Box to Nomad Family

Hey fellow travelers!
I mailed the box today to Liz Williams from Authentic Morocco which will go to our adopted Nomad family.  In it are 15 assorted shirts/sweatshirts, socks for the whole family, soap, hand lotion, scarves, gloves, wash cloths, some kids jeans, a soccer ball, books from Caroline, and a couple fleece jackets.  I tried to spread out the sizes but erred on bigger rather than smaller given that one kid did not get shoes that fit.  I also sent pictures of all the children - they were so intrigued by our cameras and they likely do not have any pictures of themselves.  Cost for all the items was $148.  Shipping was $107.  So if all eight of us wants to contribute, it would be about $32 per person.

If you mail a check to my current address within the next two weeks, I should still get it.  Otherwise, I am on the 6 month nomadic lifestyle myself and will have to relay on mail to catch up with me.  Hope everyone is well and that you got the pictures that I sent.
Anita

Missing you all!

Marge and I reminisced about our wonderful trip, over Anita's fine photos and my attempt to recreate a Moroccan  eggplant salad. Picture us having drinks with olives, almonds and eggplant salad in pretty little bowls from Sale potteries. You all were with us!
Anyone ready to share photos of the rug purchases?

Testing the blog

with a picture of Karen taking a picture - at Majorelle Garden

Tangier photos

We arrived in Tangier on a clear day and could see Spain from our hotel. Our many walks took us from Mediterranean beach around the rocky coast to the Atlantic. Marge's encounter with the dog was at the end of our picnic and she was sharing our left-overs.

The incredibly photogenic city of Chefchouen

This city with its varied shades of blue and its happy spirit charmed us all! (And I don't know why the last picture is bigger, scroll to see their feet etc.)

Notre Dame de Lourdes in Casablanca

For those who did not have much time in Casablanca, the catholic church there - Notre Dame de Lourdes, was quite a surprise. The stained glass was floor to ceiling and had motifs backed by designs in Berber rugs. Not only colorful, but so materfully done. It was worth the visit that day. Anita

Fez Bone Carver

I loved this guy. I think I was the only one who bought something form him - a little fish comb for 50 Dirham. I asked if I had time to go back and take a picture of him. I remember that he was so excited that I had returned. He had to straighten his jalaba and put on his shoes even though I had not planned to take a picture of his feet. He was so proud. It was a nice memory for me. Anita

Was this the bone carver we saw in Fes?

This New York Times article about Fes profiles an elderly carver of bone combs - could it be the same one we saw on our tour?

Morocco photos from NYTimes

Marge's daughter Jen called our attention to this short photo essay .

Getting home

One more story about the adventure of driving in Morocco.

Besides  getting lost various times and me getting a speeding ticket we had one more challenge: a flat tire on the way to the airport!

It happened on the Autoroute. Elizabeth skillfully got the car to the right shoulder and Susan warned the oncoming traffic while we tried to find the jack, spare tire, directions etc. No phone to reach any help...no jack in sight( who knew it was under the hood?)...all the luggage by the side of the road and time ticking down to airplane check-in.  A truck stopped with 3 guys at the same time a highway assistance truck appeared and another Moroccan miracle took place. We were back on the road in record time, waving goodbye to another 4 "brothers". Made it to Casablanca in time. Needless to say our adrenalin was in overdrive.

In NJ but on Morocco time...

Looking back at the blog I think we have a treasure in the YouTube video made in Chouen, here

If you can watch it to the end you see all of the town as we experienced it; the blue walled streets and alleys, the main square, the shops, the beginning of the walk up the mountain. Even the public wash boards at the waterfall are in the video. Don't miss the cute straw hats, which are a take off on the typical hats Rif women wear and seem to be the main souvenir item for Moroccan tourists.

Seeing these happy youth who made the video reminds me that our cultures are pretty similar around the world.

Hi from Susan.....last time...
We just finished a great dinner...bags are packed and we go to Casa to come home tomorrow.  It has been a FABULOUS trip!  Who knew Morocco was so incredible.

I look forward to coming home but the memories will linger forever!!!

Counting down

We are in a beautiful Riad in Sale and it is a great contrast to Larache.  The place is spotless, and every detail artistically presented.  The staff are attentive and pleasant.  We even have a cute cat companion.  The medina here is clean and quiet....so we should stay a few more days. BUT tomorrow we head home.

