I, B and P took the last train (7 pm) from Marrakesh to Fez (first class Dh295). We arrived in Fez at 2 am and waited at the train station until the morning come. We had our bus to go to Chefchaouen at 8 am. I did not feel well to continue the journey to Chefchaouen. While waiting, I was considering the possibility of staying alone at Fez. A comfortable stay at Ibis Hotel which is only a few steps away from the train station teased me. B & P reminded me that I will be alone for two days in Fez in that case. What would I do if I were alone in Fez? Taking a bus and walking around the new part of the city. Then, I can get myself lost in Fez’s medina alone. Nope..it’s not a good idea. Fez’s souk is bigger than Marrakesh. Not having enough guts to wander around Fez by myself, I joined B & P hoping on the morning bus to go to Chefchaouen.
It took four hours by bus from Fez to Chefchaouen (CTM bus Dh70). It was beautiful four hours. I felt refresh by the time I saw the green view along the journey. In the southern Morocco, I can see the cattle grazing in between the rocks. Meanwhile, in the northern of Morocco, the cattle are grazing in the middle of vast hilly green field. It instantly made me regret why not I spared more time in Chefchaouen. Next to me on the bus was a young Moroccan woman. As usual, I would prefer spending the time in silence than having a conversation along the journey. It was only when she offered me a biscuit we started to have a short conversation. She was a university student majoring in Biology. She came to Chefchaouen for a few days to do a research. Cool!
The bus driver dropped us at Chefchaouen bus station at noon. We took a petit taxi that dropped us on the wrong address. The local people explained that there is a possibility the taxi driver is illiterate so he actually did not know the address that we have shown to him. It’s a nice thought. We took another taxi and this time he dropped us on in front of the correct place: Aline hostel (Av. Sidi Ahmed el Uafi 2, Dh80). It was a three-story guest house. The family live in the first floor, the guests are in the second floor, meanwhile the third floor is for a kitchen and used for the hanging clothes. The guest house has two clean bathrooms and three rooms. Each room can be filled in by six people. It’s a small room. Thankfully at that time, we can have a room only for three of us.
We spend the rest of the day by having our lunch at a rooftop restaurant, strolling along the medina around Plaza Uta el-Hammam, taking a look on the kasbah, having dinner at Aladdin restaurant, stopping by at Mustafa’s small souvenir store.
We had our lunch accompanied by a bee that made me and B freaking out. A man said that it is ok, the bee is only interested on the smell of the mint leaves inside our tea cup. After a while in Chefchaouen, I have noticed that the Moroccan does not afraid of the bee as Indonesian does. In a market, someone sell a bunch of mint leaves ignoring some bees flying around the leaves. Whether the Moroccan bees do not sting human? The view from the rooftop is a great one. The foot hill is enveloped by the colorful houses, mostly dominated by blue and white.
As we had finished our lunch, we went through the medina going up to the hill direction. I read that the local inside the medina does not like his/her picture taken. Some people step aside when we took a picture of a building. I was trying my best not to enter their personal space. A girl stopped walking when my friends and I taking pictures near her house. We let her passing first without us taking any pictures. I don’t know whether it is good or not to have your way of live becomes tourists’/travelers’ attraction…as long as each person respects the other. On the contrary, some teenagers were asking us to take their pictures. Houses inside the medina in Chefchaouen were painted marvelously with the blue and white color. Those are simple colors that become imaginatively beautiful. They’ve made their daily life become art. Inside the alley, we can find a shop gallery selling paintings. If I were a trader, I would have a big grin on my face seeing the relatively cheap paintings and handmade handicrafts there. It’s too bad that I am not. I have a big grin to see such beauty in front of me. I am only remembering and writing it on my blog.
When the afternoon about to come, we decided to go back down way as it became endless hiking inside the medina. As we were back on Plaza Uta el-Hammam, we took a look on a Kasbah (Dh10) and went up inside the fortress. From above the fortress, we could see the houses covering the foot hill on one side and the streets with the green field on the other side. The afternoon sun trying to compete the wind in giving its warmth and chill to us. It must be great to see the sunset from the fortress. But the wind won the competition against the sun. It’s too chilly for us to stay there until the sun down. So, we went down the stairs and went inside a museum, still in the Kasbah. The museum is filled by the traditional clothes inside glass cabinets. I was more interested with the architecture of the museum itself. The stairs with its tall ceiling allure you to be explored and photographed.
