Battery People
I didn’t actually mention it in any previous posts but we were actually delivering a lithium leisure battery to some fellow vanlifers in Morocco. They were stuck and we offered to bring it out to them if they sent it to our friend’s address.
We had arranged to meet them at a campsite a couple of hours from Marrakesh and near Ouzoud waterfall which is quite a big waterfall and tourist attraction to go and see. We arranged to there on Dec 30th for 2 nights and spend New year with them and of course hand over the battery.
This in mind we were heading in that direction with some stops on route.
The Moroccan Supermarket
Our first stop was a Moroccan supermarket. I couldn’t resist taking photographs of the spices and rice and couscous in the supermarket. Bearing in mind we in the west are really trying to cut down on packaging, it looks as though the Moroccans are way ahead of us!
Laroche and Mohammadia
We spent our first night after leaving Asilah at a car park near a beach at Laroche and in the morning we carried on to Mohammadia.
We really only used Larache as a place to park and go to sleep. We did get out to have a walk and take a photo of the sunset.
In the morning we continued on to Mohammadia. It’s a popular stop for van lifers and motorhomers, located on the coast between Morocco’s capital Rabat and Casablanca.
To get there you have to cross the Mohammed VI Bridge which is quite impressive, it stretches approx 950 metres making it one of the longest cable-stayed bridges in Africa.
There are a couple of campsites to choose from we stayed at one called Ocean Blue. As you can see the beach near the campsite was not really suitable for swimming but it you walk about 5 or 10 minutes along the coast there is a tidal pool which was great for swimming. Sadly I didn’t get a photo. We stayed just 2 nights here as we also used it as a base to visit Casablanca.
You can go by bus or train but the campsite can also arrange a taxi to take you and show you around in Casablanca. We opted for the taxi and shared it with a Swiss couple who live in Spain
Casablanca
We decided to go to Casablanca but not Rabat. We didn’t want to visit 2 cities close together so opted for Casablanca
Casablanca is Morocco’s largest city also known locally as Casa.
The first stop we made in the taxi was outside Rick’s cafe. Made famous in the film Casablanca by Humphrey Bogart
Our next stop in Casablanca was the famous Hassan II Mosque, it is one of the largest mosques in the world. It really is enormous! The minaret is 210 metres making it the tallest in the world.
The Mosque can accommodate 105,000 worshippers!
As you can see the tilework, marble floors and intricate carvings make it quite iconic.
Our next stop in Casablanca was to The Medina. We were actually surprised that there wasn’t really much there apart from shops selling “fake” designer clothes.
We went for some lunch in a restaurant that had been recommended by our taxi driver.
As you can see more tagines, this time just the vegetarian option for me complete with entertainment whilst we ate.
If you’re heading to Morocco then it is worth going to Casablanca to see the mosque and probably Rick’s cafe too. For us I think 1 day was fine.
Traffic
We continued heading towards Ouzoud waterfall with just one day left before meeting ‘The Battery People’ at the campsite .
Here is some of the traffic we encountered on the Moroccan roads
We found a great park up for the night right next to a small reservoir called Oud Zemm.
Camping Auberge Zebra
On the way to meet ‘The Battery People’ we encountered a bit of a dicey bridge! We made it across though. Then finally we got to hand the battery over.
We spent the rest of the day just relaxing on the campsite and getting to know Jade and Connor and their lovely dog Ralph.
Ouzoud Waterfalls
The Ouzoud Waterfalls are located in the Atlas Mountains and are among North Africa’s most stunning natural attractions. Definitely a big tourist attraction and often a day trip from Marrakesh as approx 2.5 hours away
Plunging approximately 110 meters (360 feet), the falls are surrounded by lush green valleys, traditional Berber villages, and an array of olive and almond groves.
The word Ouzoud means “olive” in Berber, reflecting the region’s abundant olive trees.
We were able to walk to the falls from the campsite and we went the following morning
After our visit to the waterfalls Jade and Connor very kindly treated us to lunch out as a thank you for bringing the battery over to Morocco.
New Year
In the evening the campsite owners allowed us to sit in the lounge area with some sparkling wine and even made a fire up for us. We managed to stay up and see the new year in. It was lovely having company.
The following day Conor and I ‘braved it” into the swimming pool! It was cold! I swam 1 length and got out! And Connor got a haircut!
It was so nice at the campsite and the weather was gorgeous too. Sadly Jade wasn’t very well with an upset stomach. Jade and Connor decided to stay as it woudn’t have been great for Jade to travel. We also made a decision to stay an extra night.
The following day our friend Louise was arriving in Marrakesh from the UK so we were heading to the airport to pick her up. It was about a 2 hour journey so decided to leave in the morning as there was time.
Our next post will start in Marrakesh. We hope you will join us.
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