Businessname Morocco Specialist

Hello my friends!

It’s been a while 🙂 I’ve worked a lot to find the right concept for my future business.

I would like to organise ‘à la carte’ tours and trips to Morocco. I would like to make trips with your interests and for everyone. I don’t want to work with categories. The client is King. 😉

But before I can start, I need a business name. A fresh and special name, not like every touroperator if you know what I mean. I need a name that people remember!

First I thought about an English name, but then I thought that adding an Arabic word (with a nice meaning) is interesting to!

What do you think?

If you have an idea of if you can help me, please let me know! I really can use your help 🙂

Thanks peeps !

Kisses

Julie

Tips and tricks

Hello everybody!

I would like to give you some tips and tricks to prepare you for Morocco. 🙂

Before leaving

Climate

Morocco is a country which you can visit during the whole year. But don’t forget that during the summer, it can be very hot in the cities and in the south. Too hot to do something. If you want to go during those months, visit the coastline or the mountains. The weather is pleasant. The perfect time to travel Morocco is April-Mai, the weather often the most agreeable in the south and mountains. During the winter the weather is nice during the day, but I advise you to take some warm clothes with you. The temperature decreases at night, certainly in the mountains and desert. The best time for hiking enthusiasts is from April to October, because after this period you will find snow on the tops.

Visa

You need a valid passport to enter Morocco. I recommend to check if you also need a visa and how much months the passport has to be valid after the leaving your country.

Medication

Many travellers suffer from it during their journey: diarrhea. Therefore, take along some diarrhea inhibitors as a precaution. Of course there are medications or healing herbs in Morocco, but it’s always useful to have your own medications which you know well.

Clothing

Like I said before, it can be warm in Morocco. So dresses, shirts, skirts and shorts or with other words light clothes are interesting to take with you. But don’t forget you aren’t home. Therefore you have to respect the rules. I really recommend to leave short skirts or dresses at home. It is expected for women and also men to cover shoulders and knees. Certainly if you want to visit a mosque, take a scarf with you which you can put on your shoulders or waist.

From my own experience I’ve noticed that a cardigan with long sleeves, a trousers and closed shoes can be handy for colder nights. Do you want to go during the winter, take warm clothes and a raincoat with you. Hikers, don’t forget good hiking shoes and gloves if you go for a trekking.

Money

The currency of Morocco is the Dirham. 1 Dirham is about 0,093 euro, 0,101 American Dollar and 0,068 British Pond.

If you pay attention, you will see that Morocco is not so expensive. There are enough cash machines. Tip: when you go to a smaller village, take enough money with you because it is possible that you will not find cash machines in those villages.

Arrived in Morocco

Eat and drink

Tip: Do certainly not drink water of the crane!! You can buy bottles of water everywhere.

Tip: What do you think about fresh juices? I looooove them! Do you know panache? It’s a fruit juice mix with orange, avocado, banana,…and milk. Delicious! In the souks of Marrakech there is a guy which make delicious ones and just for a couple of Dirham.

Everybody knows the delicious cuisine of Morocco. Tagines, couscous, fresh vegetables with a mint tea. There are a lot of restaurants where you can eat not just Moroccan food, but also international cuisine. Don’t forget to give a tip which is the usual. They are already happy with 3 or 5 Dirham. When you are in Marrakech, I recommend you to eat in one of the foodstalls. This is quite an adventure itself ! 🙂 Everywhere men who want to attract you to their stall. Funny! You can eat traditional meals for a few Dirham and the mint tea is for free!

Alcohol

Muslims are not allowed to drink alcohol. This is why it’s difficult to get some. In some hotels or restaurants alcohol is obtainable, but it will be expensive for example 25 Dirham for a beer. Those places need a license. In Morocco there aren’t a lot of places where you can’t buy alcoholic drinks except in the large cities. If you really want some drinks, don’t forget you will have to pay more for that.

Toilets

In hotels you will have the normal western toilets, but in other places they are squat toilets. Totally different from what we are used to. Tip: I recommend you to take tissues with you during your trip. Toilet paper isn’t always present. If you forgot to take them with you, don’t worry you can buy them in every street.

Fake guides

Morocco has many so-called “faux guides”, or rather fake guides. These are Moroccans who approach you on the street to show you whether under the guise of ‘I would like to improve my English,’ the way you make contact. They can be very tenacious and always want you actually sell something, often with visits to shops of the whole family. Only official guides may show you around. Remember that those people do this to earn some money. In addition, it never hurts to be guided by a local. Most people have interesting information and you come into alleys where the average tourist do not come. But for this service, they expect a tip.

Taking pictures

Morocco is such a beautiful country with lots of different landscapes, beautiful buildings and people and I can tell you that you will want take a lot of pictures. But you have to be careful. Not everyone likes to be photographed. Certainly women don’t like to be photographed. Tip: It’s better to ask permission to avoid problems. Of course there are also people who will ask money for that photo. Photographing airports, military facilities or police is strictly prohibited! But don’t forget your memory card and battery for your camera 😉

Beggars and begging children

During your journey you will encounter many beggars and children who want candy or pens. It really can’t hurt to give a beggar a few Dirham. But to give gifts to children is strongly discouraged. The more we give, the more they’re going to ask.

