).
Flight: Air Europa 1036
Depart: Paris (CDG) - 1:25pm - Actual 2:00pm
Arrive: Malaga (AGP) - 4:00pm - Actual 4:30pm
Duration: 2h35m (Actual 2h30m)
Aircraft: Boeing 737-800
Seat: 7B/4D
There isn't much to say about this flight other than we were exhausted. The seat pitch was very tight. Service was fine. And that we finally arrived in Malaga ^.
After arriving at AGP, we went to the Air Europa baggage counter and explained our situation. The agent was extremely accommodating and told us either our luggage would arrive on the evening flight or the next morning (it was the latter) and that the delivery would be made to our house. We then went to pick up our rental from Sixt (by far my favorite European rental company) and headed towards the villa near Marbella!
For this trip report, I will highlight certain areas in Spain & Morocco since I don't want to bore you all with every minute detail of the trip.
Alhambra
We begin with the magnificient Alhambra in the wonderful city of Granada:
The Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex. It was constructed during the mid 14th century by the Moorish rulers of the Emirate of Granada in al-Andalus, occupying the top of the hill of the Assabica on the southeastern border of the city of Granada.
The Alhambra's Moorish palaces were built for the last Muslim Emirs in Spain and its court, of the Nasrid dynasty. After the Reconquista (reconquest) by the Reyes Católicos ("Catholic Monarchs") in 1492, some portions were used by the Christian rulers. The Palace of Charles V, built by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor in 1527, was inserted in the Alhambra within the Nasrid fortifications. After being allowed to fall into disrepair for centuries, the Alhambra was "discovered" in the 19th century by European scholars and travelers, with restorations commencing. It is now one of Spain's major tourist attractions, exhibiting the country's most significant and well known Islamic architecture, together with 16th-century and later Christian building and garden interventions. The Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the inspiration for many songs and stories.
Moorish poets described it as "a pearl set in emeralds," in allusion to the colour of its buildings and the woods around them.[1] The palace complex was designed with the mountainous site in mind and many forms of technology were considered. The park (Alameda de la Alhambra), which is overgrown with wildflowers and grass in the spring, was planted by the Moors with roses, oranges and myrtles; its most characteristic feature, however, is the dense wood of English elms brought by the Duke of Wellington in 1812. The park has a multitude of nightingales and is usually filled with the sound of running water from several fountains and cascades. These are supplied through a conduit 8 km (5.0 mi) long, which is connected with the Darro at the monastery of Jesus del Valle, above Granada.
Despite long neglect, willful vandalism and some ill-judged restoration, the Alhambra endures as an atypical example of Muslim art in its final European stages, relatively uninfluenced by the direct Byzantine influences found in the Mezquita of Córdoba. The majority of the palace buildings are quadrangular in plan, with all the rooms opening on to a central court; and the whole reached its present size simply by the gradual addition of new quadrangles, designed on the same principle, though varying in dimensions, and connected with each other by smaller rooms and passages. The Alhambra was extended by the different Muslim rulers who lived in the complex. However, each new section that was added followed the consistent theme of "paradise on earth". Column arcades, fountains with running water, and reflecting pools were used to add to the aesthetic and functional complexity. In every case, the exterior was left plain and austere. Sun and wind were freely admitted. Blue, red and a golden yellow, all somewhat faded through lapse of time and exposure, are the colors chiefly employed.
The decoration consists, as a rule, of stiff, conventional foliage, Arabic inscriptions, and geometrical patterns wrought into arabesques. Painted tiles are largely used as panelling for the walls. The palace complex is designed in the Mudéjar style which is characteristic of western elements reinterpreted into Islamic forms and widely popular during the Reconquista, the reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Muslims by the Christian kingdoms.
The Alhambra did not have a master plan for the total site design, so its overall layout is not orthogonal or organized. As a result of the site's many construction phases: from the original 9th century citadel, through the 14th century Muslim palaces, to the 16th century palace of Charles V; some buildings are at odd positioning to each other.[2] The terrace or plateau where the Alhambra sits measures about 740 metres (2,430 ft) in length by 205 metres (670 ft) at its greatest width. It extends from west-northwest to east-southeast and covers an area of about 142,000 square metres (1,530,000 sq ft). The Alhambra's most westerly feature is the alcazaba (citadel), a strongly fortified position. The rest of the plateau comprises a number of Moorish palaces, enclosed by a fortified wall, with thirteen towers, some defensive and some providing vistas for the inhabitants. The river Darro passes through a ravine on the north and divides the plateau from the Albaicín district of Granada. Similarly, the Assabica valley, containing the Alhambra Park on the west and south, and, beyond this valley, the almost parallel ridge of Monte Mauror, separate it from the Antequeruela district. Another ravine separates it from the Generalife.
