Morocco
Morocco is the country in the north west corner of northern Africa, south of Spain, Portugal and Gibraltar and on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and the western part of the Mediterranean Sea. There is an affinity to France as Morocco was a former colony and French is the unofficial second language of the land.
Population ~34 million…similar to Canada population of 36 million. Most of the people live in the big cities of Casablanca, Marrakesh, etc… very few live outside the population centers.
Morocco is GMT +1.
Local currency is the Moroccan Dirhams (MAD). Where $1US = $15MAD.
Oh and watch out for Wizards…you will know what I am talking about when you see them.
No Immigration Visa was needed for Canadian Citizens.
How to get there:
I flew Cayman Airways from GCM (GMT-5) to JFK New York. Then Air Maroc from JFK to Casablanca. Morocco is GMT +1 – so a 6hr time difference between Cayman and Casablanca. Casablanca is the Hub for Air Maroc and well as the true international airport for Morocco.
The Air Maroc flight left JFK at 3am and arrived in Casablanca at 3pm…approx flight time 7hrs. 5hrs difference between JFK and Casablanca…thus the 7+5 = 12hrs (3am – 3pm)
Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport (CMN):
Was a decent airport, not overtly huge to navigate. It is a bit dated and could use a refresh…at least from an arrivals hall perspective.
Please remember to pick up a Custom/Immigration form as you enter the Immigration hall as you will need to hand it in to the Customs Agent(s). They do not pass these out on the plane. I got up to the Customs Agent without one. He very politely gave me a blank form. Which I then filled out as best I could. Then got back in line and back to the Agent.
After the Agent stamps your passport you meet up with another Agent which checks your passport for the stamp – keep your Passport out and ready for the check. Then down some escalators to the Baggage Collections.
Collecting my checked luggage was a breeze – no issues. Then as you exit your baggage is sent through one last X-ray scan. Then you exit to the Arrivals area of the airport. There will be lots of “Taxi” guys asking if you need a ride.
I bypassed them to get to a Bank Machine (ABM). I tried several machines until one worked. Ensure your bank knows of your travels to ensure your cards work while travelling.
Then I was approached by a man asking if I needed a “Taxi” this was not an official taxi operator but I said yes I needed a ride to Novotel City Center. I asked how much…he said $300 Moroccan Dirhams (MAD). So the car ride would be ~$20US to get me from the airport to my hotel.
Casablanca vs Marrakesh:
Now the Casablanca Medina was clean and in decent shape. I make mention of this as Casablanca the city was dirty and disheveled in comparison. Also make mention as Marrakesh the city was clean and orderly but the Medina in Marrakesh was dirty and disheveled. The two cities were exact opposites.
Casablanca
Let me preface this by saying Casablanca is the industrial powerhouse of Morocco and is a city under construction siege – from roads to buildings…everything is being built or rebuilt.
As well if you break down Casablanca into its two parts “Casa” and “blanca” …Casa meaning house and blanca meaning white. You will notice that most if not all houses/buildings are white in color in Casablanca.
This is important for Morocco as Casablanca is white, Marrakesh is salmon colored and other cities are blue like Chefchaouen…which I did not visit this trip.
My Hotel in Casablanca:
As for my hotel - my travel agent Bob booked ALL my hotels & flights – thanks Bob J. He booked me at the Novotel City Center – which was down near the waterfront, right across the street from the Casa Port Train station. The hotel was ~30km away from the airport and with traffic was over an hour away. Plan appropriately.
No issues with the “taxi – non taxi” service getting me to my hotel. But be aware that you may want to tip your driver. I gave him another $100MAD.
The hotel was nice exterior and nice lobby. They were quick and efficient in finding my reservation and getting me to my room. My room was clean, decent size…but nothing extraordinary to write home about – just a room.
Breakfast was included in my stay. Nice dining area on the ground floor. Buffet style with lots of options for food and drink. Impressed with the quality of food(s). Did not starve here J
Walking around Casablanca:
The first night I was there I took a walk along a street that would take me in the direction of Hassan II Mosque. I felt safe – no issues but I gave up part way just because the lack of sidewalks, the construction and car fumes/exhausts.