Going back home

Souvenirs

Everybody loves to buy souvenirs for themselves or family, me to! In Morocco there are so much amazing things you can take with you and (normally) made by hand. For example:

• Carpets
• Lamps
• Jewellery
• Babouche – Moroccan slippers
• Djelabas
• Poufs
• Candles

   

Tip: Don’t forget to haggle! It’s a game for them. If you don’t haggle, you will pay 5 x the original price (or even more!). Don’t be afraid to do this because even the Moroccans do it with each other. Start with half the price. If they really don’t want to low the price, leave the shop. They will come after you and you will buy your souvenir at your desired price.

General

Show some respect and interest for the culture / Islam. It can be very interesting and you get to know something new. Remember that their traditions aren’t the same as our traditions. You will have to adapt you in certain circumstances, in this way you show respect. I think this is very important! Don’t do things you wouldn’t do at home. I also recommend you to be open with people. Moroccans are very open (in a friendly way). They always want to help you and want to make sure you will have a nice time in their country. When you are friendly, they will do lots of things for you.

Tip: When you are on the Djemaa el Fna square of Marrakech, you will have to be carefull for some things and people. On the square you can do and see lots of things. I discourage to put henna on your hand because you don’t know what they put into that mixture. When a woman comes to you to give you a free bracelet, don’t accept it! Afterwards you will have problems with you because she wants money for it! Remember, nothing is free in Morocco 😉 The same for the pictures with monkeys and snakes.

As you may have noticed, I never book all-ins. I don’t like them and certainly not in counties like Morocco. Please, choose to sleep in Riads or bivouacs in the desert. Then you will learn about the traditions of the country. When you book an all-in, you will not leave your hotel and you will stay whole days at the pool. Morocco has so much to offer! Take a step into the Moroccan culture. Besides, go further than Marrakech. It’s a country which is perfect for road trips! If you need some help for that, don’t hesitate to contact me 😉 I would love to organise something for you!

   

For your road trip I recommend to hire a car. But be careful, always check the car before leaving. If there are dents, take pictures! Check if all the papers are in the car and the other necessities like the warning triangle, fire extinguisher, … There are days that the police control all the passing cars. Tip: In Morocco there aren’t a lot of rules in the circulation. They drive with 3 side by side, they honk for everything,.. With other words, it can be very stressful, certainly in big cities like Marrakech! Attention! Please respect the speeds because After each small village, the police ready to measure your speed.

To end I would like to learn you some standard expressions that you can use during your stay in Morocco.

• Salam aleikum : Hello
• Labass: How are you?
• Chokran: Thank you
• Inshallah: If Allah wants it
• Na’am: Yes
• La: No
• Slama: Goodbye

I think you are now ready for your trip! 🙂

Don’t hesitate to contact me for more details!

Morocco, the country that travels within you

Hello everybody!

I just got back from an amazing trip 🙂

When I left, I had no idea what I would visit this time. Because my dream is to start a small business in Morocco, I had to visit some people (French and Belgian people who have their business there). So I decided with my friend to hire a car! We hired the car in Kelaat M’Gouna (the Rose Valley). Tip: If you want to hire a car, you really have to haggle because otherwise you will pay too much! We had the car for 210 Dhs per day, not bad 😉

After 2 days of chilling at Kasbah Chems, my friend and I took the road northwards. We took the road Taourirt which is an adventurous track through the High Atlas. On several places you have tarmac but with holes or just sand! Oh yes, there are no borders so we had to be very carefull! I was happy that we didn’t have to cross other cars because the road is narrow and we were very high! During this trip a saw lots of beautiful landscapes. A saw snowy mountaintops, untouched nature, old nomad villages and at the end beautiful meadows everywhere. The intention was to sleep at Demnate but no hotels. I think it’s normal because it isn’t a touristic place. So we drove and drove and drove until we saw a person wayside. It was dark and there were no lights. We thought he was a police officer so we stopped a bit further (because we drove a bit too fast 😉 ) But he was just a friendly fireman who wanted a lift to Azilal. He brought us to a nice hotel in the city (a night for 150Dhs per night !!). People in Morocco are so likeable, if you don’t have a place to stay, you can stay with them and their family. Lovely!

   

After a good night, we were back on track. We followed the road till Bin-el-Ouidane, an amazing place ! I really recommend it! It is a very large lake with a dam. Behind the dam, you have the river which is so blue and clear. I was impressed. We drove along the dam and river and enjoyed the incredible view. I was speechless by the beauty of the lake. This is a great place to float on the water or to do some jet ski. There are beautiful hotels at the lake with pools and which offer lots of other activities. Little reminder: they are a bit expensive 😉 But, you get a lot in return. This wonderful place is located 200 km from Marrakech.

    

Our next stop were the Ouzoud waterfalls, not so far from Bin-el-Ouidane. My friend and I enjoyed the wilderness and took a small path to go to the foot of the falls. During our adventure, we saw a big monkey! It was the first time I saw one in wild. This place is known for the many monkeys. Did you know they are 110 m high and the most famous falls of Morocco? During the summer it is a famous attraction for tourists. You can eat and drink, swim, float on one of the funny boats or just enjoy the view.

       

We hadn’t much time to stay because we had a very long road to go. El Jadida goes next! I enjoyed the track from Ouzoud to El Jadida. We were surrounded by green meadows, farms and peace. No tourists, no many cars 🙂 With our music in the car, we were happy and relaxed. We drove all day and finally arrived at El Jadida, a fishing city below Casablanca. Because we had a friend who worked there, he could fix a sleeping place for us. Tip: make friends! They do anything for their friends 🙂 Unfortunately it was rainy and windy, so we left. Not so far away we made a stop in Oualidia. Wauw! This place was amazing! It was so calm and beautiful. It is a small fishing town where you can see white houses with blue windows. The lagoon makes the town special. It is secluded by big rocks where you can walk on. I loved it 🙂 If you like to relax and to be far from the bustle, Oualidia is the perfect place! There are nice hotels and appartements.

