• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

Back from Marbella and Morocco

Zac495

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
3,108
Reaction score
104
Points
448
Location
Philadelphia, PA
I just finished and submitted my review! I'm not sure how long it takes to show up, but just pm or email me if you want to see it before it's up.

It was GREAT! It was exhausting!!!!!!

Hi Jim, Heather, Carol, Nicki, Bev, Lee, Joey, Bob :hi:

We LOVED meeting TUGGERS!!!! We loved everything. No - not true. We hated getting lost and we did that a lot. :hysterical:
 

Keitht

TUG Lifetime Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
3,518
Reaction score
3
Points
36
Location
Gloucester, England
Just to confirm that the review is sitting in the system and I hope to post it 'live' within the next 24 hours. From the little I have read so far it will be worth the wait. "War & Peace" is shorter :D
 

hibbeln

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
1,260
Reaction score
0
Points
36
Location
Rochester, Michigan
Welcome home! I just finished reading your review and enjoyed it so much....what great memories it brought back! I am SOOOOOOO glad you found the Rick Steve's book helpful. Isn't he hysterical?!

Was the Cueva de la Pileta awesome or WHAT?! Simply amazing. And Senor Bullon......when he was smoking his cigarette, looking down the mountainside, silently waiting to see if ANYONE else showed up (it was just our group of 5), I had a moment of panic thinking "Oh no, he's a grumpy old man and I dragged my family way out here and made them wait on a windy hillside for him and this is going to be TERRIBLE!" And then he stumped out his cigarette and we went inside and he was so darn charming and so great with my kids (they literally glued themselves each to one of his legs, they must have bumped him the whole way through). So who got the "lantern at the end of the line" in your group?!

And Ronda.......I was all set to not like it because it is such a spot on the tourist circuit.......but LOVED it. I still can feel the quiver in my tummy from looking over that gorge, nearly about to die from the fear of the height.

So where did you eat in Nerja? Did you do the restaurant "under" the Balcon de Europa or somewhere else? Did you get down on those adorable beaches on either side of the Balcon? Did you hear the bells in the church on the Balcon de Europa plaza make their incredibly unharmonious clunk clunk clunk chiming? (Or maybe they were just servicing the bells while we were there and had hung up garbage cans in their place??!?!?). Funny story about Nerja, we ALSO lost our car! We kind of sort of knew which direction to head, but were criss crossing up and down streets going "Hmmmm?!?!?" Their was NO ONE on the streets at all. The kids were starting to drag, so we popped in a bakery to get them a sugary treat to pep them up and the baker came out of the back room and was SO ANNOYED (!!!!) :mad: to have to wait on us. He was the only cranky person we saw in all of Spain. Then my husband saw the t.v. in the back room with the soccer game on, and put 2 and 2 together with the empty street outside.....apparently all of Spain was watching some big soccer game and WE were wanting baked goods! We apologized profusely and paid rapidly and beat it out of there so the poor baker could go back to the game. :cheer:
 

Zac495

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
3,108
Reaction score
104
Points
448
Location
Philadelphia, PA
Welcome home! I just finished reading your review and enjoyed it so much....what great memories it brought back! I am SOOOOOOO glad you found the Rick Steve's book helpful. Isn't he hysterical?!

Was the Cueva de la Pileta awesome or WHAT?! Simply amazing. And Senor Bullon......when he was smoking his cigarette, looking down the mountainside, silently waiting to see if ANYONE else showed up (it was just our group of 5), I had a moment of panic thinking "Oh no, he's a grumpy old man and I dragged my family way out here and made them wait on a windy hillside for him and this is going to be TERRIBLE!" And then he stumped out his cigarette and we went inside and he was so darn charming and so great with my kids (they literally glued themselves each to one of his legs, they must have bumped him the whole way through). So who got the "lantern at the end of the line" in your group?!

And Ronda.......I was all set to not like it because it is such a spot on the tourist circuit.......but LOVED it. I still can feel the quiver in my tummy from looking over that gorge, nearly about to die from the fear of the height.

So where did you eat in Nerja? Did you do the restaurant "under" the Balcon de Europa or somewhere else? Did you get down on those adorable beaches on either side of the Balcon? Did you hear the bells in the church on the Balcon de Europa plaza make their incredibly unharmonious clunk clunk clunk chiming? (Or maybe they were just servicing the bells while we were there and had hung up garbage cans in their place??!?!?). Funny story about Nerja, we ALSO lost our car! We kind of sort of knew which direction to head, but were criss crossing up and down streets going "Hmmmm?!?!?" Their was NO ONE on the streets at all. The kids were starting to drag, so we popped in a bakery to get them a sugary treat to pep them up and the baker came out of the back room and was SO ANNOYED (!!!!) :mad: to have to wait on us. He was the only cranky person we saw in all of Spain. Then my husband saw the t.v. in the back room with the soccer game on, and put 2 and 2 together with the empty street outside.....apparently all of Spain was watching some big soccer game and WE were wanting baked goods! We apologized profusely and paid rapidly and beat it out of there so the poor baker could go back to the game. :cheer:


