Over the Mountains & Into the Desert

On Thursday, we left Fes and travelled south over the Middle Atlas mountains. On the way, we passed through a town called Ifrane which was most of the way up toward the summit. The Moroccans call this town the Switzerland of Morocco. Apparently there are a couple of ski areas nearby. As we made it further up, we passed snow covered peaks and saw what Moroccans call ski areas. Think Hyland Hills with fewer runs.

Our route took us along the Ziz River toward the Sahara. The Ziz valley contains the largest oasis in all of Africa. It stretches for dozens (maybe hundreds) of miles. Oases are marked by dense forest, lush ground cover and no buildings within. Humans figured out that if you build in the oasis, you kill it (not to mention that it can kill you when it floods).

We passed through the town of Erfoud, about 240 miles south of Fes. We switched vehicles at the Xaluca Resort for an hour long 4x4 trip into the dunes. By the time we arrived at our camp, it was dark so it was pretty hard to figure out what the landscape looked like. The air was clear and cool (mid 40s) and the stars were like those seen in Boundary Waters. We settled into camp which was made up of 4 "tents" surrounding a center area about 40 feet in diameter. We've never slept in a tent with wall-to-wall oriental rugs, king-sized bed, hot shower, and flush toilet. Yet the camp is taken down during sand storms! The tents are connected around the perimeter by a carpet wall. The camp floor is carpeted except for a fire pit in the center. One tent is opened toward the center of the camp - the dining tent. After another wonderful traditional Moroccan dinner with our guide Abde, we settled in for the night.

The next morning, our camel driver, Emil, woke us at 5:30 AM. We mounted camels and climbed along dune ridges about 3/4 of a mile to a dune crest. From there, we sat on a blanket and watched the sun rise over the Moroccan-Algerian border. Incredible sight! Behind us were about 100 or Japanese tourists. Fortunately, they were at least 1/4 mile away so they weren't too noisy.

We're now back at the Xaluca Resort in Erfoud for a relaxing day poolside. Tomorrow, we head west to Ouarzazate at the foot of the High Altas Mountains. It's almost hard to remember what Minnesota is like anymore! Hope you enjoy the photos. We have about 500 more! Tim and Wendy.

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

Hello from Fes!

Hello from Fes, Morocco!! It's Tuesday afternoon (about 4:30) and I'm sitting in the courtyard of the riad where we are spending the next two nights. Some sort of stomach ailment hit Tim about 3:00 this a.m. and Molly around noon today so currently, I'm the last one left standing. We hooked up with our driver and guide this morning in Meknes and were driven to Fes, about an hour away. We had a light lunch; Tim and Molly are currently napping and hopefully will feel better when they wake up.

Meanwhile, I’m enjoying a little slice of heaven, here in the riad open-air courtyard. Outside it is warm, noisy, and dusty, but there is a peaceful oasis just inside the riad door. There's a small swimming pool in the center, surrounded by gorgeous tile floors and columns with the typical keyhole style Moroccan arches. Small tables and settees with silk and velvet cushions provide comfortable seating all around the pool. There are orange and limquat (our guide said 'like kumquat but limquat', whatever that is) trees growing around the pool and up towards the clear blue sky. A bird that looks like some sort of catbird flies from window to window, perches on the grillwork and taps its bill on the glass, trying to chase off that ‘other’ bird.

This riad used to be the private home of a prominent judge and philosopher in Fes. I get lost each time I go to our room - there are multiple winding staircases, hallways, little sitting rooms, etc. But I find a new enchanting place each time I go exploring. There are chaises on the rooftop and you can sit up there and see the old city (from the 14th century) for miles and miles - also the Royal Palace, one of over 30 used by King Mohammed VI and his family when they travel around the country. I do feel like I’ve stepped backwards in time and that Aladdin will show up at any moment with his lamp.

Our plan was to spend yesterday in Meknes with Molly and then for Tim and I to go on to Fes today. But it was too hard to leave Molly behind so she came along! She planned to take the train home this afternoon but is now going to spend tonight and tomorrow with us here in Fes. She will go home tomorrow evening - hopefully she will feel better by then! It’s a good thing she has only one class a day so she is not missing too much. I never thought I’d be encouraging her to skip class but am very happy she’s spending a few more days with us. We will have to sightsee in overdrive tomorrow to make up for lost time today J

New friends, old family

Monday was incredible. After breakfast with Molly, we walked a short distance to the heart of the medina in Meknes. Molly really knows her way around and that helped tremendously. We just poked around the shops, ran into people Molly knows and grabbed a tagine (chicken & veggie stew cooked in a crock over coals). Next stop, the Moulay Ismail mausoleum. It's mostly open to the public and it's free. The multiple, nested rooms are defined by increasingly complicated tile mosaic patterns and columns.

From there we made our way by taxi to Molly's part of town. It's about 2 miles from where we're staying. The cab ride costs us 84 cents! We toured Molly's huge apartment and met all of her 5 roommates. Some of her friends joined us for dinner at a trendy cafe for shwarma (kind of like gyros) and fries.