      

We had the intention to drive along the sea. To begin from El Jadida and end in Essaouira. This track is amazing. We drove 4 hours next to the sea. It is not a busy road, so it was very relaxing 🙂 There were moments we were very high on the rocks and other moments we were almost on the beach. In this region you will find lots and lots of green, gardens and farms with animals everywhere. I can tell you, this was my favourite part of the trip.

  

I have spent my last days in Essaouira, my favourite village. Every time I travel to Morocco, I visit Essaouira. Unfortunately the weather was not good.. I’ve spent my last days in the rain 😉 rather at the appartement. It was time to go back to Marrakech and on the way I saw something very funny. Have you ever seen goats in a tree?? I haven’t! So I have taken pictures 😀

I can tell you that this was an amazing trip! I hope you liked it to.

If you like to have more tips or if you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact me 🙂

Salama!

My internship at Sawadi

The first time in my life that I would leave my family for about 4 months! I was so excited.

I’ve chosen to do my internship in Morocco. It was my biggest dream! I’ve found a blog of another French girl who did her internship in the ecolodge Sawadi. I have read the blog and I really wanted to do my internship there.

March was the month of a big new adventure for me! It was so difficult to leave my family, but I had to look forward. I went to the sun, my favourite country and a beautiful hotel! 🙂

Before telling about my best memories, I’m going to tell you more about the ecolodge Sawadi.

Sawadi is a paradise hidden in a huge palm grove situated in South Morocco, in the small town Skoura. The ecolodge, in other words a hotel where sustainability and ecology are the biggest aim, is a big domain with 20 rooms spread over several kasbahs, all handmade and decorated in Berber style. There are double rooms and family rooms with or without their own terrace and chimney.

On the domain you can find a swimming pool, a playground, panoramic terraces, a spa and hammam, meadows with vegetables and fruit trees and a farm with farm animals! Every tourist can go wherever they want.

   

Like I said before, there are a lot of vegetables and fruits in the gardens. Turnips, pumpkins, sorghum, alfalfa, dates, apples, peaches, grapes and pomegranates. All those dishes are served with fresh products from the garden. This is a big asset for the hotel. You get typical Moroccan food but also French dishes, delicious! 🙂

    

The products you get as breakfast are also fresh from the garden. What do you think about a homemade yoghurt and a fresh fruit juice? Or bread with jam made by the girls? Yes, all those products are made at Sawadi. They even sell their soap and Calendula oil which are super for your skin.

During your stay you can do lots and lots of nice things. You can choose to stay at the pool and relax or you can explore the region. Sawadi offers excursions to the palm grove of Skoura, Sidi Flah, the Dades Gorges, the Rose Valley,… (I will tell you more about it later 😉 )

My first days were calm. I had the time to accustom and to get to know the hotel and my colleagues who were so warm and friendly. My bosses Philippe and Catherine explained me my tasks I had to accomplish during my internship and it was actually quite a lot. In my first weeks I had to convince travel agencies and tour operators from Belgium to cooperate with us and ultimately attract more Belgian tourists to Sawadi. It wasn’t easy but I had a nice working place so I didn’t complain. 🙂

        

My other tasks were: serve the breakfast, serve the dinner, reception, answer incomming mails and calls and maintain the Facebook page of the ecolodge.

I’m happy! After serving breakfast, I could accompany my colleague Said and two Belgian tourists for a bike tour in the palm grove! Finally I would discover my region Skoura. We visited the known Kasbah Amridil which is situated 2 km from the town and you have to know that Sawadi is 7km from the town. We have got a guide who explained us the history of the kasbah. It was impressive!! A must do when you are in Skoura 😉 This monument was a fortress that protected a whole village  against enemies. There were a lot of spaces with small windows to hold the warmth outside. They used those to sleep, to cook, to hold their animals and as a refrigerator. We could not imagine that nowadays 😉 A kasbah normally has 4 towers, but this one had 5. The 5th one was used as a toilet 😀 On the upper terrace, you have a beautiful view over the whole palm grove of Skoura. Oh yes, one tip! If you want to do this bike tour, don’t forget it isn’t easy and it’s a tour of 15km!! I can assure you, I was dead after the excursion. We had rain, a lot of wind and hills which goes up and down. But I was very happy after it 🙂

     

My second memory I will never forget is the marriage of my two lovely colleagues Abdelilah and Khadija. You have to know that a marriage in Skoura takes about 7 days ! During this week, they get a visit from the family and friends. The day I was invited, was the day the bride would have her first night with her groom and from then, the couple lives officially together. I was so over the moon that I could attend this beautiful occasion. I sat under a big tent with the families who danced  and sang. The couple came in and out the tent and every time with another beautiful outfit. It was so impressive. Everybody wanted to take a picture with the bride and the groom. After the party it was time for the gifts. The groom was already home and the bride was surrounded by the family. She was blindfolded. Her sisters called the names of the guests and what the gift was when meanwhile the mother was greasing her hair with henna (that’s the tradition). Finally the time came to drop her off at the house of her new husband. It was 4 am in the morning when I was in bed, so tired but oh they looked so happy!