Rabat is a modern sort of city where we can catch a tram that runs across the river that separates Sale from Rabat.  It's quick and efficient and very civilized. We've explored the famous sites, along with all the Sunday crowds, then today had a morning in the Chellah, a items of old ruins and extensive grounds with nice gardens.  There are around 75 nesting pairs of storks, and I feel like I've photographed them all.

Now we are recovering from a scrumptious dinner, and getting packed.  More to come, with photos!

Larache

Larache is not a tourist town; I call it La Raunchy due to its impressive garbage piles, one of which greeted us each morning as we left our Riad. And the Riad gave us much fodder between its grime and our very weird host Hassan......however, we had two great days in the region! The first day we, with some difficulty, found the roman ruins of Lixus, which is not given its due in the guidebooks. We were lucky enough to have a young man guide us through for over two hours. His father and grandfather had also been caretakers of the site, but the ministry of culture no longer supports the guards, so he gave us this fascinating and detailed tour at no charge, due to his passion for the site. The next day we met the Hassan mentioned in all the guidebooks as the expert birder at mousy bousselham- and expert he was indeed! He took us out on his boat and I will let the birders tell all we saw; the pink flamingos were the most unusual to this non- birder. Then he showed us the fishermen who had returned with a big haul, picked out a variety of fish and crabs for us, and shared an amazing lunch in the restaurant nearby who cooked them up for us!

Take me to your kasbah

I'm slowly updating my blog. Here's a post about our first kasbah in Telouet and another one about the amazing rock formations we saw everywhere. And yet another post, this one about the gorgeous Majorelle Garden.

Tacky tourist snow globe

My little tacky tourist snow globe of Morocco was the only thing that broke in my luggage.  It was the smallest one you can buy - about 1 1/2 inches around. It was a camel inside and said Morocco around the base.  Can someone bring me another one before you leave?  Karen and I started collecting them years ago.  I can't be without one now!  Let me know.  I have Dirham, Euros, Dollars,  or I can probably scare up some Lithuanian currency too.
Anita

When we were 8

When we numbered eight on this trip - a MADE everyone have a group shot at least one a day. Sometimes it was like herding crickets, but most of the time I could get everyone to smile at the right time. Enjoy! Anita

Morocco Faces in the Crowd

I'm still going though pictures and reliving some great memories of Morocco! We often take so may pictures of arches, mosiacs and mountains - we often forget the faces that stole our hearts for a few seconds in our busy sight-seeing days. So I'm going to share a few aaawwww moments from our first days in Morocco. Anita

Tangier time

We've whiled away another breakfast hour looking over the bay and beyond to Spain, and of course settling the problems of the world.  Weather here has been glorious, sunny, low humidity, sea breeze.  Yesterday morning we spent  at the American Legation museum and talking with the director, Jerry Loftus, who is full of great ideas and stories.  Then long walk up to the high point of the kasbah, viewpoint over the straits and wandering back thru the medina.  Tangier is quite advanced with posted maps and walking tours, but the little alleys don't seem to bear much relationship with the map. So we wander and ask directions...

Now Marge and Elizabeth are going out to rent a car, while Ed, Susan and I shop for picnic supplies.

.....she might be in Tangier....

Actually there are still 4 she's and one he. It has been great fun to hear Phyllis and Marge reminisce about how different this city was when they lived here, right after the war. It was an International Zone, and way smaller. We walked along the beach their dad took them to before breakfast when they lived in the Rif Hotel, which we also passed. Some stuck their toes in the Mediterranean. I have to add another video from Chefchouaen. We became very fond of our host Ben at our Riad Dar Gabriel. He showed us this publicity ad for the town, and two of his daughters whom we met are featured: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq8dB0pUYNw

Susan says hello

Today we leave for Tangier.  It seems incredible that we have seen so much.  The contrasts are amazing.  Montezuma got me a few days ago but I recovered and all is well.  Enjoy Anita's pictures.....if you look at the "camel train" I am the end of the train!  Time for breakfast.  Hi to Marietta and all of you who are reading.
Susan

Leaving Chefchouen

What have we been doing?  Lots of walking, up and down hill. Sitting on our sunny terrace, stargazing, exploring endless alleys in shades of blue. Ed took a long hike, while others climbed the steep hill behind town to a modern hotel perched on a ledge.  I had suggested there might be wine to be had, so had an enthusiastic following.

