Hotel Bellerive Casablanca. I arrive one day before Donna. This is day-break the day Donna lands. It is going to be a good day. |
As this is the begining of Eid, the roads and walkways are not too busy. |
Casablanca |
High tide brings out the fishermen along the corniche. Eid is about upon us at this time and the roads are quiet and many people |
Fishing |
Small fishing village on island (at high tide) |
We visit King Hassan 2 mosque |
Nice sunny morning for tourists to pose for photos. |
I discovered this pool in the basement when I was looking for the WC. |
Casablanca is not a beautiful city -- very busy, congested and nothing much to see. |
Huge tracts of land under the plow. |
Our tour van -- owned by the driver so we had a safe trip. |
Our route through a small part of Morocco. |
Donna, following our trip in the Lonely Planet. |
The petrol station name says a lot about the countries heritage. |
At the end of a 'tunnel' of narrow back allies we reach our Riad in Marrakech -- what a hidden gem. 8-) |
Just around the corner from the last photo, this is another leg of the path to our Riad. We found Marrakech to be a very clean c |
Riad (B&B) in Marrakech |
Looking down from where Donna was standing |
Breakfast on the terrace. |
Busy narrow streets in the old city where we were. |
Vegitable tagine! Yum. Overlooking the Souk |
Vegetable couscous. Donna had two cooking lessons -- couscous, and tagine. |
All sorts of transportation here! |
Old man |
THOUSANDS of mopeds. |
This catacomb of shops in the old souk of Marrakech is filled with exhast smoke from the mopeds. |
I cannot fathom owning a shop and breaking this air each day. |
Some of the people shopping here -- this is a 'living' old city. |
Everyone helps in the busness of the day. |
See the live chickens? See the tagines? Talk about fresh food! |
A happy girl. |
Eid brings out all the washing! |
Monkeys for show. I found a district of the souk that had leopard skins and live hawks, lizards and chameleons for sale |
Snake charmers too |
Although Marrakech does not have a tanning district like Fez, I wanted to go and see the dye-pots. |
Today, being the day before Eid, many were closed up. Too bad there were no bright yellows or reds being dyed! |
We saw hourse and plow or 4X4 utility tractors with men hand-sowing seeds all along our trip. |
Color! |
Fruit stand |
Kasbah of Pasha Glaoui |
Absolutely the best meal ever! Chicken tagine with raisins, dates and assorted vegetables. |
Children playing |
Looking out the a window of the Kasbah (mud constructed palace) of Pasha Glaoui. |
The last Pasha of this Kasbah was known for being exceptionally bloody in his authority to tax the traders that passed through. |
The small town of Telouet |
I believe we had one of these cars in Kenya when we lived there in the 70s. |
Town-scape |
For hundreds (thousands) of years, Morocco has been a source of food export for Europe and North/West Africa, |
Donna |
Ait Ben Haddou, a reconstructed town often used for a movie set. One of the most recent popular movies shot here was Gladiator. |
We waked across stepping stones to get to the town. The current town is on 'our' side now. |
We asked where the coliseum was that figured so largely in the movie Gladiator, the pit is what is left. |
Fabric colors |
I walked out by mistake on the roof of this house and was told to GET off! I could have fallen through. Tourists!!! |
Get'n the van running before they head home for Eid -- with dinner on the roof. |
Argon trees are becoming an economic treasure as the oil from seeds has positive health properties. |
Riad Hida an old palace/residence turned into a B&B in a small village close to the city of Tarouddant |
Flavors of the aristocra |
Tea anyone? |
Orange plantation. |
Largest stooks I have ever seen! |
This grass is used for structural roofing material as it is strong like bamboo. |
The road over the High Atlas and one of the tea shops along the road. |
Tea house. |
Lunch at the top of the world -- crossing the High Atlas, this time through the Tizi N Test pass (6900 ft) |
Our driver and guide |
The road to Tizi N Test pass |
Going down the other side, fall is evident in the color of the trees. |
I did not know that aspen grew in Africa. |
At the B&B, Ksar Les Sel Dailleurs. Nice place but the owner had no provision for our driver and guide. |
Olive tree |
Farming practice for irrigation. |
Our driver dressed in his Eid best. |
Feeding chickens seen from way above at the B&B. |
We rest after a 10 km walk through berber towns. |
Walk through Berber village |
Tea |
Salt mining -- I think $ 0.23 kg from the mine. |
Shrimp in the wells where they draw the water from before dehydrating in the shallow salt pools |
Salt crystal before sinking to the bottom. |
Driver and guide |
Road over Tizi N Test |
Pickled anything! |
Souk |
Shoes |
Feeling bereft... my turn now to return to KSA. |