1/18/2014 - Tagine Fatigue

I am tagined out - tired of lamb tagine, beef tagine, camel tagine, seafood tagine.

Unfortunately I never tired of the incredibly delicious breads - thanks to the French influence. I don't think I'll be getting on the scale once I return home any time soon.

This photo collage is dedicated to my siblings - bread lovers all!

1/17/2014 - Last days in Marrakech...

This morning we climbed aboard our traditional horse-drawn caleche. We started in Gueliz, the modern part of the city designed and built by the French in the early 20th century, followed by the Koutoubia minaret, the Saadian Tombs, the Moorish spice market, a Berber pharmacy and the opulent Bahia Palace.

Top row (L to R); the Bahia Palace courtyard and
an old man in jalaba on bicycle.
Bottom row (L to R): we bought our apricots & dates at this stall;
our pharmacist uses a huge wooden club to demonstrate the effects of the male Viagra herbs; and our horse-drawn caleche.

The incredible craftsmanship of the Bahia Palace.

More of the awesome craftsmanship on display in the Bahia Palace.

After shopping for delicious fresh dates and apricots in the legendary Djemma El-Fna square, we followed Aziz to his favorite Italian restaurant, Portofino, where I shared a caprese salad and quatro formaggio pizza with Rosie - about $12.50 (which also included a glass of wine, generously poured).

We were supposed to return to the square this evening to view the snake charmers, tooth pullers and other performers, but the weather turned windy and rainy, so we stayed in and relaxed instead.

1/16/2014 - On the Way to Marrakech (all aboard the train)

Who knew Ouazarzate was the film capital of Morocco (AKA Mollywood)? The movie list includes:

Lawrence of Arabia

The Man Who Would be King

Cleopatra

Ali Baba & the 40 Thieves

Sodom & Gomorrah

Scheherazade

Young Indiana Jones

Gladiator

Babel

The Bible

Prince of Persia

Ouazarzate - film capital of Morocco (AKA Mollywood). 
Three different sets.

Panoramic view of the High Atlas Mountain range.

Young, excited voices coming from a small room on the way to the Ksar Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah grab our attention and we spend some time singing and talking with the beautiful children attending kindergarten.

Adorable kindergarten class.

More incredible views of the High Atlas Mountains.

On our way to our last hotel destination Aziz informed us that because the king's entourage is encamped in our destined hotel, we would be forced to upgrade to the 5-star Atlas Asni Hotel. Sigh...if we must:) (ha ha). Great place to stay, but not as clean as one would hope.

1/15/2014 - Tineghir to Ouarzazate

After breakfast we head out for a scenic drive through the spectacular Dades Valley, just over 4500 feet above sea level - witnessing the power of water as it carves shapes into the rocky surfaces. 

Scenes from the Dades Valley.

As if one breakfast wasn't enough, we visit a Berber family and share Berber pizza and mint tea.

Our Berber host family walks us through the procedure of making
their pizza.  We enjoy their hospitality and their scrumptious children.

Our last stop before checking into our hotel is a visit with a Berber Imam and his delightful brother, who is also currently studying to become an Imam.

We luck out with a last-minute hotel change to the Ibis Moussafair, a newer and cleaner hotel than the Hotel Riad Salam. In fact, we are the very first OAT group to stay here.

1/14/2014 - A Day in the Life in Tineghir

Today our day began with a walking tour of a typical community farm, followed by a visit to a madrasa (Koranic school). The 300-year old madrasa is no longer used, but we learned all about how strict the education was when it came to memorizing the verses of the Koran. Young boys would be subject to lashings on the bottom of their feet if they did not remember their verses. 

There were minor ablutions to be followed after using the bathroom - involving using water to cleanse various body parts 3 times, starting with the hands, feet, mouth, ears, etc.

There were also major ablutions to be followed after sex - involving a cleansing similar to a complete shower.  

(Top left community farmland. (Bottom left this conical shape was used as a portable private toilet for workers to use while they were working in the fields.
Center right & right: stairway to the madrasa terrace & mosque.

