Happy Holidays!!

Marrakesh Internationl marathon and half a marathon

Marrakesh International marathon and half a marathon is scheduled for January 31Th, 2010. The marathon attracts both professional and amateurs runners from all over the world.

This is years marathon is sponsored by

This 21th edition will be sponsored by Abdelkader El Moaziz, victorious Moroccan marathonian and recordman of the marathon of Marrakesh in 2H08m15s in 1994.

According to Marrakesh marathon official website over 5000 marathon runners will be participating in this year's marathon which offer a great way to experience and see Marrakesh charm.

You will also get a chance to run along some best African and Moroccan runners including Jaouad Gharib, Age: 37, recently #3 in ING New York City Marathon and #3 in London Marathon this year as well. He is also a 2 times world championships winner in 2003 and 2005 ( see picture below).

To get a pre marathon experience, this marathon runner blogged about his last year's experience running Marrakesh marathon, which he completed in 4h46min, as a part of a "seven continent journey". Verma's blog is a motivational tool for all aspiring runners out there.

A Jamaican Born writer, Jacqueline Bishop, experience in Morocco as Fulbright scholar

"working to bring the great writer Claude McKay back to Morocco".

Read the rest of article here.

ING New York City Marathon: Professional Moroccan Runners

The ING New York City Marathon is tomorrow November,01,1009. Below are two Moroccan Professional runners men's field that are expected to compete for top spots in the race:

Abderrahime Bouramdane,Age: 31

Bouramdane finished fifth in his ING New York City Marathon debut last year after finishing second in the 2008 Boston Marathon. He has won marathons in Ottawa, Marrakesh, and Tunis. He began his career in 1993, drawing inspiration from Abdessalem Rhadi, a fellow Moroccan who won the silver medal (behind the barefoot Abebe Bikila) in the 1960 Rome Olympic Marathon.

Jaouad Gharib, Age: 37

The defending Olympic marathon silver medalist and a two-time IAAF World Champion at that distance, Gharib holds the Moroccan records for the half-marathon and marathon. He withstood the repeated surges made by eventual Beijing Olympic marathon champion Samuel Wanjiru in a tough battle for the gold, yielding only in the final two kilometers. Now 37, Gharib shows no signs of slowing down; his 2:05:27 at this year's London Marathon was a personal best.

Source: ING NYC web site

Mc Donalds Morocco

Ain Diab, Corniche Ave, Casablanca

Agadir Beach front Location

This Mc Donalds franchise is located in Avenue Mohammed V.

Morocco Rambling Story

A great interview article in NYTimes.com blog with the author of "In Cheap We trust". The interview is a fun read, below is the part describing Lauren Moroccan experience.

My father and I went to Morocco in March. We took flights that were $750 each. He found the cheapest flight — otherwise we might have flown direct. Instead we had a 14-hour layover in Madrid. So we get to Casablanca at about 10 o’clock at night, and it turned out that the trains to the center of town had stopped running. We go outside to look into the taxi situation. The cost is, I think, 300 dirhams, which was about $35 or $40. And I could tell my father really didn’t want to do it. I mean, here we had just spent $1,500 and traveled 30 hours, but suddenly the idea of spending $35 was agonizing.

So we decided not to do it. We go back in. We’re sitting there for 10 minutes, my dad says, “Well, maybe we should take the cab.” This time we get our bags actually into the cab and the driver says, “It’s late, so it’s another 50 dirhams” — maybe another $6. And my father starts pounding on the trunk to get our bags out, which is a little embarrassing. And then we sit in the airport for two hours until the train leaves. Part of me was tempted to laugh about it or roll my eyes, but if I were by myself or with friends, it’s exactly what I would have done anyway.

Morocco Donkeys !!

A great article titled "Morocco's Extraordinary Donkeys" was published by smithsonian magazine, September 2009 issue in travel section. The article explores Donkeys role in Moroccan society and Fez in Particluar. ( see below for a preview).

The medina in Fez may well be the largest urbanized area in the world impassable to cars and trucks, where anything that a human being can't carry or push in a handcart is conveyed by a donkey, a horse or a mule. If you need lumber and rebar to add a new room to your house in the medina, a donkey will carry it in for you. If you have a heart attack while building the new room on your house, a donkey might well serve as your ambulance and carry you out.

Read more here.

Must Eat Now in Marrakesh Morocco

Lamb Tagine offered at riad la maison arabe in Marrakesh was selected as "Must eat now" by travel and leisure magazine, september,2009 issue. This is a sepetember issue, so the selection is not live yet in travel and leisure website. ( see attached picture for the review.

La maison arabe restaurant menu can be accessed here.

Morocco Fantasia

Moroccan folklore can be experienced by catching a Moroccan fantasia live show while you vacationing in Morocco.

Where in Morocco can I see a live fantasia show?

Marrakesh, Agadir (Shems Ayour), Rabat, Ben Mellal and Meknes.

Morocco Fantasia Festival is celebrated each year during the month of September, also known as “Tissa horse moussem”, mossem means festival in Arabic. The performers are usually of a Berber decent, and usually are well trained horsemen. Horsewomen start participating in some local mousems, where they perform along side of their country men. The event usually attracts local Berber traditional music and dance groups. Meknes is known nationally for its stables, Tissa horse moussem, Meknes traditional dance, and a long history association with fantasia that started around the 17^th century.

Picture credit: flickr by pjwar

Morocco Hot New Hotels

Code Nast Traveler published hot list hotels 2009. Two Marrakech hotels were part of the list of this year out of 140 top new hotels worldwide.

AnaYela, Marrakech: located inside the Medina, a restored 300 years old palace.

Dar JL, Marrakech: located 10 min from Medina and Gueliz.

Morocco’s New Low-cost Airline

Air Arabia Maroc launched its operations in Morocco starting May 6, 2009 with the inaugural flight to Stansted Airport in London, United Kingdom followed by selected destinations across Europe and North Africa.

Click here for Morocco flight schedule and booking. According to Air Arabia website, Air Arabia Maroc will start operations to selected destinations in Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom, France and Italy.

Bizarre Foods: Moroccan Foods

Andrew Zimmern from the travel channel explores Moroccan mysterious and exotic dishes from Marrakesh to Ouarzazate.

Moroccan Mashoui: Roasted lamb

The exotic Moroccan breakfast: "Kalia" with eggs, Kalia is a salted lamb with fats.

The combination is prepared usually by local villagers who

do not have electricity to preserve meat for long time usually months.

Windsurfing Essaouira Morocco

Windsurfing in Essaouira area, the two major spots for surfing are:

Essaouira: Moulay bouzerktoune (1 to 5 meters waves depends on season, but waves are available all year long)

Essaouira: Sidi Kaouki  (1 to 4 meters waves depends on season, but waves are  available all year long)

Windsurfing schools are also available:

Magic Fun Afrika

Bouj Wind Surf Adventure

Trip Kite

Club Mistral

For more information about Essaouira check out our travel website.

Morocco Old Pictures

Morocco Old Pictures: love, mint tea, hookah and dance

Morocco Cuisine Popularity !

Moroccan cuisine is gaining grounds in the United States and the world, according to this article published in NYtimes.com travel section. 

As the fascination with Moroccan cuisine has taken off — both in the United States and around the globe — epicures and chowhounds are flocking to the ancient ochre-hued city of Marrakesh. Foreign-led food tours are sprouting. Homegrown cooking classes are multiplying. And high-end restaurants run by European hotshots are opening alongside the city's nonpareil street food and old, home-style establishments.

Impress your friends by learning how to make Moroccan Couscous with vegetables by watching the video below.