Then I went back to Casa Port Train station where I bought my train ticket for Casablanca to Marrakesh. It was nice, clean and modern. Sadly, the train to Marrakesh only leaves from the other train station Casa Voyager (10 minutes away by taxi). But you can purchase tickets at Casa Port Train station for Casa Voyager trains.
The Casa Port Train station has a number of Bank Machines, again find one that will give you local cash MAD’s. They also had a variety store that I bought some water and a power adaptor – as I could not find my universal power adaptor.
Power for your devices:
You will need a Plug Type C or E, 220V 50Hz in Morocco, Egypt and Jordan. Plan appropriately.
Day Tours:
I booked almost all my day trips/tours on TripAdvisor (Viatours). All of these TripAdvisor tours were private. That means only me and a driver and a possible tour guide.
Tours in Casablanca:
The next morning, I had The Medina and Beyond Moring Cultural Walking Tour (~$48US) - starting at the Hassan II Mosque. It was only for the morning as I had a train to catch at 3:30pm this same day to Marrakesh. I took a taxi to the Mosque as I didn’t want to be late by walking along unfamiliar roads. To my amazement it was only a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Walked it at a later date.
My guild was Hakim from Urban Adventures – Morocco (+212661922789).
His English was excellent and he even spoke some Romanian – a great surprise to me. I met him at the Ticket entrance to the Mosque. We walked around the outside of the structure and he explained the how’s/why’s/where’s and the what’s of the place and surrounding areas.
He then called his friend which was our driver. We then drove past the Royal quarters…where the King hangs out and stopped at the Habbous quarter. We walked around a bit and saw the structures. Lots of Arabic book shops here.
Casablanca Medina:
Then off to the Medina (in Morocco Medina means Old City…in other places Medina just means City). Again we walked around and he explained the history of Casablanca…which was under rule by the Portuguese back in the day. Casablanca was originally “Casabranca” – still means the same thing…just in Portuguese. Also later realized this was just a street over from my hotel.
Rick’s Café:
At the back end of the Medina we exited close to the waterfront and we came upon Rick’s Café. Yes, and No to the question you are about to ask…” Rick’s Café from the Movie Casablanca?” The Cafe was only made as a prop for the movie Casablanca. Made in America in Hollywood...then someone said why don't we actually make a real Rick's Cafe in Casablanca. So they did. And now it is a real place in Casablanca...but very touristy. I stopped by there and took some pictures outside as it was closed.
Prerequisite Gift Shopping:
We ended our tour with a stop at a local gift shop.
Please note a few things:
1. The Tour guides and drivers are paid poorly by the tour operators
2. They rely upon Tips and stops to Gift Shops as they get a commission from everything you buy
3. This axiom applies to Morocco, Egypt and Jordan
I bought some keychains and a new Moroccan leather wallet as mine was falling apart. Feel free to contribute into the local economies if you can. There should be no pressure to do so if you cannot.
Train to Marrakesh:
The next portion of my Morocco tour was to Marrakesh. So packed up all my stuff and got into a taxi and got over to Casa Voyager Train Station. This station was also nice clean and modern. The train was modern as well.
I was approached by an individual on the train pad. He introduced himself as Arabi Abdellatiff of Monument City Tours (+2120666219214). He asked if I needed any tours/transportation in Marrakesh - I did. So he called his guys to pick me up from the train station and give me a lift to the hotel in Marrakesh. As well he arranged to have a morning tour for Tuesday April 16th. For Jardia Majorelle Garden, Bahia Palace, Berbere Apothecary and the Medina. Am glad I ran into him for the tour part. He let me know the pickup and tour would only cost $300MAD’s.
I chose to travel 1st Class which was ~$180MAD which was about ~$12US. Train ride was ~3hours – which I slept most of the way. The 1st Class cabin was a 6-person unit with only 5 people in it. Was clean and comfortable. No issues what so ever. The conductor made the rounds and checked your tickets. Make sure you have them ready.