A weekend in Chefchouen has been an interesting look at how this Muslim society is changing. Young folks out enjoying life as couples, or mixed groups.  Females wearing headscarves but not fully veiled.  Young families out together. We had nice interactions with Moroccan tourists visiting this city, taking their pictures with their cameras and discussing museum oddities. There were kids all over, buying candied apples and Rif straw hats, posing for group pictures...just like American tourists.

Post Morocco Day 2

I'm home for almost two days now and I already miss seeing the High Atlas Mountains, the small nomadic herds of sheep on the rocky hillsides and listening to the banter in the medina. I concentrated on pictures from our visit to the Nomad family high in the Atlas Mountains that day and remember the faces of the children we met who were so happy to get the shoes we had bought them - if only we had remembered that socks might be needed too. So today I went on shopping trip one for our little adopted family. We now have socks for children and adults, hand lotion, walsh cloths, bar soap, and a nifty red soccer ball. Later this week I will focus on clothing - t-shirts, gloves, perhaps some long sleedved shirts, and hats. These are some of the faces we met. Anita

I made it home today after what seemed like such a long flight. After bouncing down the runway on our landing at JFK, I can say that we were finally home. I took a bit of time to download some of my photos and relive such a memorable adventure. It seems that even though you have been to a place before, you look at it through different eyes each time. I shall try to post a couple pics of the day as I go through the journey again - this time on my computer. Washington was 62 degrees today and the cherry blossoms are brilliant pink! Anita

Chefchaoun

Here in this very picturesque town on the mountainside we 5 have the 3 rooms on the terrace. The view over the town and mountains is fantastic.  It's also very cold and we slept under heavy piles of blankets. Remembering that we got warm in the sun yesterday, I have on all the clothes I brought, and will postpone a shower til afternoon.

We walked through the town to the "source" , clear mountain stream that feeds a public laundry area and continues down the edge of town. A path across the stream leads around the mountainside and up to a small mosque with great views. On our way back Elizabeth recorded the late afternoon call to prayer.  I've never heard it like you do here, echoing from the many mosques in this town, which is in a bowl sort if shape.

From Fez to Chefchaouen

It was about a 4 hour drive through the Ri Mountains, which are markedly different from the Atlas: smaller, greener, with farms all along the route- many olive groves, but also grapes, figs, oranges, almonds. Observations on driving in morocco: People here walk. We see people walking along roads in the middle of nowhere. People also sit by the roadside in small groups, especially men. There are not infrequent 'haltes' for the gendarmerie. One sits at a table with a radar camera while another flags down cars. Our driver today said they are looking for those carrying kif (marijuana) which is all over Chefchaiuen, but we have seen them everywhere we have driven. There are lots of mules being led along the road, or tied to something while the owner works the fields. And: there are NO route numbers or street names posted. If you ask for a route number noted on the map, people think you are nuts.

More Fez

We woke to more rain and said a sad goodbye to Anita, Karen, and Caroline who got on the train to Casablanca. Now we are 5! We decided, despite the rain, to take two petite taxis to the Mellah, or Jewish quarter, right by the royal palace. We stumbled around til we found the old synagogue, and a nice woman let us in for 20 dirham each. The highlight for me was the mikvah in the basement, still filled with eater. Hope we can follow with photos. A very persistent young man wanted to lead us to the cemetary, but we were pretty sure it was the wrong direction and had difficulty shaking him. Finally ed dodged into a bijouterie where he got a new strap for his watch. The man lingered outside by the corner, but we finally lost him as we emerged from the neighborhood into pouring rain, where we hailed taxis to return us to the Blue Gate so we could get back to the Riad to dry out. We had a picnic lunch of leftover snacks in the sitting room, then decided to try for the museum of woodcarving despite the rain. This was a worthwhile stop. We had some mint tea in the salon on the roof to wait out the rain before retuning home. Poor Susan was hit with sickness, but the rest of us went to a restaurant in a Riad that Marge had been to on a previous trip. I haven't mentioned that the medina is so convoluted and confusing that one actually needs to hire a guide to get from the hotel to whatever your destination is. On this night a man from the restaurant met us at our Riad and led us all over creation, through narrow alleys, to the restaurant. It was nice but didn't compare with Fatima's cooking in our Riad the night before!