(Taken from Wiki)
uhhhhh that sunset picture---- I would get it printed on a long canvas.. amazing!
Thanks for the amazing compliment!
lisah101
Feb 21, 12, 1:12 pm
Amazing photos... I visited Alhambra years ago and forgot how amazing it was. Thank you!!
jv66
Feb 21, 12, 2:09 pm
Amazing photos... I visited Alhambra years ago and forgot how amazing it was. Thank you!!
I'm glad they brought back great memories.
jv66
Feb 21, 12, 6:22 pm
Gibraltar
We decided to go to Gibraltar on the 31st of December. If any of you have ever driven on the Autopista del Mediterraneo (A7) you will know some parts are quite treacherous, especially in regards to accessing the highway, where there isn't any lane that merges into the highway but rather a yield zone which you then have to gun on the accelerator to join the right lane of the highway. No small feat with our fine 73 HP diesel Peugeot Partner :o. Public buses also run on the A7 to further aggravate the situation. In recent years, the Spanish government has put a tremendous amount of money in their highway infrasructure and the toll highway (AP7) which goes along the Costa Del Sol is a welcome relief to the relative madness of the A7. I can't imagine what the A7 looks like in the summer with all the British drivers ;).
One of the cool things about crossing into Gibraltar is that once you clear customs and drive into town, you have to go across the runway of GIB as these stock photos show nicely:
Unfortunately for us, we had no such delay either on the way in or out.
We got into town at around noon, parked the car and started to walk towards the cable car which would leads us to the top of the Rock. We got a nasty surprise in that the cable car was closing at 12:30pm because it was the 31st :mad:. You'd think they could close it at around 3-4pm but we made the best out of the situation as there is still plenty to visit in Gibraltar.
(From Wiki):
Evidence of Neanderthal habitation in Gibraltar between 128,000 and 24,000 BC has been discovered at Gorham's Cave, making Gibraltar the last known holdout of the Neanderthals. Within recorded history, the first inhabitants were the Phoenicians, around 950 BC. Subsequently, Gibraltar became known as one of the Pillars of Hercules, after the Greek legend of the creation of the Strait of Gibraltar by Heracles. The Carthaginians and Romans also established semi-permanent settlements. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Gibraltar came briefly under the control of the Vandals. The area later formed part of the Visigothic Kingdom of Hispania until the Islamic conquest of Iberia in 711 AD. Seven centuries of Moorish control ended when Gibraltar was recaptured by the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1462 as part of the Spanish Reconquista.
After the conquest, King Henry IV assumed the title of King of Gibraltar, establishing it as part of the municipal area of the Campo Llano de Gibraltar. Six years later Gibraltar was restored to the Duke of Medina Sidonia who sold it in 1474 to a group of Jewish conversos from Córdoba and Seville in exchange for maintaining the garrison of the town for two years, after which time the 4,350 Jews were expelled by the Duke as part of the Inquisition. In 1501 Gibraltar passed back to the hands of the Spanish Crown and Isabella I of Castile issued a Royal Warrant granting Gibraltar the coat of arms that it still uses today.
In 1704, during the War of the Spanish Succession, a combined Anglo-Dutch force captured the town of Gibraltar, leading to a permanent exodus of much of the existing population to the surrounding areas of the Campo de Gibraltar. Under the terms of the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht Gibraltar was ceded to Britain in perpetuity. Spain unsuccessfully attempted to regain control in 1727 and during the Great Siege of Gibraltar which lasted from 1779 to 1783.
Gibraltar became a key base for the British Royal Navy and played an important role prior to the Battle of Trafalgar and during the Crimean War of 1854–56, due to its strategic location. Its strategic value increased with the opening of the Suez Canal as it lay on the sea route between the UK and the British Empire east of Suez. In the later 19th century there were major investments in improving the fortifications and the port.
During World War II, Gibraltar's civilian population was evacuated (mainly to London, England, but also to parts of Morocco, Madeira and Jamaica) and the Rock was strengthened as a fortress. Spanish dictator Francisco Franco's reluctance to allow the German Army onto Spanish soil frustrated a German plan to capture the Rock, codenamed Operation Felix. In the 1950s, Franco renewed Spain's claim to sovereignty over Gibraltar and restricted movement between Gibraltar and Spain. Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain under British sovereignty in a 1967 referendum which led to the passing of the Gibraltar Constitution Order in 1969. In response, Spain completely closed the border with Gibraltar and severed all communication links. The border with Spain was partially reopened in 1982, and fully reopened in 1985 prior to Spain's accession to the European Community.