Once I arrived at the Marrakesh railway station I was greeted by another Hakim from Monument City Tours. We both waited for the driver and they took me to my second hotel in Morocco…The Novotel Hivernage Marrakesh.
Marrakesh
My Hotel in Marrakesh:
The Novotel Hivernage – again booked by Bob and was a nicer hotel then the one in Casablanca. It has a pool but water was cold and I did not visit it. Also breakfast buffet style included – which was nice but smaller and less varieties then the Novotel in Casablanca.
The room in this hotel was way nicer, bigger, ultra-modern…with curved walls.
Day tour Marrakesh:
Next morning, I was picked up by Hakim and driver. We started our tour with the Jardia Majorelle Garden. This was a great place. Lots of trees, plants, flowered, fountains and waterways. As well the Berbere Museum was included in this stop. Highly recommend this if you can go. I think it was like $80MADs ~$6US entrance fee.
Bahia Palace:
Then off to the Bahia Palace. An interesting place with fantastic mosaic work on the walls and floors. But it’s a one-way tour where you have to back track out of the place as the exit is also the entrance. Lots of people here.
Berbere Apothecary:
Right outside the walls to the Bahia Palace is the Berbere Apothecary. They seat you down in a room and explain all of the chemical mixtures that they make, how they make them and what materials are used in these concoctions. Interesting place to get some Argan Oil products, as they extract the oils on site. Argan Oil: “Pure argan oil is a rare and precious oil that is harvested and extracted from the nut of the argan tree. For centuries, women across the Mediterranean have used argan oil in their beauty regimen for vibrant, healthy-looking skin and hair”. I did buy some oil and some other items here…again Prerequisite Gift shopping.
Medina/Tannery:
And then we went to the heart of the Medina…the Tannery section. It was my least favorite part of all my tours. They showed me how they process leathers (Cow, Camel, etc…) using bird poo to cure the leathers. There was an offending smell all over the place. They gave me some fresh mint to smell to mask the odor.
Medina Artisanal Center:
Then off to Medina Artisanal Center…again Prerequisite Gift shopping. They are very aggressive in this place. Be forewarned! I did manage to escape this place with just buying a Berbere rug. I count myself lucky.
Some traditional Moroccan food:
Then my tour ended. They dropped me off just outside the Medina at a restaurant called L'oriental Restaurante to get some authentic Moroccan food. I had some Cuscus, Vegetables and Chicken in a Tagine. “The tagine doubles as both a cooking vessel and serving dish that keeps the food warm.”
Once finished I walked back to the hotel. About 10 minutes. No issues walking back. Felt safe.
One Hump Camel Ride:
Same day (Tuesday April 16th) at 6pm I was picked up by a driver at the hotel. This was a group experience and there were other people from Malta and Spain in the van.
Sunset Camel Ride in the Palm Grove of Marrakech, MA Tours (+212662445487) was the company. Was $52Us for this tour.
Can’t remember the name of our driver - though he did warn me about the Tannery and Medina Artisanal Center. And that their tour company does not ever do that tour as to the aggressiveness of the vendors there. Too late for me :P
And they drove us outside of town about 15 minutes, North East to the desert. Where we met our guides and Camels. These Camels: “The dromedary also called the Arabian camel (Camelus dromedarius), is a large, even-toed ungulate with one hump on its back” took us on an hour ride to a Berbere tent at the far end of the field. Where we had tea and cookies. Then headed back to the start point. We said our thanks and gave some tips to the guides. We were then driven back to and dropped back at our respective hotels.
Ait Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate Tour:
This had to be one of the best tours I booked. First off I tried to book this online through TripAdvisor but they would not accept me as I was a single traveler. So I reached out to The Novotel Hivernage to see if they could find something for me. They came back and said that they had me booked for Wednesday April 17th. Total cost $50Us which was way cheaper than the TripAdvisor options.