LOL - Debbie - We sat outside and ate Tapas near Marbella the night of the game. We were so tired from our long trip,but it was fun watching everyone so excited. We did eat in Nerja, but just on the balcony. We didn'tmake our way downto the beach due to my sore foot (remember my sprain before Spain?). But it was so fabulous. :cheer:
 

hibbeln

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
1,260
Reaction score
0
Points
36
Location
Rochester, Michigan
How WAS your foot?!!?
I'm guessing if you could manage to make your way through the Cueva de la Pileta without sliding around and BREAKING your ankle, it must have been almost OK?! How much did it slow you down?
 

andrea t

TUG Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2005
Messages
679
Reaction score
9
Points
378
Location
Long Island
Ellen,
Your report was a "good read" and the pics amazing! I really enjoyed them both. Thanks for sharing. I'm glad it was an amazing trip for you and hubby.
 

Zac495

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
3,108
Reaction score
104
Points
448
Location
Philadelphia, PA
Andrea - thanks for the compliment. i pick tuggers brains for a year, so I really try to do a good job with my reviews and pictures.

Debbie - the ankle STILL HURTS!:bawl: I wore a brace in the cave and was nervous about falling and making it worse. But nothing was going to stop me from seeing it. WOW
 

pianodinosaur

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2008
Messages
1,965
Reaction score
239
Points
273
Location
Texas
Resorts Owned
HGVC SeaWorld x 2, HGVC Las Vegas Strip x 2, MVC Mountain Valley Lodge, MVC Legend’s Edge
ZAC495:

Loved your reviews. Are they going to be published on hard back or paper back? The photos were excellent. Glad you had a good time.
 

linmcginn

Tug Review Crew: Rookie
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2005
Messages
165
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Northern California
Hi Ellen!
The pictures brought back such wonderful memories of our trip to Morocco! Aziz was an awesome tour guide and I would highly recommend him to anyone thinking about touring Tangier!
 

GrayFal

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
10,049
Reaction score
2,098
Points
699
Location
The Hamptons, NY
Resorts Owned
Marriott Bluegreen SVV Morritt's Seaside Former WSJx5
I can't wait to read your report - so glad u bumped this up!
 

GrayFal

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
10,049
Reaction score
2,098
Points
699
Location
The Hamptons, NY
Resorts Owned
Marriott Bluegreen SVV Morritt's Seaside Former WSJx5
It's getting close to my trip so I am bumping this up!
 

GrayFal

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
10,049
Reaction score
2,098
Points
699
Location
The Hamptons, NY
Resorts Owned
Marriott Bluegreen SVV Morritt's Seaside Former WSJx5
Did you read it? Did you like it? :)

Yes, I did - and I REALLY think I am going to do the Morrocco trip :cheer: - will be in touch with your guide.
ou said in your review that he purchased the tickets for the boat????
How does this work?
And I have the Rick Steve's book.....
 
Last edited:

ScoopKona

Guest
Joined
May 7, 2008
Messages
5,722
Reaction score
3,309
Points
598
Location
Monkey King Coffee - Captain Cook, Hawaii
I can help out with this one. I lived in Morocco for awhile.

If you're on a tour, great. But if not, GET THE HELL OUT OF TANGIER THE MINUTE YOU ARRIVE. Tangier is a festering cesspool of touts and thieves. To quote Obi Wan Kenobi, "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villany."

Have a map IN HAND leading you from the port to the train station (it's too far to walk), and use that to make sure your taxi driver takes you to the station and does not lead you into the medina. You'll pay some stiff extortion if you get stuck in the Tangier medina.

Once you get to the station, Meknes, Rabat, Agadir, Safi and (my favorite) Marrakech are all short train trips away.

You will get the occasional tout in Agadir, and some more leading to the Jamal el Fna in Marrakech. They're easy to deal with. Treat them like you would a timeshare OPC -- ignore them, don't engage them in conversation, and walk directly to wherever it is you're going. If you don't know where you're going, walk as if you do. We found that keeping an animated, running conversation was a useful ploy -- the touts couldn't get a word in edgewise.

If the touts get to be too much for you, there's a police officer with a machine gun standing on the corner, every few blocks. The touts won't get within 100 meters of the cops.

The touts are (for the most part) harmless. Here's a link:

http://www.buten.net/max/Morocco/touts.htm


----------------

As for shopping, you will find 1,000 things you want to buy at the craft stalls in Morocco. Their leather and brass work is simply amazing.

Everything you've read about haggling in Morocco is bogus. Do not offer the shopkeep half of what he asks -- you'll be paying 10x too much. Here's how to do it. Haggle the shopkeep down as far as you can. Leave the store a couple times in order to get the absolute best price. (1/10th the original asking price is fairly reasonable.)

Then, LEAVE. Go next door to the next shopkeep who is selling the EXACT SAME STUFF, and tell him, "The guy next door will sell me that brass pitcher for 30 dirhams. What will YOU sell it for in order to get me to buy it from you instead of him?"