In a referendum held in 2002, Gibraltarians rejected by an overwhelming majority (99%) a proposal of shared sovereignty on which Spain and Britain were said to have reached "broad agreement". The British government has committed itself to respecting the Gibraltarians' wishes. A new Constitution Order was approved in referendum in 2006. A process of tripartite negotiations started in 2006 between Spain, Gibraltar and the UK, ending some restrictions and dealing with disputes in some specific areas such as air movements, customs procedures, telecommunications, pensions and cultural exchange.
I really wished that we could have been able to go to the top of Gibraltar so I could have been able to share some more photos with you. I definitely recommend going to Gibraltar for a day trip as there is plenty to do (and look up the cable car schedule online first :D).
AndrewE
Feb 21, 12, 6:53 pm
The week before our Christmas day flight, we were notified by Air France that we could upgrade to Classe Affaires for the YUL-CDG leg for an additional 390$ each. ...
Is this similar to what Air Canada offers - a "last minute upgrade" when you check in online at T -24?
Thank you for the great TR!
jv66
Feb 21, 12, 7:09 pm
Is this similar to what Air Canada offers - a "last minute upgrade" when you check in online at T -24?
Thank you for the great TR!
I'm not sure since I don't fly AC very often and have never seen the "last minute upgrade" button/feature at the 24 OLCI. Sorry, I'm sure someone else will chime in with the right info :cool:. Glad you're enjoying the TR.
jv66
Feb 21, 12, 7:55 pm
El Torcal
Another day journey we did was to go to the nature reserve of El Torcal which is situated above the marvelous town of Antequera. El Torcal is know for its impressive karst landscape. Karst topography is a geological formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite. El Torcal is know for its extreme temperatures and this was evident when we arrived mid-morning and the temperature was only 4C and by the end of our 2 1/2 hour hike it had shot up to 20C. We were lucky in that there was not a cloud in the sky, an absolute gorgeous day!
After our incredible hike in El Torcal, we headed down the road to the quaint town of Antequera. It is known as "the heart of Andalusia" (el corazón de Andalucía) because of its central location among Málaga, Granada, Córdoba, and Seville. The old town is built at the foot of the mountain and is built around the Alcazaba, which was erected in the 14th Century. The streets are filled with wonderful cafes and tapas bars which are hopping around lunchtime. This is one of my favorite features of European towns and villages, friends and family gathering around bars with food and wine. The sound of laughter, arguments, and camaraderie echo through the streets. We hit several, in the process eating sardines, chorizos, anchovies, washing it down with some white and red.
Great TR! I'm running a marathon in either Madrid or Lisbon next year and you've given me some great ideas on how to stretch my trip out.
jv66
Feb 22, 12, 10:09 am
Sevilla
If you have only time to visit one area in Andalusia, go straight to its capital, Sevilla! The architecture, the wonderful streets and alleys, the vintage shops, the people, and those wonderful tapas places make Sevilla an ideal getaway. We decided to stay overnight to at least savour some of what this fantastic city had to offer. We found an excellent rate (100$) for a double standard room at the Hotel Becquer, situated right in the heart of the Plaza Nueva. The room was very clean and quite spacious as far as European hotels go. The staff was very accommodating as well. Here are some snaps from their website:
http://www.hotelbecquer.com/pic.php?path=data/pictures/iyiper.jpg&width=768&height=700
This is pretty much what our room looked like
After dropping our bags, we headed to The Cathedral of St. Mary, which was built from 1401–1519 after the Reconquista on the former site of the city's mosque. It is amongst the largest of all medieval and the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, in terms of both area and volume. The interior is the longest nave in Spain, and is lavishly decorated, with a large quantity of gold evident. The Cathedral reused some columns and elements from the mosque, and, most famously, the Giralda, originally a minaret, was converted into a bell tower. It is topped with a statue, known locally as El Giraldillo, representing Faith. The tower's interior was built with ramps rather than stairs, to allow the Muezzin and others to ride on horseback to the top. The Giralda is a former minaret that was converted to a bell tower for the Cathedral of Seville in Seville. The tower is 104.5 m (343 ft) in height and it was one of the most important symbols in the medieval city. (From wiki)
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7210/6921202553_1369a7ea3a_z.jpg
Great heart condition warning...