An early morning pickup 7:00am…taxi to a restaurant just outside of the Medina…then a drive into the Medina main square. Some confusion…then into another taxi which drove me to the exact same restaurant outside the Medina where I boarded a waiting bus with like 20 others.
Then started our tour…1.5 hours of driving South East from Marrakesh where we stopped off at a rest stop/restaurant/gift shop. Then back on the bus…several hours later through the Atlas Mountains (salmon colored soil) on serpentine roads to heights of 3000+ meters. There was also a mid-way stop to some Prerequisite Gift shopping. I did buy a few curios here. We emerged on the other side - into the desert and to Ait Ben Haddou.
The magical location of Ksar Ait Ben Haddou: “The ksar, a group of earthen buildings surrounded by high walls, is a traditional pre-Saharan habitat. Is an ighrem, along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech in present-day Morocco. Most citizens attracted by the tourist trade live in more modern dwellings in a village on the other side of the river, although there are four families still living in the ancient village.”
I highly recommend this and it’s well worth the drive and conditions to come see this place.
We also quickly visited Ouarzazate which was another walled city to the East of Ait Ben Haddou. We stopped here for some lunch and souvenirs. Then back on the bus for the ride back to Marrakesh. Arrived back at the hotel at 8:30pm. Good ROI.
Off to Egypt:
Next day Thursday April 18th. Up early 3:30am L – taxi to the Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK). This is a very nice looking airport. As a regular security precaution all bags go through scanning machines as you enter the airport. Then I got my bag checked at the Air Maroc counter…checked all the way to Cairo Egypt.
Again you will need an Immigration form before leaving Morocco. They have a stand, off to the side. Just grab one and fill it out.
Then to a security check point. Then to Customs/Immigration…then to the gate. Boarded the flight…which then went back to Casablanca as it’s the main hub.
Exited the plane and followed the red line on the floor to get to my connecting flight. Again more security check points…then back to the gates to the international flights.
Boarded my flight – again Air Maroc. 5hrs later landing in Cairo at the Cairo International Airport.
Egypt
Egypt is located in the North Eastern part of Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean, Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea. Population is ~100 million about three times the size of Canada population wise.
Also Egypt is GMT +2.
Currency in Egypt is the Egyptian Pound (EGP). $1US = ~$17EGP.
Obtain your Egyptian immigration Visa before you arrive (https://visa2egypt.gov.eg/) this will save you time and efforts when you arrive.
Cairo International Airport:
Another large airport. Decent – no issues. Really can’t even remember my experience there. So non-memorable K
Standard – lots of security checkpoints, have your passport ready at all times with the stamp page open. And also have your Egypt Visa ready as needed.
Take some money out at a Bank Machine in the Cairo International Airport. Again you may need to hunt around for a machine that will work for your card.
The White Taxi’s in Cairo can be a bit dodgy – stay away from them if you can.
I recommend a service like We Know Egypt to get you in and around Cairo – see below
Cairo and Suburbs:
High density, lots of sand everywhere – including highways. Looks a little like a patched up war zone in some places. Poverty is abundant. There were partially completed apartment complexes EVERYWHERE!!!. Again lots of construction happening in and around Cairo/Giza.
We know Egypt:
We Know Egypt is a company that specializes in safe transport solutions through private hire taxis. This was a service passed onto me from a friend – Laura Clark who used to live in Cairo and used this service a lot. They offer pickup/drop off services for expats and travelers to Cairo. They will also offer day tours. Feel safe while travelling around Cairo.
I reached out to Nick Rockingham (+01204369992, nick@weknowegypt.com, www.weknowegypt.com ). And he responded quickly and made sure that I would be picked up from the airport and dropped off to my hotel. I was met by a gentleman (again forget his name) holding up a We Know Egypt sign with my name on it – so no confusion or issues.
One way from Cairo International Airport to Le Meridien Pyramids = EGP 300 which is ~$18US.
