It felt wonderful to sleep in after the previous day’s monster trek up Jbel Toubkal.
Barry & Jon set out for a last walk around Marrakech, while I enjoyed the spa treatment. At Riad Ariha, I had arranged to have their hamam heated. I was looking forward to the cleansing and hot soaking of my muscles.
Amina came into the spa and scrubbed my back & tummy. Then, I sat for a long time on the hot stone bench, pouring hot water over my sore legs. It was awesome. To top it all off, Amina had arranged for a massuer to give me a massage. Doubly awesome. One thing the Moroccans do really really well, is bathing and massage!
Jon & Barry came back and we all packed our things to leave. I was a little sad to be leaving our little B&B oasis, but I was also excited to be heading back home.
Ibrahim (once again) picked us up and drove us up to Casablanca. He stopped at a fixed rate market, so we could see where most tourists shop. I must admit, after getting the hang of bartering, I think I prefer the traditional Moroccan market to the fixed price market concept! I bought a jersey for Dennis, one from the Moroccan Football Team, and I managed to negotiate a good deal (even though it was supposed to be a fixed price).
We drove on the toll highway back to Casablanca. It took about 1.5 hours, much much faster than the train! Ibrahim drove us by some sights in Casablanca, before dropping us off at the super posh Sheraton Casablanca Hotel & Towers.
We checked into our room, and then headed downstairs for a meal in the hotel restaurant. They had a huge buffet, but we ordered from the menu. I got a huge salad, and a salmon appetizer. Jon got a burger & fries. Barry got some pasta. We chatted about the trip, and ate till we were way full.
We then went over to the internet room, and Jon & Barry skyped their loved ones. I sent off some quick emails, and then headed back to the room.
The next morning, we would be heading back to the states. We were all excited to be heading home.
Tags: Casablanca, Marrakech