SFO777
Feb 22, 12, 12:28 pm
Great report jv66 with outstanding pics. What camera did you use?
The traffic stopped on the road crossing the runway in Gibraltar is classic. Didn't realize that was the situation.
jv66
Feb 22, 12, 12:39 pm
Great report jv66 with outstanding pics. What camera did you use?
The traffic stopped on the road crossing the runway in Gibraltar is classic. Didn't realize that was the situation.
Hey thanks SFO777, means alot coming from you. I used a Canon 5D Mark II with a 24-105mm lens for this trip. In regards to GIB, about 5 minutes before we hit the border, we saw an Easy Jet take off and another land. My bro and I were like "yes we'll definitely see some action and stop!" but that wasn't the case...
jv66
Feb 22, 12, 12:39 pm
One quick word about transportation in Seville. One simple rule; walk everywhere. The traffic is relentless at all times of the day. I love to walk as I find that it gives me a real feel for a place. Our next stop was Maria Luisa Park . In 1929 Seville hosted the Ibero-American Exposition World's Fair, located in the celebrated Maria Luisa Park (Parque de María Luisa). It was designed by Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier. The entire southern end of the city was redeveloped into an expanse of gardens and grand boulevards. The centre of it is Parque de María Luisa, a 'Moorish paradisical style' with a half mile of: tiled fountains, pavilions, walls, ponds, benches, and exhedras; lush plantings of palms, orange trees, Mediterranean pines, and stylized flower beds; and with vine hidden bowers. Numerous buildings were constructed in it for the exhibition.
The Plaza de España, designed by Aníbal González, was a principal building built on the Maria Luisa Park's edge to showcase Spain's industry and technology exhibits. González combined a mix of 1920s Art Deco and 'mock Mudejar', and Neo-Mudéjar styles. The Plaza de España complex is a huge half-circle with buildings continually running around the edge accessible over the moat by numerous beautiful bridges. In the centre is a large fountain. By the walls of the Plaza are many tiled alcoves, each representing a different province of Spain.
Today the Plaza de España mainly consists of Government buildings. The Seville Town Hall, with sensitive adaptive redesign, is located within it. The Plaza's tiled 'Alcoves of the Provinces' are backdrops for visitors portrait photographs, taken in their own home province's alcove. Towards the end of the park, the grandest mansions from the fair have been adapted as museums. The farthest contains the city's archaeology collections. The main exhibits are Roman mosaics and artefacts from nearby Italica.
I really enjoyed your report, great photos. Thanks.
NYBanker
Feb 22, 12, 6:34 pm
Great report. Thanks for sharing.
Re the Gibralter airport, it is really something the way it is set up. If you look it up on google earth, you can see both how...and why...it is so situated.
jv66
Feb 22, 12, 10:07 pm
I really enjoyed your report, great photos. Thanks.
Thanks for your comments, it's not finished yet though ;)
jv66
Feb 22, 12, 10:08 pm
Great report. Thanks for sharing.
Re the Gibralter airport, it is really something the way it is set up. If you look it up on google earth, you can see both how...and why...it is so situated.
Thanks for the comment. Yes it's actually quite surreal when you get to drive across the runaway :D.
jv66
Feb 23, 12, 8:05 pm
Alcázar
The Alcázar (Spanish "Reales Alcázares de Sevilla" or "Royal Alcazars of Seville") is a royal palace in Seville, originally a Moorish fort of which the construction was ordered by Abd Al Ramn III in the year 913. It is situated right next to the Cathedral. The Almohades were the first to build a palace, which was called Al-Muwarak, on the site of the modern day Alcázar. The palace is one of the best remaining examples of mudéjar architecture. Subsequent monarchs have added their own additions to the Alcázar. Because of it's beauty it was chosen as residence by many monarchs in the centuries that followed. It now is the residence of His Royal Majesty Juan Carlos when he visits Seville. Pedro I, "the cruel" (1350 to 1369), made significant additions to the palace which is one of the most important examples of Mudejar architecture in Seville. The numerous rooms, patios and halls vary in architectural styles from the Islamic to Neoclassical. The beautiful gardens and fountains are especially worth visiting.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7042/6778557982_1e87d8e894_b.jpg
The most magnificient, awe-inspiring ceiling I've ever seen. You can see the movement while looking at it even through this photo! I had to post a large size since the other just didn't do it justice. I apologize if this causes any problems for anyone.