Traffic:
In Morocco there are lines on the road but they are just a suggestion which sometimes are followed
In Cairo there are lines on the road but they are not even looked at or even cared for – it’s a bit of a free for all to see if you can squeeze into anywhere you can.
Jordan is the pinnacle of law and order. Lines are followed almost always.
My Hotel in Egypt:
As for my hotel - my travel agent Bob also booked this hotel – thanks again Bob J. He booked me at the Le Meridien Pryamids– which was right across the street from the Pyramids. It’s about 40km from the airport but with traffic took about 2hrs to get there. Traffic is super crazy in Cairo – be warned!
Again don’t be alarmed…the hotel had a security checkpoint before you even get into the compound. Guard sniffing dogs, mass spectrometer checks for explosives. Then once you get to the front doors you go through an X-Ray machine and your luggage gets scanned as well. Then you check in.
Check in was short, smooth and no issues. My baggage followed me up to my room and was given the grand tour by the bellhop.
Room was decent. Nothing fancy. The view was magnificent though. View of the Pryamids right out the window – you have to ask for a Pyramids View when you book this room, and will have to pay slightly more for it.
Breakfast was included. Was perhaps the biggest buffet you could ever imagine. Lots of food, lots of options, decent quality.
Dinner was not included but the buffet could be had for $23US. Did it every night.
They have two pools on site. The big one which was not heated – I never visited this one. And the smaller one which was heated – decent enough. Look out for the Egyptian Ravens getting some water from the waterfalls.
Multiple Bank Machines onsite for your convenience as well as shops for souvenirs and in case your luggage zipper falls apart and need to buy a new one L. You never really have to leave the compound.
Day Tours:
Day Tour #1:
Half day Tour Pyramids of Giza Sphinx including Camel ride via Deluxe Travel (+20201001664509). Cost $60US. My guide was Rachid Bikiri. His English was decent and he seemed to know many details on the pyramids.
We visited The Great Pyramids of Giza and climbed down into the Pyramid of Hetepheres I.
Then went to the south of The Great Pyramids of Giza and visited the Panoramic view of the Pyramids. There I had my second Camel ride on a two hump Camel: “The Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) is a large, even-toed ungulate native to the steppes of Central Asia.”. These camels were bigger then then one humped camels in Morocco.
We then visited the Sphynx. A truly impressive structure just to the East of The Great Pyramids of Giza.
And finally to the Prerequisite Gift shopping. Stopping off to a jewelry store where I obtained a Khartoush/Cartouche with my name emblazoned on it “In Egyptian hieroglyphs, a cartouche /kɑːrˈtuːʃ/ is an oval with a horizontal line at one end, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name. ... Cartouches were formerly only worn by Pharaohs. The oval surrounding their name was meant to protect them from evil spirits in life and after death.”
Then to a Papyrus Shop. Where they showed me how they make the Papyrus and explained the history of the product. Very interesting. Again I obtained some blank Papyrus for some gifts.
Day Tour #2:
Full-Day Tour from Cairo: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Memphis, and Saqqara via Emo Tours Egypt (+201223471972). Cost $89US. My Guide was Omar Abbass. His English was excellent and he was very knowledgeable in the Pyramids, History and anthropology of Egypt. A great guide and is an Egyptologist – highly recommend him (+201224177621, omarabbas264@gmail.com )
This private tour was supposed to encompass the Giza Pyramids, Sphinx but I had seen them the day before so I asked to skip these parts of the tour. We had a private driver to take us to all the sites. Omar was very accommodating and made up for the changes with more details and more exploration of Saqqara by adding the Pyramid of Djoser, Pyramid of Teti, Mastaba of Mereruka, and the Serapeum of Saqqara.
The Serapeum of Saqqara is not to be missed – perhaps more interesting than the Pyramids themselves. Underground passages carved out of the sandstone. With side passages filled with these enormous Granite sarcophaguses. Highly recommend this as a tour.
We then visited Memphis and saw the Statue of Ramses: “At the archaeological site of Memphis in Egypt, you can admire a colossal statue of the renowned king Ramesses II.”
