Sightseeing in Overdrive

Just a very quick post before I head to bed and Tim can try to add more tomorrow, although I suspect once we get to the desert near Erfoud we will have no internet connection for a few days.

I said we would sightsee in overdrive today and indeed we did! Both Tim and Molly felt better - well enough to head out of the riad at 9:30 after breakfast. We visited several museums and gardens, the seven gates of the king's palace, and the Jewish quarter from the 15th century, before heading into the medina (old city) for several hours of wandering pathways full of shops selling anything you could think of to buy - and plenty of things you wouldn't think of (like a camel's head, ew!!). Within the walls of the medina, we visited the tomb of Moulay Issidri, a relative of the prophet Mohammed. Moulay Issidri is credited with bringing Islam to Morocco. We also visited a leather tannery, the oldest madrassa (school and university) in Northern Africa, and a hotel from the 14th century, that housed horses and camels on the main floor and the people accompanying them on the upper levels (now a museum). Whew. Thank heavens for our guide, Abde, or we would still be in there - what a maze!

We put Molly on the train back to Meknes about 5:45 and Tim and I headed back to the riad in time to relax a bit before our dinner at La Maison Bleue - where we had a traditional 4-course Moroccan meal. Every bite was fantastic - the mixtures of food and spices are so unexpected but delicious. I'm definitely looking up Moroccan recipes when I get home, assuming I can even find the necessary spices. And I'm planting spearmint in my garden this summer so I can make mint tea. You have to taste it to believe how good it is.

Tomorrow we'll have lots of car time - 6 hours to Erfoud plus stops - so our feet will get a much-needed break.

Tim's note: It's now Thursday morning and we were scheduled to head to Erfoud but Wendy has been taken by the stomach bug that hit Molly and me earlier. She's sleeping in a bit and should be good to go. Our wonderful guide, Abde, is so mellow about our tweaks and foibles. He assured me a delay is "not important, you must travel as you like!" Now that pretty well sums up the great attitude people have here.

As Wendy mentioned, we'll probably not internet connection for a few days so the posts will lag but we'll get caught up when we can! Thanks for following our silly escapades. T