Eventually, you'll get the hang of "power haggling" in Morocco.

-------------

I don't know how long you're staying, but one of our favorite activities was to walk into the medina, get hopelessly lost, and spend all day finding our way out. We saw the coolest stuff that way -- the actual artisans who make all that stuff you want to buy, for instance. Sometimes they'll sell it to you.

--------------

Sunglasses and T-shirts with english stuff on them make great currency. In fact, I'd pack all the clothes I want to give away, and trade it with the locals.

The street food tastes excellent. (Their orange juice is a thing of wonder.) I did get really sick once, though.

Speaking of which, bring some toilet paper over from Gibraltar. YOU ARE GOING TO NEED IT.

-------------

Finally, without a doubt, try to befriend a local and get an invite for lunch or dinner in their Riad. (Took me about a month before I could find someone trustworthy, though. Might not happen for you.)

All those dingy buildings you walk past in the medinas of the cities of Morocco are drop-dead gorgeous on the inside. Try hard to get a look inside one.



Edit - Learn some French if you don't already speak it. You'll need it for directions. The more Arabic you learn, the better your time in Morocco will be. As goofy as it sounds, rent "Ishtar" and watch it.

PS -- My wife cracked our tagine. Any chance you'd send one to Las Vegas?
 
Last edited:

Garry

Tug Review Crew: Rookie
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
143
Reaction score
44
Points
388
Location
St. Albert, Alberta
We booked with Aziz as well. Late in the evening before we were heading off, Aziz called our room and gave us instructions and a reference number to quote at the ferry for our tickets. When we arrived at the terminal, we simply quoted the number he gave and they issued the return tickets. He met us in Tangiers as we got out of the dock area. He stayed with us all the time and it was a great tour. He charged us a bit more than we were originally quoted so confirm the rate with him if you're at all concerned. He was great to deal with.
 

Bob Andrea

TUG Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2006
Messages
17
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Where can I find this July 2008 review by Zac495 ?

Thank you.
 

Zac495

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
3,108
Reaction score
104
Points
448
Location
Philadelphia, PA

Bob Andrea

TUG Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2006
Messages
17
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Thanks Ellen. I found it. I didn't know that it would be under Marriott. Very nice report and great trip. It will be helpful to me.

We are planning a 50th Anniv. trip for next year and will incorporate some of your experiences. If I could talk my wife into it, this one will be 60 days.

London, Paris, Le Havre, Bordeaux, Lourdes, the major cities of Spain, Lisbon,
most of Italy and finish up in Sicily. Two or three days in each stop and 4/5
days each in Malaga, Lake Como, Rome, Sicily.

We followed Rick Steves books a few years ago for a 30 day trip to Italy/ and French Riviera. It was great. I will be using his books again.

Thanks again
Bob
 

GrayFal

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
10,049
Reaction score
2,098
Points
699
Location
The Hamptons, NY
Resorts Owned
Marriott Bluegreen SVV Morritt's Seaside Former WSJx5
Have a GREAT time! If you email me, I have word docs I created with information! Zac495@gmail.com

Here are direct links to pictures:
Marbella http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/20057024

Morocco http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/20064804

Seville and Gibraltar http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/20065407

Ellen, I just sent you an email but thought I would post here as well.
These are the two options Aziz gave me - and I am leaning toward the second...also, what time did u get the ferry from Tarifa? 9am, 10 am? and how long did it take to drive from the Marriott?

I would like to inform you that I do run 2 types of tours: the Walking Tour and the Gran Tour:
1- Walking Tour :

Covers all of the old city, with visits to the Kasbah, Medina, snakes charmers, Berber markets, Gran Socco, Petit Socco, the Old American Legation, Mendoubia gardens, the souks for shopping and more for 5 hours. It costs 15 euros each.

2- Gran Tour :

Gran Tour is with an airconditionned minibus, a beautiful drive through the richest area of Tangier, zone of villas and palaces passing via the King´s Palace and celebrities homes. Visit Cape Spartel which is the northest western point of Africa, it is the exact point where the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean meet. Then visit the Caves of Hercules. Then a stop to take pictures of the camels and if you like to experience a ride on a camel.

Then we go to the Old city to visit the Kasbah, the Medina, the Old American Legation, Mendoubia building + gardens and the markets for shopping etc….

This tour costs 35 euros per person.
 

ScoopKona

Guest
Joined
May 7, 2008
Messages
5,722
Reaction score
3,309
Points
598
Location
Monkey King Coffee - Captain Cook, Hawaii
Wait, you're spending just one day in Morocco? In Tangier?

That's kind of like spending one day in Elizabeth, NJ, and saying you've seen the United States. :eek:

Instead whatever this Aziz guy is doing, I'd head straight for the train station and spend my day in Rabat. It's close enough to Tangier, and it's far, far nicer. It's not like Moroccan hotels cost anything, so your only real restriction is time.
 
Top