      

Abdou, a colleague of mine, invited me to go to the farm with him. On the way to the farm he explained me which vegetables and spices I could find in the gardens. That was very interesting because there were so many kinds spread all over the domain. We arrived at the farm, it was pretty big. I’ve seen donkeys, cats, dogs, rabbits, sheep and lambs, chickens, ducks, cows, pigeons, a goose, goats, a turkey and even beehives! It was incredible. Sawadi cooks with the eggs and make yoghurt and butter with the milk.

     

The 18th of April it’s my birthday and the day that my mother and grandmother would arrive at Sawadi. I was so excited to see them because I really missed them! It was their first time in Morocco and they were very curious. In the first place they came here to relax and enjoy the sun. But I had planned a few excursions for them. Our first jaunt was a tour in the palm grove to discover the region. We didn’t took a car but a tricycle! It is a motorcycle with a big trunk were you can sit in. In Morocco you will see those means of transport everywhere and not just 2 people in the back, but more than 10! We had a great time and after that we felt it on our but 😉 After a ride of 30min, we arrived at the Kasbah Amridil. We did a guided tour and my mother and grandmother were impressed. We also drunk a tea with the team of the Kasbah. After this great day, we went back to Sawadi.

   

A few days later, I planned our second excursion. We shared a car with two other tourists till Kasbah Chems in the Rose Valley (where my friend lives 🙂 ) We had lunch with them and after that they continued their trip. It was a beautiful day, so we went for a walk through the gardens. My friend Said took us to the most precious places of the region and my mother and grandmother were impressed. It was their first time they saw nature in this way, untouched! We closed the day with a delicious tagine in the Berber tent. My mother and grandmother were really happy to be there. The next day we went to the Dades Valley by car. Again my family was so impressed by the beauty of the landscapes. To end our trip, Said took us to the most famous part of the Valley, were we had a beautiful view. We had some beautiful times together, but unfortunately it was the end of their vacation. I was very hard to let them go.

    

One month later, my father and stepmother came to Sawadi. I was so happy to have my family with me and to share some moments with them. My parents had their own car so that was much easier for us to move. They took me to Sidi Flah, a beautiful piece of nature where a river flows through. It’s about 15min from the center of Skoura. We let the car behind us and we started to walk along the river. It was beautiful. The water was so clear that you could see through it. Normally you can spot turtles, but unfortunately we didn’t saw them. This place is so peaceful and calm. After that we drove to Ouarzazate, but we made a stop at a huge lake. We sat there for  while and enjoyed the silence. We ended the day at Ouarzazate.

    

And of course my parents and I went to the Rose Valley 🙂 It was Mai so the roses were in bloom. Wauw you see roses everywhere! Mohamed took us for a nice walk through the rose gardens. I never saw so many roses at one place. I definitely recommend it to everybody who loves to walk and who wants to disappear from the stressy world. We were very relaxed and happy. It was breathtaking.

We ended our trip in the Dades Gorges. We took lunch together on a very nice place with a view over the valley. Yes I know I went frequently to the gorges. It’s because I love the region. It’s a beautiful place for nice walks through the gardens, fruit trees and along the river.

In the last part of my blog, I would like to thank my incredible colleagues. During those 3 months I was with them every day. We worked, laughed, cried, ate together. They were my new family! Since the first day, they accepted me. I was invited several times in their homes for a cup of tea or tagine. They introduced me to their family. They are so amazing!!! Thank you so much my loves for those beautiful memories we created together. My last days I spent with them. I went from the one house, to the other for dinner and henna 🙂

   

I also want to thank Julie, another girl who did her internship in Skoura. We found each other on the right time. She was there for me and  I was there for her. When we needed a pep talk, she came to me. She is an amazing girl ! Hope to see you again one day sweaty 😉

For more info about Sawadi, take a look on their website: http://www.sawadi.ma or you can contact me 🙂

I put more photos of my experience in Skoura in my gallery, so don’t hesitate to take a look!

Kisses

J.

Kasbah Chems, a pearl in the Rose Valley

Hello my dear friends !

I would looooove to go back to my second home, Morocco 🙂 Don’t you?

Don’t you want to see more than just Marrakech or the pool of an all in hotel? I know a perfect place !

On a hill overlooking the valley of roses in Morocco, Kasbah Chems is a small paradise where the eye arises in the gardens, the river, the snowy mountains of the Atlas, the Berber villages and colorful reliefs.

KASBAH CHEMS

After a ride of 30 minutes through the Rose Valley, you arrive at the most beautiful kasbah of the region ! It is situated in a small village called Boutahgrar. Kasbah Chems stands on the hillside of a mountain and it is the first hotel you see before arriving at the village.

When you arrive, you will be warmly received by Said or Brahim. Kasbah Chems is a hotel which is managed by an Moroccan family and it already exists for 10 years. The hotel has 14 rooms for 2 to 5 people. It is accessible to everyone and it is possible to sleep in one of two dormitories or camping for a small fee. If you want to experience the charm of nomadic life, you can also sleep in the Berber tent.

The kasbah is builded by the family, from the walls to the small details, drawings and decoration. Everything with their own hands. Every room has his own decoration, that is what makes this place so beautiful.

       

With his 3 terraces, you get an impressive panoramic view over the valley. Because the weather is nice, you can take your delicious breakfast or lunch in the sun !