And then we finished off our tour with some lunch at the Restaurant Pharous right next to Saqqara. Traditional Egyptian food. Was excellent.
Day Tour #3:
Private Tour: Egyptian Museum, Alabaster Mosque, Khan el-Khalili via South Sinai Travel (+20224192984) Cost $137US – little pricy. My Guide was Ahmed Kamal Elbestawy. His English was excellent and he was very knowledgeable about the Mosque and Artifacts of the Museum of Egypt. A great guide and is also an Egyptologist – I recommend him as well (+01001499647, micio70@hotmail.com).
First we visited the Alabaster Mosque. We walked around and even entered the Mosque as it is for tourists primarily.
Then we got driven to the Museum. There are so many Egyptian Artifacts in the Museum – you would probably not be able to see them all in multiple days. I recommend getting the extended tickets to see the two mummy rooms with like 20 different mummies from different generations – very interesting to see.
Our final stop was the Khan el-Khalili which was an older quarter of Cairo. It was a market place where everyone was trying to sell their wares and souvenir’s. There were also multiple Mosques. I walked around while my guide had a coffee. I didn’t buy anything but was an interesting place.
Day Tour #4:
Originally this was a free day for me. I had nothing planned but after being introduced to We Know Egypt I asked them to put something together for me. I let them know what I had already booked and they filled in the gaps. This trip was Coptic and Islamic Cairo, “Mar Girgis is the oldest district in Cairo and home to a number of ancient churches, the only synagogue open to the public in Egypt and a pair of Roman towers. The surrounding area of Khan al-Khalili (Sharia Mu’izz li-Din Allah) which was Cairo’s medieval thoroughfare and home to several ancient Mamluk complexes – the street ends at one of the original (11th century) city gates.” Also visited the Cave Churches and Garbage City. Pretty impressive
Off to Jordan:
Decent pick up this time. 8:00am to ensure I get to the airport on time as I cannot understand how traffic will affect the drop off. Get to the airport in 1.5 hrs. And again security checks before we even get into the airport, x-ray and bag scans. Then scan again to get to the ticket counter. Then get my ticket – this time on Air Egypt. Checked my new Checked bag. Then off to Immigration/Customs. Don’t forget your exit form. Then through to the gate. Plane on time and we board – then off to Jordan.
Jordan
Jordan is located in the North Eastern part of Middle East. The only water access is Aqaba. Population is ~11 million about one third the size of Canada population wise.
Also Jordan is GMT +3.
Currency in Jordan is the Jordanian dinars (JOD). $1US = ~$0.71JOD – be careful of this exchange rate.
You have two options for Jordanian access:
1. Obtain your Jordanian immigration Visa before you arrive
or
2. Better to get a Jordan Pass (https://www.jordanpass.jo/). It also acts as an Entry Visa but you must be in the country for 4 days for this to work. This will save you time and efforts when you arrive – as well the Jordan Pass allows entry to Petra and other locations.
There is a lot less construction/developments in Jordan in comparison to Morocco and Egypt. Houses/Apartments look to be new, modern and well-constructed.
The tours were very expensive in Jordan.
Queen Alia International Airport:
Nice modern airport – glass and metal. Security was decent but nowhere near as intense as in Morocco and Egypt.
It is about 35km to Amman from the airport. As roadways are new and modern and traffic is low it takes about 35 minutes to get into town. Cost was $25JOD = ~$33US
My Hotel in Amman:
As for my hotel - my travel agent Bob also booked this hotel – thanks again Bob J. He booked me at the Le Royal Amman. Perhaps the highest end hotel I have ever stayed at. Its in the heart of the city. I ventured out the first day and walked to a Shawarma shop (Shawerma Reem).
Again don’t be alarmed…the hotel had a security checkpoint before you even get into the compound. Guard sniffing dogs, mass spectrometer checks for explosives. Then once you get to the front doors you go through an X-Ray machine and your luggage gets scanned as well. Then you check in – seems standard practice for Egypt and Jordan to have added security at the hotels.