We were split into 3 groups to purchase vegetables, fruit & chicken for this evening's dinner.  I opted to follow Aziz to get the chicken - watching the shopkeeper take his last 4 chickens from free range to the range - pretty interesting.

Scenes from the marketplace. Our chickens were slaughtered, put in buckets upside down so they would bleed out, then boiled quickly
and defeathered in preparation for our dinner.

From the marketplace to the blue men (Berbers) carpet store, where we learn that the blue men are the Tuareg, a nomadic group of people in the Sahara whose traditional territories included Mali and parts of Niger, Morocco, Algeria, etc. They got their nickname from the blue robes they wear. Originally their clothing was deeply dyed with natural indigo. This was absorbed by the skin, which also took on a blue tinge. Th

ese Berbers would also apply indigo dye to the faces and bodies as protection from the desert sun.

Top (L to R): A Tuareg woman scrapes dirt & other impurities from camel hair in preparation for weaving; Berber dinner entertainment.
Bottom: scenes from the Berber carpet shop.

1/13/2014 - From the Sahara to Tineghir

Great tidbit of local color...

Moroccans refer to Muslim women in full hajib and burka as being UWOs - unidentified walking objects:)

After packing up our 4 x 4 vehicles, we head out for our journey to Tineghir with our first stop being a Berber cemetery. We learn that the Berbers wrap their dead in a white shroud and lay them on their right side (because the left side is considered evil) with their head facing Mecca. The shrouded body is then covered with slabs of stone to prevent animals from disturbing it, then covered completely with smaller rocks.

Camels in Rissani - especially one who enjoys Coca Cola.
(Below) Berber cemetery in the Sahara Desert.

The stunning scenery and panoramic Todra Gorge
in the oasis town of Tineghir.

Hotel Yasmina  in Erb Chebbi began with a dream from a man who originally lived in the cave above the current hotel
(see large photo above).
Eventually he saved enough money to build the hotel which is now
run by his descendants.  He is in his early 90s.

Eight of us (4 women and 4 men) decided to visit the hammam (Turkish steam baths). In the women's hammam, we shed all our clothing except underpants. Then we were covered in henna and black soap, which made our skin feel very silky. Once the soap was applied, our young Moroccan ladies scrubbed us with a loofa about as rough as coarse sandpaper (I think my entire suntan was removed when I saw all the dead skin on my body). Then we were rinsed with a couple of buckets of very warm water. Once that was completed, our hair was shampooed and brushed with a stiff-bristled brush that felt absolutely wonderful (I kept picturing a horse with its mane being brushed to a glossy sheen). During the final step in the process we were soaped from top to bottom, had a quick massage and were rinsed again. It was a great relaxing experience.

We were informed of a last-minute hotel change to the Kasbah Lamrati, and upon our departure, we are told that we were the very last OAT group to stay here because of the staff's refusal to upgrade the very mediocre breakfasts and dinners they offered during our stay.

1/12/2014 - Life in the Sahara Desert

Moroccan saying: If you put one foot on tomorrow and put one foot on yesterday, you'll piss on today.

Up with the sun at 6:30 AM, followed by some tea, coffee & small bites for breakfast, provided by our incredible steward, Hussein. Out to the dunes for sunrise and meditation.

(L to R): Aziz, master storyteller & rabbit (Lily) murderer;
Hussein, our wonderful camp steward;
and the drivers loading us up for departure.

Nomadic life in the Sahara.
Bottom row (L to R): baking bread; camel grazing;
spinning came wool for carpets.

There are about 200 nomadic villages in the Sahara. Since nomads do not attend school they are illiterate and only look forward to being tent wives if female and camel herders if male. There is a high mortality rate, particularly from silicosis (caused by inhalation of crystalline silica dust, and is marked by inflammation and scarring in the form of nodular lesions in the upper lobes of the lungs).

Sunrise in the Sahara. 
The Sahara is 80% rocks, 10% sand and 10% mountains.

We visit a farm later and hunt for fossils. We conclude the evening with some hilarious tales around the campfire, with Aziz sharing his favorite question ever asked by one of his travelers: "Why did the Romans build so many ruins?"