The kasbah is also a restaurant, so of course you can try the real Moroccan cuisine. Tajine, couscous, harira,… Delicious !! Before I forget, different products are made at the kasbah; yogurt, bread, fruit juices,.. And they use fresh vegetables from their kitchen garden ! If you want, you can also ask for a picnic 🙂

Do you like to walk in the nature? Kasbah Chems offers different kind of excursions for every kind of people. If you want to walk max 5 hours, you can do the day excursions. During the day you can choose to go to the Dades valley or to discover the beautiful Rose Valley. I recommend to take a walk through the Rose Valley, certainly early Mai. You will see roses everywhere and you can participate the rose festival; colors and music everywhere, beautiful people, dances and they will choose the Rose Queen (the most beautiful women of the valley).

Are you an advanced walker, you can choose between treks of several days; in the M’Goun valley, the High Atlas or the desert. The treks can take from 3 to 10 days or more.

I’ve done the M’Goun valley and it was amazing! 2 day surrounded by water and big mountains. It was breathtaking ! I slept in the middle of the gorges in a tent. 😀 And when you are tired, you can sit on the mule 😉

         

More information you can find on their website: http://www.kasbah-chems.fr/activites/ 

In the kasbah and the village there are also nice things to do:

• Berber courses
• A traditional wedding (tip: if you want to attend a wedding, come during the summer, it’s the moment of weddings)
• Music evenings at the kasbah; they invite friends and play some traditional music
• Visit a distillery of the roses, where they make that several product with roses
• Visit the souks on Wednesday at Kelaat M’Gouna

The prices of the rooms are correct;

• They vary between € 11,50 and € 20 per person (half board)
• And € 17,50 and € 26 per person (full board)

Don’t hesitate and take a look at the website and Facebook page !

http://www.kasbah-chems.fr/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kasbah-Chems/388673884527926

I hope with all my heart that you will visit this beautiful place ! The rose valley is not very known but certainly worth a visit. 🙂

I can assure you, Kasbah Chems is an amazing place !!!

Let me know what you think and if you want to go ! 😉 I’m curious

Kiss kiss

Julie

I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list

Everyone has a list with the things you want to discover in life. Of course I have mine.

So I would like to share you my dreamlist 🙂 Of course I want to see the whole world, but I will make my list a bit shorter.

Cuba

To drink a real Mojito, learn Salsa and to drive in an old car

Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo

To learn Bachata, to drink fresh coconut milk

Thailand, Bangkok

To visit the temples and Koh Phi Phi

Jordan

To visit the wonder Petra

Kenia

To make a hot air balloon excursion above a national park

Namibia

To take ride in the desert

Iceland

To see the beauty of the Northern lights and to swim in a hot spring

Cambodia, Siem

To visit the impressive Angkor temples

Bolivia

To make some typical photos 🙂

Greece, Santorini

To discover the white and blue contrast

Bora Bora

To swim with sea turtles 🙂

Canada

To ski on the big ski slopes

Finland

To say Hi to the Santa Claus 😉

South Africa, Capetown

To climb on the Table Mountain

Australia

To learn to surf and to dive between the colorful fishes

India, Agra

To visit the wonder Taj Mahal

Germany, Berlin

To enjoy the architecture

China, Shanghai

To get lost between the skyscrapers

Turkey, Istanbul

To enjoy the culture

Russia, St Petersburg

To enjoy the architecture

Brasil, Rio de Janeiro

To admire the statue of Christ the Redeemer and to participle the carnival

Indonesia, Bali

To relax

Sri Lanka

To enjoy the beautiful nature

Arab Emirates, Dubai

To be blown down by the impressive buildings

Argentina

To visit the Iguazu Falls and to learn the Tango

Costa Rica

To make a jungle trekking

Guatemala

To discover the Tikal ruins

Maldives

To go on honeymoon 🙂

America, New York

To feel the liveliness in The City That Never Sleeps

Tanzania

To relax at the beach and to make a safari

Philippines, Palawan

To be surprised by the magnificent beauty of this place

France, Paris

To kiss my boyfriend at the Eiffel Tower 🙂 🙂

If I could, I would go now and get lost !

What are your dream destinations?

Let me know and leave a comment.

Kiss

Julie

Home sweet Morocco

New adventures in Morocco and this time with my lovely niece !

September 2013, we went back and we started at Kasbah Chems. We stayed there for a few days. We took the bus from Marrakech to Kelaat M’Gouna, again a nice adventure :p

We began with a journey at the Dades valley. We took the car and we drove through the valley. There are different places where you can stop and enjoy the beauty of the nature. That’s what we did. We stopped at the river and relaxed with our feet in the water. Lovely! After this, we went back to the Kasbah and we walked in the old village and the gardens. I can assure you that the atmosphere is incredible; food is delicious, the people are very friendly and they offer nice excursions (Said and his brothers/friends know the valley and surroundings by heart.

        

Day 2: the valley of the 1000 kasbahs!

Like I already described you in one of my other blogs 😉 It’s a gorge, surrounded by imposing mountains. We followed the river and of course our guide Said. Even if this was the second time I saw the valley, I was again surprised by the beauty of this nature. But then there was something that happened we aren’t used to find in a country like this; IT STARTED TO RAIN!!! And we had lots of kilometers left :p Luckily we arrived at the nomad tents in the middle of the gorges. We ate some delicious salad and drank some Moroccan tea. Because it was raining heavily, we waited in the tents. I can assure you, it was a funny adventure 😀 We were hiding under de blankets because it was cold and we took a nap. We also had some company of a sweet little dog. After 3 hours, we continued our walk. Yes, we were exhausted but so happy !