Then P recommended us to have the dinner at Aladdin restaurant. It was a great choice inside the medina. Before we entered the restaurant, someone on the corner of the alley smiled and said to us to keep in silent. What’s up? They were filming something inside there. Aladin restaurant is furnished with middle-east decorative style. It was so comfort that we spend quite a long time there. I had a delicious kebab and a glass of Moroccan tea.
On our way back to the hostel, we stopped by at a souvenir store owned by Mustafa. He is a friendly one who has a motto like this: “I have a friendly price to my friend”. So I ask him whether we can be his best friend so we can get a best friend’s price. He’s not too pushy in offering his wares. Well generally, the sellers in Morocco are not aggressive which is nice to be encounter with. I and friends bought some things from his little store. The shocking thing (in a positive way) was that then Mustafa gave us each a Fatima hand keychain for luck. I figured out that he gave us the keychain as he was lucky enough to meet us whom did not bargain a lot. Still, if he wasn’t kind, he did not have to do that. Hail the sellers in Morocco…keep being not too pushy. On the other side, damn…the price can be lower than this.
Day 7
It was our last day in Chefchaouen. I want to spend more time here. Still, we failed to awake early in the morning to start the day earlier. We had our breakfast on the rooftop: bread, strawberry jam and Moroccan tea. We went to Mustafa’s store again as we had an appointment with his friend, Shihab, to make a henna (Dh50). This time, Mustafa welcomed us with Moroccan tea. I was surprised enough last night when he gave us the keychain and now he also provided us with the tea? What kind of seller is he? P explained that according to an article, Moroccan sellers will be very polite and friendly when they feel comfortable with their customers. Shihab painted our hands with natural ingredient. While she was painting our hands, there were some customers stop by. We met nine travelers from Malaysia who just arrived to Morocco from Portuguese. It was nice to meet some people from your neighboring country.
We went back to Aladdin restaurant to have lunch. After having our lunch, we took some pictures outside the restaurant. A man on the corner of the alley smiling at us and asking where we come from. He invited us to visit his restaurant where it was used for filming the other day. It’s a new restaurant that he does not put any sign in front of it that indicates it is a restaurant. The decoration inside there is great, but it still gives the spacious feel of the place. The owner explained that most of his guests come from the hotel. It’s too bad that we already had our lunch and we were having our bus leaving from Chefchaouen at 3 pm.
We were having a bus schedule at 3 pm to Fez (CTM bus, Dh70)? Great!! We hurried went to the bus station. We arrived there on time. But being on time is not enough. You have to arrive at the bus station at least 15 minutes before the bus departs. The bus conductor scolded us. Thanks God, we do not understand his language. It’s Chefchaouen fault being too interesting to be left behind so early.
We arrived in Fez at 7 pm. I and B joined P to wait until midnight in Dar Fez Medina, a hotel where P stayed in Fez. Yup, I and B were going to Casablanca to have our flight to Jakarta tomorrow, while P was going to spend two more days in Fez before going back to London.
So, we were at Fez train station again to take a night train to Casa Voyageur, Casablanca (first class, Dh165). We had bought the train ticket two days ago and did not check the time of the departure properly. B wondered why there is no train schedule on the board that match with the time written on our ticket. It turned out that ticket seller gave us 12.50 pm ticket instead of 12.50 am as I asked. I should have asked him the train ticket to Casablanca at 12.50 at night instead of 12.50 am. We were worried we cannot arrive on time in Casablanca to catch up our flight back to Jakarta. Thankfully, the chief of the train station was there. He changed the schedule on our ticket to the nearest schedule. It is great that the train ticket booth here is open for 24 hours with the chief stand by at his office.
We arrived in Casablanca in the morning and having our flight back at noon to Jakarta via Dubai.
I was having a great holiday with fabulous B & P. It was wonderful to explore Morocco from its south to north part and met interesting people along the way. Still, I was impressed by the infrastructure the Moroccan have here: the road, the electricity, the transportation (the bus and the train are well maintained and leave on time), the accommodation. Something that tourism in Indonesia still lack of for most of its region. Each place has its own beauty and uniqueness.
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