Check in was short, smooth and no issues. My baggage followed me up to my room.
Room was decent. Nice big king sized bed and a nice bathroom. The view was decent though. Could see most of Amman right out the window.
Breakfast was included. I did not ever get to enjoy it as I was out on tours before the breakfast started L
They have two pools on site. I never got to enjoy either one. Had an ear infection – picked it up on the flight to Jordan.
They had a Bank Machine onsite for my convenience
Day Tours:
Day Tour #1:
Amman Petra Private Full-Day Trip via R&H VIP Transportation Services & Car Rental (+962776000016). Cost $200US – little pricy. Can’t remember the drivers name L. But he was very accommodating and helped me to get some medicine for my ear ache.
Picked me up at 7:00am then we drove south for 2 hrs. We then stopped into a rest stop/Prerequisite Gift Shopping/Food. I had some stuff to eat, hummus, bread, some meat and vegetables and some Tea. Was good for first thing in the morning – especially with my ear ache in full bloom. I bought many souvenirs here.
Then we drove south some more then made some turns off the main roadway and travelled inland towards the West. About an hour later we entered the town of Petra.
Petra the Archeological site is not just one building but many
structures/features along a path that you can walk. It takes about 2.5 hours to
walk to the end (monastery) then another 2 hours to get back. Have some very
comfortable shoes on and a hat to protect you from the sun and some water to
drink. You will need it. Jordan Pass accepted here.
Day Tour #2:
Private Tour: Madaba, Mt. Nebo, Al-Mujib Siq, and Dead Sea Day Trip from Amman via Jordan Private Tours and Travel (+962795022001). Cost $212US – little pricy. Can’t remember the drivers name L. But was a decent man.
Was picked up at 8:00am and we drove south again to the city of Madaba. There I visited the Greek Orthodox Basilica of Saint George. Was just like our Orthodox churches back in Canada. Then in Madaba we also visited the St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church. Very interesting to see both churches in a Muslim country filled with Mosques.
Then off to Mount Nebo, with a quick stop into a rest stop/Prerequisite Gift Shop – a Mosaic Workshop. Nice but I didn’t need anything at this point as I was all stocked up. We continued to Mount Nebo…which overlooked the Dead Sea, The Jordan Valley and Israel on the horizon. The Pope stopped into Mount Nebo – a holy place for Christians. Jordan Pass accepted here.
Then off to the Panoramic of Dead Sea. A high point off the side of the valley that overlooks the Dead sea. Very nice to take pictures.
Then we drove north along the road hugging the Dead Sea. We then made a quick stop where I walked down the sand dunes to the Dead Sea. I then proceeded to put my feet into the water. I hung out there for a bit and then came back up the hill to my waiting driver who then whisked me back all the way to Amman and to my hotel.
Back to Morocco/JFK/GCM:
The end part of my vacation was to travel from Amman Jordan back to Morocco – little over 6 hours’ flight on Air Maroc landing back in Casablanca.
Back to the Novotel City Center for the night. Some exploring the next day along the Casablanca waterfront.
Then my return to JFK New York (approx. 8hrs) and then JFK to GCM (another 3hrs).
Vacation done L
Quirky vacation challenges:
I also like to do something else while on vacation – test Big Mac’s at McDonalds. There was a McDonalds on the bottom floor of the Casa Port Train station, Casablanca Morocco. I had the Big Mac meal – it was OK nothing to write home about…but it was Halal if that makes a difference to anyone.
I also tried another McDonalds Ain Diab by the beach Plage Lalla Meryem, Casablanca Morocco – again it was OK nothing to write home about.
Sadly, I did not get a chance to partake in any McDonalds in Egypt – so cannot say good or bad
I did stop into a McDonalds in Jordan. Had the Big Mac meal – was decent. Better than in Morocco. 4 out of 5 stars, tied with the Big Mac in Sevu Fiji, but still hard to beat the Big Mac in Sunnydale Cape Town South Africa.