Day 3: on the top of the plateau and mountain !

After a delicious breakfast, Said took us to the high plateau of Boutaghrar. We climbed and climbed and climbed and finally arrived. Wauw, it was breathtaking! It gave a fantastic view of the old and new village of Boutaghrar. We stayed for a while and enjoyed it. It is certainly worth to do. To go down, we took the other side of the plateau. We walked through forests with lots of fruit trees. We tasted fresh figs and peaches from the trees that Said cropped off. For the second part of the day, we took the car and climbed on the mountain. We were so high!! And it gave us again an incredible view over the village but from the other side. This was the end of our journey in the Rose valley.

  

            

Next stop: Marrakech !

Back in Marrakech, we went to the Majorelles Gardens from Yves Saint Laurent. It’s known for the thousand different kinds of plants and trees, but also for the beautiful blue colors that is used on his house and in the details.

Tip: Did you know that on the square of Jemaa El Fna there are lots of things to do and to see? You will see people everywhere! Musicians, storytellers, games,… A real spectacle! We wanted to try a game 😀 There are multiple lines of soda bottles next to each other. You will get a fish line with an open circle. The idea is to get that circle around a bottle. The price? The soda bottle :p You might think that’s easy, but oh no! It’s almost impossible, but very funny. 🙂

Oh yes, if you are hungry and want to eat quick and cheap? Go to the little stands for a nice couscous and a free Moroccan tea!

And hup to Essaouira!

We rented a very nice apartment in the middle of the medina of Essaouira. Such a lovely apartment with 2 rooms, a salon, a kitchen and a fantastic terrace with a view over the city. I prefer to stay in an apartment so you can cook yourself, go shopping and to live like the local people. We made some tajines, grilled fish but also french pancakes. Mmmmmm! 😀 We had the time of our lives here. With our music, there was always a good atmosphere.

To start, we visited the fort of Essaouira which is situated at the port. We had a lovely view over the port, the ocean and the square. The price for the visit: 10 dirham (cheap 😉 )

      

In Essaouira you have many things to do like discovering the old medina, shopping in the souks, to walk through the port or to do things on the beach. That’s what we all did! We wanted to do something special, so we decided to start with something nice and that was to ride the quads on the beach! It was so much fun! We had a guide in front of us and we had to follow. It wasn’t always easy because there are high sand dunes. The second thing we did was to do horseback riding on the beach. I am a bit scared of horses, but I did it and it was amazing. It was the first time I did it on the beach. For my niece it was easy :p And to finish we tried the jet ski!! This was so much fun !!

     

     

      

You see that you can divers from the standard trips and have even more fun 😉

Voila I hope you enjoy reading!

See you

Kiss

Julie

50 travel quotes that inspire me

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
Eleanor Roosevelt

Who doesn’t like quotes which encourage and inspire you to take actions, to face your fears or to go somewhere new? The feeling you get after achieving those things is fantastic!

I really love travel quotes because it gave me power that dreams actually can come true! I’ve always been a big dreamer about travel, seeing the world. After reading those quotes, they created an impression I will never forget. They give me courage to chase those dreams and follow my heart.

Those 50 quotes are my favorite ones 🙂

Enjoy!

“We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate. We travel to bring what little we can, in our ignorance and knowledge, to those parts of the globe whose riches are differently dispersed. And we travel, in essence, to become young fools again- to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more.” ― Pico Iyer

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.” – Unknown

“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” – Susan Sontag

“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” – Tim Cahill

“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” – Maya Angelou

“We travel, some of us forever, to seek other places, other lives, other souls.” – Anais Nin

“Our happiest moments as tourists always seem to come when we stumble upon one thing while in pursuit of something else.” — Lawrence Block

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Andre Gide

“To travel is to live.”– Hans Christian Andersen

“The greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everydaythings as if for the first time.” – Bill Bryson

“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

“Travel brings power and love back into your life.” ― Rumi

“Never hesitate to go far away, beyond all seas, all frontiers, all countries, all beliefs.” ― Amin Maalouf

“A wise man travels to discover himself.” ― James Russell Lowell

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” ― Lao Tzu

“Tourists don’t know where they’ve been, travelers don’t know where they’re going.” –Paul Theroux

“Adventure is a path. Real adventure – self-determined, self-motivated, often risky – forces you to have firsthand encounters with the world. The world the way it is, not the way you imagine it. Your body will collide with the earth and you will bear witness. In this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and bottomless cruelty of humankind – and perhaps realize that you yourself are capable of both. This will change you. Nothing will ever again be black-and-white.” – Mark Jenkins

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” ― Henry Miller

“Travel often; getting lost will help you find yourself.” – The Holstee Manifesto

“The great glory of travel, to me, is not just what I see that’s new to me in countries visited, but that in almost every one of them I change from an outsider looking in to an insider looking out.” ― Clara E. Laughlin

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” ― St Augustine

“Only through travel can we know where we belong or not, where we are loved and where we are rejected.”  ― Roman Payne

“Travellers understand, instinctively and by experience, that travel and adventure change and elongate time, even while navigating the deadlines of airline and train departures.” ― Paul Sheehan

“How many cities have revealed themselves to me in the marches I undertook in the pursuit of books!” ― Walter Benjamin