Flight: Royal Air Maroc 985
Depart: Malaga (AGP) - 2:10pm - Actual 2:20pm
Arrive: Casablanca (CMN) - 2:40pm - Actual 2:45pm
Duration: 1h30m (Actual 1h25m)
Aircraft: ATR 72-200
Seats: 10AB
Malaga Airport had an important facelift in 2010 when the new Terminal 3 was completed. The terminal was built to increase tourism around the Costa Del Sol, and to expand the airport due to increasing number of passengers. No airline has a specific counter, you just look at the departure board and there is a counter number assigned to your flight for you to check-in/drop baggage off. Security clearance was brisk and the airport offers a good variety of shops and restaurants. We headed to the gate and boarded the bus for our departure.
When we arrived at our plane, I started taking my phone out to take some pictures and was told that under no circumstance was I to photograph the airplane inside or out. Not that much of a loss since there isn't much to the interior of an ATR 72 but here is a stock photo:
I actually preferred the ATR to the Dash 8-400s. I found it more quiet and to have better legroom. The two male flight attendants that served us were prompt and courteous. We were given a choice of drink (non-alcoholic) and a cheese sandwich. We landed and boarded a bus towards customs. It took about 30 minutes to clear, and since I put photographer as my occupation on the custom slip, more questions followed as the Moroccan government is very sensitive in regards to any one they view that is in the media (even though I'm not photo-journalist). You then become "targeted" in the sense that every time you check in at a hotel/riad, the police will call the front desk or the riad owner to do a follow up. You also get the old "driver switch" whenever you ask for a taxi at a restaurant or hotel where the driver gets out of the cab and another (aka the tail) takes his place. He then strikes up a conversation with you in which the second question is "what is your profession" and then begins asking questions about the nature of your work. I've never really understood this since i could just walk a bit further and hail a cab on the street ;) and give myself a little more time as whoever is keeping tabs on me will have to play catch-up. It was funny how sometimes we'd be walking somewhere and I'd be taking pictures and my girlfriend would notice someone "discreetly" following us. You'd think I was some kind of security threat or a VIP :D.
jv66
Feb 24, 12, 11:36 am
Casablanca
There is very little to see in Casablanca, the medina is extremely small, the traffic and smog are almost unbearable, and the poverty is extreme. Casablanca is one of the least interesting places to shop in all of Morocco. Around the old Medina it's easy to find places selling traditional Moroccan goods, such as tagines, pottery, leather goods, hookahs, and a whole spectrum of geegaws, but it's all for the tourists. Much better to wait until you're in Fes or Marrakech and can bargain with someone who sells things to Moroccans and tourists alike. We were only there for one night as we were catching a morning train to Marrakech. We stayed at the Casablanca Novotel which was fine, although the "security barrier" set up in the entrance was laughable. The barrier itself was broken and anyone could enter the hotel through the marked "exit" door of the hotel. I don't understand why they even bother having the barrier when it is broken like that. The big place for my GF was that in Morocco (and most 3rd world countries) you can smoke pretty much anywhere, and the fact that I do dab in a cigar once in a awhile, made it quite enjoyable to be able to smoke indoors other than my home. Casablanca is also the most liberal of Moroccan cities; there is an affluent base of citizens with their designer wears and women tend to dress much more in the "western" style than anywhere else. Clubs and bars are much more prevalent than Marrakech or Tangiers for example. There are only 2 sights I'd recommend seeing:
First, The Hassan II Mosque, designed by the French architect Michel Pinseau. It is situated on a promontory on the Atlantic. The mosque has room for 25,000 worshippers inside, and a further 80,000 can be accommodated in the mosque's courtyard. Its minaret is the world's tallest at 210 metres. The mosque is also the largest in North Africa, and the third largest in the world. Work on the mosque was commenced on 12 July 1986, and was intended to be completed for the 60th birthday of the former Moroccan king, Hassan II, in 1989. However, the building was not inaugurated until 30 August 1993. During the most intense period of construction, 1400 men worked during the day and another 1100 during the night. 10,000 artists and craftsmen participated in building the mosque. This and the old Tin Mal Mosque are the only mosques in Morocco that are open to non-Muslim visitors. The only way you can access the interior is through a guide tour, which cost around 12$ US. The first shot below was taken with my Nexus phone. I've also included 3 photos that were taken by an acquaintance on his recent visit since I unfortunately did not bring my camera for the visit. The Mosque is really something to behold, not in terms of sheer artistic splendors like you would find in a Gothic Cathedral for an example, but in it's use of space. There is an intimacy that is remarkable in relation to its vast size.
