Rabat is just an hour away from Casablanca. In theory. Our trip started, of course, with leaving the house. The house in Casablanca was on an inlet by the ocean. Getting from the house to the main street to catch a taxi is about mile walk. There were 5 of us, counting an infant, and the small taxis in the area are only licensed to carry 3 people. We had to split up and get 2 cabs. Given the traveller's law, which I just made up, only one group got a taxi immediately. It took a while to regroup at the bus station downtown.
Pleasantly, the bus ride to Rabat really did take only about an hour. Outside the bus station, there was a long line of taxis. Small taxis. So we went down the block, around the corner, and to the end of that block where there was a group of large taxis. Large taxi's typically carry however many they can squeeze in.
Ours took the 5 of us plus a man and another woman. The baby, 3 women and the guy were in back. Two of us shared the one seat in the front. I have to give the driver credit: he was able to shift gears the whole way without touching me, although I was practically on top of the gear box.
Then we came to an unexpected stop on the side of the road. The driver got out to look at his engine. The man in the back got out and flagged down another taxi. Fortunately, we were back on the road in short order. We even managed to pass the taxi carrying the deserter-- the former male passenger from our cab. Our driver yelled out to him and the man replied, both laughing as we sped by.
I thought we had reached our destination, butwe got out of the taxi and just stood on the sidewalk for a minute. It turned out, we had not actually reached our destination at all. We crossed the street and got into a horse-drawn carriage. We clomped along in the surrey with the fringe on top for a few blocks and got out. No, this stop wasn't it either. But we were close.
After going to a store to pick up a couple of things, we walked a few more blocks and, voila, we had finally arrived. Our one hour trip had taken about three hours. But we were feted guests, plied with food and tea and more food throughout our visit.
Postscript: A daughter in Casablanca had no key and was going to be locked out of the house when she got off from work. Two of us (one being me, of course) had to get back to Casablanca and were unable to spend the night. So we reversed the process. With good connections we managed the trip in 2 hours, well in time to meet the daughter whose waitressing shift ended at midnight. Although sadly, in our haste, we didn't get to ride in a horse-drawn carriage on the way back.
Pleasantly, the bus ride to Rabat really did take only about an hour. Outside the bus station, there was a long line of taxis. Small taxis. So we went down the block, around the corner, and to the end of that block where there was a group of large taxis. Large taxi's typically carry however many they can squeeze in.
Ours took the 5 of us plus a man and another woman. The baby, 3 women and the guy were in back. Two of us shared the one seat in the front. I have to give the driver credit: he was able to shift gears the whole way without touching me, although I was practically on top of the gear box.
Then we came to an unexpected stop on the side of the road. The driver got out to look at his engine. The man in the back got out and flagged down another taxi. Fortunately, we were back on the road in short order. We even managed to pass the taxi carrying the deserter-- the former male passenger from our cab. Our driver yelled out to him and the man replied, both laughing as we sped by.
I thought we had reached our destination, butwe got out of the taxi and just stood on the sidewalk for a minute. It turned out, we had not actually reached our destination at all. We crossed the street and got into a horse-drawn carriage. We clomped along in the surrey with the fringe on top for a few blocks and got out. No, this stop wasn't it either. But we were close.
After going to a store to pick up a couple of things, we walked a few more blocks and, voila, we had finally arrived. Our one hour trip had taken about three hours. But we were feted guests, plied with food and tea and more food throughout our visit.
Postscript: A daughter in Casablanca had no key and was going to be locked out of the house when she got off from work. Two of us (one being me, of course) had to get back to Casablanca and were unable to spend the night. So we reversed the process. With good connections we managed the trip in 2 hours, well in time to meet the daughter whose waitressing shift ended at midnight. Although sadly, in our haste, we didn't get to ride in a horse-drawn carriage on the way back.
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