Marrakesh, Part 3: A Wandering Canadian

(Read while singing in your minds "Un Canadien Errant" d'Antoine Gerin-Lajoie, 1842)

Meet Hilary!

Actually, the title of this post refers to Hilary my adopted Canadian "daughter" for a few days while in Morocco. I'll make this story short, though the details would blow your mind if you were to hear them. Basically, Hilary (Manitoba) went to France to study the language and take a test that would permit her to teach French in Canadian schools. (She was a music teacher last year.) Because of the same Schengen restrictions we are under, she had to leave the zone and opted to go to Scotland (I'm so happy Urie and I changed plans to go to Marrakech! It might have been us, experiencing the same situation.)

Get ready to Tour!

When Hilary exited her flight from Paris to Edinburgh, she was denied entrace to Scotland. While there is no valid reason why this should have happened (the border guard questioned why on earth she would want to hike for three weeks in Scotland), she was detained by the Grand Inquisition in a room for more than six hours before they sent her back to Paris. Her return was not helping her stay restrictions.  (My thoughts: the guard needed to meet his monthly quota of deportees and she happened to get in his line. Maybe he had had a bad day. Another simpler reason: He doesn't like Canadian lassies. At any rate, there was no changing this man's mind and his supervisor did not want to go against his decision.) Out of despair, Hilary Googled non-Schengen countries and ended up in the same hotel as us in Marrakech after spending a day in a youth hostel. (Thanks Expedia!)

Urie Was Not Allowed to Sit with Us. (Male/female separation.)

We met Hilary as we were heading to the lobby to get internet. Upon hearing English, she introduced herself and asked if she could borrow our adaptor (her quick rerouting had not given her a chance to get the basics, and she could not find her cord nor could she access the internet at the hotel. She needed to contact her family to let them know of her changed plans). So we sat and got better acquainted, exchanged passports to ensure that we were who we said we were. Lots of strange coincidences came out of our brief conversation; She is studying French, and I teach French part-time at JMU; she and Urie share a birthday (though she's got a decade on him); she is Canadian, and so are we.  (By the way, her French is excellent. Keep those Rrrs coming, Hilary! She's going to rock the test.)

On the Rooftop

Notice the Mountains in the Background

The next day (all pictures above),we went to town and decided to tour of the old Medina, shopped (inspite of our best judgement) for Argan oil and spices, booked  both a tour to a desertic region (all the while thinking we were being conned) and a dromedary ride in the gateway location to the Sahara, and stopped by the Cafe Montreal to end our day. Hilary showed us the hostel where she stayed that first night and we had an lunch there. (That's where JMU students should go to if they want to visit Marrakech. No need to be kilometres away when you can be in the middle of the souk.... though, good luck finding it!)

Argan Oil chez l'herboriste

We had a great time exploring different parts of the city though we never really made it into the "new city." Saw it by taxi. It was a great day, very relaxing and enjoyable... which is a good thing becasue the next day (next entry) would prove to be the ride from hell.

Where to?

Gate to the Medina

Good Luck Storks

Train Station

Famous Hotel

Don't Remember! (Place des Canadiens?)

>Youth Hostel Restaurant

Youth Hostel Ryad

Yay for Canadians and for new friends.