“Travel brings wisdom only to the wise. It renders the ignorant more ignorant than ever.” ― Joe Abercrombie

“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” – Anonymous

“Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote, and I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life” ― Michael Palin

“I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” ― Robert Louis Stevenson

“To awaken alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.” – Freya Stark

“Travel does what good novelists also do to the life of everyday, placing it like a picture in a frame or a gem in its setting, so that the intrinsic qualities are made more clear. Travel does this with the very stuff that everyday life is made of, giving to it the sharp contour and meaning of art.” – Freya Stark

“People don’t take trips… trips take people.” – John Steinbeck

“Travel is like love, mostly because it’s a heightened state of awareness, in which we are mindful, receptive, undimmed by familiarity and ready to be transformed. That is why the best trips, like the best love affairs, never really end” – Pico Iyer

“The gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” – Sir Richard Burton

“Like all great travellers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen.” – Benjamin Disraeli

“He who does not travel does not know the value of men.” – Moorish proverb

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” – Martin Buber

“No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” – Lin Yutang

“Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.” – Dalai Lama

“To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” – Aldous Huxley

“Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey.” ― Pat Conroy

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” ― Jawaharlal Nehru

“I always wonder why birds choose to stay in the same place when they can fly anywhere on earth. Then I ask myself the same question.” – Harun Yahya

“I was nog born for one corner. The whole world is my native land.” – Unknown

“Travel, which is like a greater and a graver science, brings us back to ourselves.” ― Albert Camus

“It is not the destination where you end up but the mishaps and memories you create along the way!” ― Penelope Riley

“Traveling is like flirting with life. It’s like saying, “I would stay and love you, but I have to go, this is my station” – Lisa St. Aubin de Teran

“Own only what you can carry with you; let your memory be your travel bag.” – Alexander Solzhenitsyn

“Not all those who wander are lost.” – R. R. Tolkien

What do you think of those quotes?

Which one is your favorite?

Tell me !

Don’t forget to follow and to share! 😉

Kisses

Julie

Morocco with my bestie

Salam aleikum everybody !

I’m back again with a new story (yes I know, i’m addicted to Morocco 😉 ) This time I went with my best friend.

We started in Marrakech and stayed in a small riad. Even if you go back to Marrakech for the 10th time, there are always new things to discover. My friend and I wanted to try something new, not a normal restaurant, but the food stands on the square of Jemaa El Fna! There are hundreds stands (where you can eat the same food :p ) and that for 60 dirham !!! Tip: I would like to warn you, it’s not easy to choose one because there will be 10 attractors of different stands who will try to drag you to their stand. But I think this was really funny 😀 You have to play the game with them. After we had chosen the stand, we started to eat. The food is delicious, cheap and you can get tea as much as you want and for free!! We decided to come back every evening. 🙂 Certainly for students who don’t want to pay much for their food, this is interesting.

Next day, new adventure ! This time the Ouzoud waterfalls. Last time in Morocco, I saw a small waterfall for the first time. But this one is really big, about 110m and the most famous one in Morocco. The best way to get there is to take a big taxi for max 30 dirham per person or to go with your car. It takes about 2 hours driving (150km). It was spectacular to see the height and the beauty of the waterfall. We arrived at the top of the waterfall so we climbed down, a whole adventure 😉 . Finally at the bottom of the waterfall, there were restaurants, places to swim and ‘boats’ made from chairs :p that bring you close to the waterfall. We wanted to swim, but there were too much other people so we decided to eat something and to enjoy the view. Normally you can see monkeys, bus we haven’t seen any. That’s a pity! Because there is a lot of nature, there are several campings. So if you are too tired to go back to Marrakech or you want to sleep in the nature, this is a great manner.

       

Let’s go back to the Rose Valley!! With the bus.. :p We took Supratours, the most modern bus in Morocco which is comfortable and with AC. It was something I didn’t do before. We had to cross the Atlas, so you know what that means; zig zag, zig zag and that for about 2 hours ö Everybody in the bus was sick, except us. Tip: don’t forget to take some medication for nausea with you, because you can use them!! 😉 This bus trip to Kelaat M’Gouna takes about 6 hours. Don’t worry, you will get a stop in the middle of the Atlas where you can eat and drink something. Because my friend and I were students, we prefer to take the local transport. So in Kelaat we took the communal taxi. Be prepared to wait, because the taxis leave when it’s full. Our plan was to go back to my friends in Kasbah Chems. The Kasbah organises different kinds of excursions from a few hours to several days. We never have done a trekking, so we wanted to do a 2 days trekking in the M’Goun gorges.

We got up early, enjoyed the delicious breakfast and took the taxi to the departure point. Said, Redouane, Mustafa and a mule accompanied us to the gorges. It was so beautiful ! We walked a long the river surrounded by giant mountains. Sometimes we had to cross the river and that wasn’t always easy. The closer you get to the gorges, the harder the river flows, but that’s the part of the adventure 😉 I admit, I have fallen into the water ! We also swam in the river, that was really nice. It was like an attraction because the flow was hard. 😀 At lunchtime, the boys made us a nice meal. It started to get dark and we arrived at the only camping in the gorges. The whole evening we were laughing with the boys, playing games and telling jokes. It was so much fun. 🙂

        

After a good night in the nature, we continued our trekking. We arrived at the gorges which became narrower and narrower. Very impressive! The river rose above our knees. It was time to return to the Kasbah, my friend on the mule and I walked. This is such an amazing experience, which I recommend to everyone who like to walk (from beginners to experienced people).