Afterward (here's where the amazing part happened), we were invited to meet one of the host families. It was a short walk from the cafe to the home of Dr. Abdullah and Wafta Abdu whose daughter Fathi studies at the same university as the ISA kids. We were treated to an amazing second dinner of cous-cous, fresh breads, olives, lentils, etc. The conversation was a mix of English (Fathi & us), German (Abdullah and me), French (Wendy and Abdullah), Darija (Molly, the family & Molly's friend Kelly) and lots of laughing. Fathi's 10 year-old brother, Mohammed Ali (yes, Fathi calls him 'the boxer') entertained all of us with his sly refusal to acknowledge anything we said although he obviously understood both English and French, along with his native Darija (Moroccan Arabic). We were so genuinely welcomed to their beautiful, modern and thoroughly Moroccan home. Many photos were taken, hugs exchanged and warmth shared. Abdullah drove us back to our riad around midnight. He wanted to accompany us to the room, but we convinced him we could find it on our own.

It was probably one of the greatest displays of gracious giving I'd ever experienced. We will never forget these remarkable people and have just a little better understanding of the Moroccan heart.

Wendy's note: Ditto to everything Tim said. All the guidebooks have talked about the warmth and generosity of the Moroccan people and we experienced it tenfold! Bless the Abdu family - they are wonderful!

Now you're probably wondering if there has been any downside to the trip so far. I have only one word for Moroccans: Charmin. But now that we know to carry a roll with us, that situation should improve... :) Now, on to Fes!!

A World Away

It's Monday morning in Meknes (about 3:00 AM CDT) and we're getting ready to have breakfast with Molly. It already seems like we left home 3 months ago! Our travels went wll with a minor hitch in MSP (Delta couldn't find our reservation!). I sat at full dress attention next to the biggest guy on the airplane for the first leg of the flight. No sleep for me! Our transfers in Amsterdam and Paris were fun. I was compelled to buy a cup of coffee every time we landed (sleep was now a myth).

We landed yesterday afternoon in Casablanca and met our driver Mwat. He doesn't speak much English but was delighted when Wendy started chatting with him in French. Our 3 hour drive from Casablanca to Meknes included an occasional tutorial in English and French. Mwat brought us into the heart of the medina (old town) of Meknes in his very speedy SUV with an excellent sound system. I really enjoyed listening to the modern-club-Arabic-dance tunes. I mentioned how much I liked the music and Mwat must have misunderstood me. We listened to "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and the like for the last 15 min. of the trip!

We're staying in the Riad d'Or for another night before we head to Fes tomorrow. This place is beautiful! It was originally built in 1747 and recently refurbished. I've included a few pictures taken this morning.

On to discover Meknes today! Mwat became very serious when he left us last night and warned us not to flash cash, make too much direct eye contact, etc. when we wander about here. Will do, bro! More later - Love T & W

Blast Off Day

Blast Off Day has finally arrived. Tim and I have been talking about taking a BIG vacation ever since we got married, BIG meaning 'out of the country' or preferably 'off the continent'. This trip will mean 3 new countries and one new continent for me and 4 countries/2 continents for Tim. I guess we can say that, with this vacation, we've achieved BIG. Thank heavens for our little world-traveling daughter who provided the final impetus to do it.

The good news is that we don't leave for the airport until 4:30 p.m. This gives us most of the day to complete packing, check all our lists numerous times, and go over every last detail of cat-care with Kurt. The bad news is that we don't leave for the airport until 4:30 p.m. This gives us most of the day to fret about whether or not we've packed correctly as well as worry about the cat and the myriad of other things that can, but won't, go wrong. I feel like a horse in the gate before the Kentucky Derby.

But we leave soon! Or not. It depends on whether or not Tim has 'sprung forward' the clock on the wall...

Where we'll be heading

We'll be heading to Morocco from Minneapolis on March 13. Our journey initially takes us to Casablanca and on to Meknes where we'll be spending time with our daughter Molly for a few days. Molly is attending college at Universite Moulay Ismail for her spring semester. She's studying Arabic and Darija languages and taking courses in Moroccan geography/politics, gender studies, and history. She loves Morocco and can't wait to show us around. Molly has a blog describing her journey and it can be found at http://www.mollyinmeknes.blogspot.com/.

From Meknes, we'll travel to nearby Fez then south through the mountains for a trek in the Sahara Desert. Next it's on to Marrakesh for a few days. We'll be in Morocco for a little less than 2 weeks before hitting Spain where we'll spend about a week visiting Seville, Granada, and finally Marbella all located on or near the southern coast. Molly will join us in Granada and Marbella for a few days. She spent the first week of her trip in Granada, so she'll know all of the fun spots. It doesn't hurt that she speaks Spanish, too. It will probably help bail her dad out of embarrassing situations (or it may be too late). We head home on March 31. The map shows our route and the approximate dates of our stays. More to come!