Second, having a night out at Rick's Cafe. Now for anyone familiar (who isn't ;)) with the movie Casablanca will of course remember Humphrey Bogart's legendary character Rick and his eponymus Cafe. Kathy Kriger is an American who served as the commercial counselor for the US Embassy and after 9/11 she decided to leave her post, stay in Morocco and "do something that demonstrated true American values". And Rick's Cafe was the end result, an almost identical rendering of the famous gin joint.
My GF and I had a wonderful time! This isn't really a place for a foodie per se (although the food was very good and simple) but a place to have a romantic dinner. We had our table right next to the piano player and the place was packed and hopping. It has a wonderful drinks list and a good Moroccan wine list. The bar area is also a great place to have a drink before or after going somewhere else. Here are a few snaps with my Nexus:
After a good night's sleep, we headed off to Casablanca's main train station, Casa-Voyageurs. The other station, known as Casa-Port, is undergoing major renovations and expansions and will eventually become the main train station. Now if you're ever in Casablanca, you should only travel in what they call le petit taxi, as these are much cheaper (they also have meters) than the grand taxis, unless you are going to the airport since the petit cannot leave city-limits. The short ride from our hotel to the station was 3$, compared to around 12$ if taking a grand taxi. You can only buy train tickets at the station. Travelling by train is by far the most economical way of transportation in Morocco. For a first class ticket to Marrakech, the cost is only 14$ (second class is 9$). The advantage of a first class ticket is a reserved seat, and the seats are larger and more comfortable. For 5$ more, a no doubter for sure.
jv66
Feb 25, 12, 8:21 pm
Marrakech
After a pleasant 3+ hour train ride, we arrived in Marrakech and hailed a taxi outside the station. Now I had a general idea of where our Riad was (btw a riad is a Moroccan B&B) and when i told the driver where he could drop us off, he told us that it would be impossible to go there on a Sunday since the square was packed with merchants, musicians, madmen, etc...and that he would drop us off very close by.
Now the square in mention is the famous Jemaa el-Fnaa. The place remains the main square of Marrakesh, used by locals and tourists. During the day it is predominantly occupied by orange juice stalls, youths with chained Barbary apes, water sellers in colourful costumes with traditional leather water-bags and brass cups, and snake charmers who will pose for photographs for tourists. As the day progresses, the entertainment on offer changes: the snake charmers depart, and late in the day the square becomes more crowded, with Chleuh dancing-boys (it would be against custom for girls to provide such entertainment), story-tellers (telling their tales in Berber or Arabic, to an audience of appreciative locals), magicians, and peddlers of traditional medicines. As darkness falls, the square fills with dozens of food-stalls as the number of people on the square peaks. The square is edged along one side by the Marrakesh souk, a traditional North African market catering both for the common daily needs of the locals, and for the tourist trade. On other sides are hotels and gardens and cafe terraces offering an escape from the noise and confusion of the square. Narrow streets lead into the alleys of the medina quarter, the old city.
So we finally begin to navigate the small alleys of the medina to locate our riad. Now imagine a very small alley packed with people, donkeys, horses, pull carts, kiosks, and mopeds, and us with our luggage trying to get to our riad, while every fourth person coming up to us to try to get a few coins and guide us to our riads. No thanks, we can figure it out. Finaly tucked away just off one these alleys was our riad, the El Wiam. Here are some photos from their website:
This was a wonderful place to stay, with such a friendly staff, ready to answer the call for any of our questions or requests. And their breakfasts were simply delicious. And our rate of 90$ was excellent in regards to whre our location was, and the size and comfort of our room.
jv66
Feb 25, 12, 9:03 pm
The Medina & Souks
A medina quarter is a distinct city section found in many North African cities. The medina is typically walled, contains many narrow and maze-like streets. The word "medina" itself simply means "city" or "town" in modern day Arabic. Medina quarters often contain historical fountains, palaces, and mosques. Because of the very narrow streets, medinas are free from car traffic, and in some cases even motorcycle and bicycle traffic. The streets can be less than a metre wide. This makes them unique among highly populated urban centres. Some medinas were also used to confuse and slow down invaders because of how narrow and winding they are.
The Souks, or markets of Marrakech, just adjacent to Jemaa el-Fnaa Square, are where you can buy almost anything. From spices to shoes, jellabas to kaftans, tea pots to tagines and much, much more. Bargaining is the name of the game here, I would always try to buy at 20% of what was the initial price, but of course sometimes this wasn't the case ;).