Exploring Fez

We woke to rain, so delayed our guide til afternoon. We walked to Cafe Clock for a light lunch of camel burgers (quite good!) where Hakim, our guide, met us. Another good idea to have a guide here in the craziness of Fez. Among the sights we saw: an old medersa with a still active mosque, just before the call to prayer, a pre-school with five 4 and 5 yr olds who sang for us, including Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, metalworkers tapping with hammers, weavers using Moroccan silk from the aloe cactus, cotton, and wool, craftsmen painting designs on pottery freehand, mosaicists tapping out pieces of ceramic while another placed them upside down by memory prior to the addition of plaster (hard to explain), and the tanneries that have been there for centuries. We had dinner at the Riad, prepared by Fatima, served by Ben, and we agreed it was the best meal yet! Carrot, avocado and apple salad, favs beans, lentil soup, potato puffs with tuna, eggplant with chermouil sauce, followed by amazing chicken tagine fez style, with caramel used onions on top and scrumptious pumpkin purée. Ended with fruit tarts.

On to Fez

Here is Ed saying goodbye to the camel driver, Mohammed, after the desert adventure

We were sad to say goodbye to Moustafa, Moustafa and Hassan, who took such good care of us for the last six days.  We spent our last night with them in Midelt, arriving quite late and just wanting to go to bed, but then were served one of the best tagines so far- one chicken with lemon and the other beef with prunes.

In the morning our beloved guides droves us through a Lake District, where we stopped at a lake and Phyllis saw her bustard (life bird), then to the cedar forest to see the monkeys, then a quick stop in
Ifrane for a coffee, pastry, and clean bathroom.  Ifrane has a European look, kinda like Switzerland.

We drove into Fez where the men with carts were waiting to take our bags into the narrow cobblestone streets of the medina to find our new riad, Dar El Hana, down a tiny alley with the usual nondescript door leading into it.

Angela is the young Aussie managing the riad, and we sat on the rooftop terrace looking out over the medina for our usual mint tea while she oriented us to this most fascinating and convoluted city.  Did we hear that there are 9000 streets in the medina? We ventured out through the markets (souks), pleased not to have the motorbikes we saw in Marrakesh beeping at us in the narrow alleyways.  Had a lovely dinner at the Ruined Garden, run by a Brit who came to do the garden project and never left.

Susan says hi!

This has been a marvelous experience thus far.  The country is beautiful, the people are lovely and the geology and geography are beyond description.  Our desert visit was great fun.  My camel and I got on quite well.  Today is rainy so we have a little down time.  So far I have acquired two rugs and a few small items.  Fez is a leather place and pottery is yet to come.  Have eaten much tagine and drunk good Moroccan wine....more sweets than I eat in a year.  Three of our group leave tomorrow and our remaining five head for Chechaouen (sp) on Thursday - then to Tangier.  Hope spring is in sight at home.

Our desert adventure

From the high Atlas, by way of a chilly night at a barely heated hotel, we descended through the Todra gorge.  Photos later...  Very narrow gorge with sheer rock walls, amazing rocky cliffs.

We had a late lunch at our desert hotel right at the edge of the Sahara, and mounted the camels around 5pm.  The hour and a half trek to the desert camp was magical to me. Bakkar and Mohamed each led a string of 4 camels, single file, across the sand. We soon lost sight of civilization and looked out on endless dunes, like the waves of the sea.  Little tufts of grass, lizard, beetle and fox tracks were all that marked the sand besides our own camel footprints. Our camel man walked regally, steadily in front of his charges, barefoot, with his blue robe blowing in the breeze.  Most of our group had learned how to wrap up in a scarf covering all but the eyes. (Photos later of our helpers who delighted in doing the typical turban wrapping.)

Our desert camp was at an oasis sheltered by a huge dune, Erg Chebbi. We climbed the dune for sunset, none of us reaching the summit. Our camp was made up of Berber style tents enclosing a central courtyard of sand with mats and rugs, where we had tea.  It got dark and cold quickly, so we let Marge and Karen try to read a star map and find constellations.  We slept on thin mats with heavy blankets and I was very comfortable.  What an experience to get up in the middle of the night to absolute silence and only star light.  It was absolute magic and I was glad I couldn't find the flashlight.  Our camel guides got us up early enough for sunrise.  I watched them get the camels up and moving.  They fussed and complained but the guys were gentle with them.

Now we are in Fez, in an ancient guest house with lovely rooftop terrace. And for the first time on the trip it's raining!

Snow on the pass, and tea with the Berbers.