          

Woohoo desert, here we come! We slept in the hotel ‘Le petit prince’ in Merzouga. At 10 o’clock in the morning I was already on the camel :p I can tell you, it is really a fantastic experience! Tip: don’t begin your camelride in the morning because you will be in the sun the whole day and it can be very hot. Around 13 o’clock the temperature rises to 45-50°C !! We did this mistake and we were baking alive :p So we stopped at a nomad town, we lunched and took a long nap. Finally we arrived at the Berber tent ! Our guides told us to take a sand bath. We tought ‘huh a sand bath?!’ It’s like a hammam but you must lie in the sand. So Mohamed made a big hole, one for my friend and one for me. We lay down and he buried our body! It was so so hot and I had sand everywhere :p They say that it’s good for your body and skin.

I love the desert ! We ate a tajine in the middle of the dunes, something you don’t do everyday. 😉 Then we climbed on a big dune with our guides. They had a snowboard and instruments with them! We slid of the dune on the board, so funny! And we played some music. The best of all, sleeping under the stars! WAUW!!

         

You see, there is so much to discover ! That’s why I go back 😉

Hopefully you enjoyed my story!

Slama XXX

My 21st birthday in Morocco

Oh I was so happy to be back in this beautiful country. This holiday was a present of my stepmother, so we went just the two of us.

We arrived in april 2013 in Marrakech, back to the same riad we went the first time (Riad Djebel). I was happy to see everyone back, I became friends with the Mustapha (such a nice guy 😉 ). We stayed just for two nights because it was a short vacation. During the day we enjoyed the souks, which are so amazing. Everyone is talking to you and want to lead you to their shops 🙂 Every time I am in Marrakech, I’m taking a break in my ‘hangout café’. Café France is situated on the square Djemaa El Fna and is such a nice restaurant where you can sit and enjoy the view of the square (you have 3 terraces).

My stepmother and I took our car and went back to Ouarzazate (also the same hotel). We visited Ait Ben Haddou, climbed till the top of the hill and enjoyed the magnificent view over the valley. The guide took us all the way through the village, we visited the families who still live in this old authentic Ksar. This is really something you have to do when you are here. I’ve learned a lot about this village, the valley, the films,…

    

But of course there is also something new we did during our stay. Our next stop in the Rose valley !! This village is situated in the south of Morocco, between Ouarzazate and Merzouga. The way to this region is amazing. You go from a dry area to a very green and natural region. We wanted to go in the middle of the valley, in Boutaghrar. Our hotel was Kasbah Chems. Such a beautiful and peaceful place ! ö  This kasbah is situated 25km from the city Kelaat M’Gouna on a hill. Be careful because it is a narrow street and you have a lot of taxi-busses on the road. Don’t forget to enjoy the beauty of the nature. We were driving with big eyes because this was just amazing. It’s one road, surrounded by high cliffs, a river and lots of nature. I really fell in love with this region. When we arrived at the village, it’s the first thing you saw. It’s ideal for backpackers because you have a camping place. But also for families with children. It is a hotel with 13 rooms, 3 terraces which gives you a wonderful view over the valley and village.  The kasbah is runned by a charming family who gives you a warming welcome to their home. The whole kasbah is hand-made by the family, from the outside to the rooms.This region is perfect for different kinds of excursions. You can choose day excursions but also trekkings of 3-4 days. If you want more information about the kasbah, don’t hesitate to visite their site: http://www.kasbah-chems.fr/

         

Unfortunately we didn’t have much time, so we’ve chosen to do 2 day excursions. The first day we went to the Valley of the thousand Kasbahs with our guide Said. He’s one of the sons and is adorable. He took us to discover a wonderful piece of nature. The first part is very green, but the further you go the bigger the mountains become. We were walking in a canyon along a river. WAUW !! 😀 Said took us to a nomad tent for lunch. He made a great salad and tea. After relaxing, we continued our promenade. This excursions takes about 5 hours of walking, and is made for every tourist. What’s very nice is that Said gives a lot of attention to his clients. He gave us everything we wanted; interesting information about the valley, good food, jokes 😉 We had a wonderful day !

      

But the best is yet to come! We arrived back at the kasbah and relaxed. Nothing special was going on, we took a shower, we changed clothes and we went to the dining room. I was talking to my stepmother while suddenly Said and the rest of the staff came in with a giant birthday cake with my name and candles on it!!! 😀 (18 april is my birthday) I was surprised, but so happy! It was a delicious cake 😉 While we were eating the cake and dinner, the staff and other friends came to play music. So we enjoyed the music, the songs and the ambiance. I can insure you, it was the best birthday party I’ve ever had !

         

After a good night of sleep, we began our second excursion with Said. Today we would see a waterfall (first time in my life!! :p ) He took us somewhere in the middle of the mountains which gave us beautiful landscapes. This walk through the nature would take about 3 hours. For lunch Said prepared us again a delicious salad 🙂 We were eating next the waterfall! After that we went back to the car and on our way home we enjoyed the view. These were our last moments at the kasbah, we had to leave the next morning back to Marrakech. I wasn’t happy at all! But really I had a wonderful time !

       

So peeps, this is the end again of my story 😀 one tip: if you’re going to Morocco, don’t book one week but at least 2 weeks. Then you have time to discover this beauty and you are more relaxed !

Happy reading!! 😀

Slama !

Julie