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Morocco: AFS Camels and Kasbahs: April 2007
Jet lag is
cunning, baffling and powerful. A mere 7 hour flight and I fell as
dazed as if I'd gone to Borneo. So near yet so far, Morocco is a feast
for all five senses. Hidden in a corner of North Africa, it's a
cultural gem the size of California that oozes history. Once hijacked
by France and Spain for its rich trade resources and later in WWII used
as base to drive the Germans out of Africa. Today it's a monarchy ruled
by young King Mohammed VI who inspires independence and who values
women's rights. His wife is an electrical engineer, far from Arab
nation's norms.
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Spices in Fez medina |
Rug shop in the medina |
Dancing in the desert |
We set out
to follow the ancient trade routes with a dazzling mix of African, Arab,
Berber and European traditions along the way. On arrival to fabulous
Fez, an Imperial city built in 790AD, we were transported back in time.
Here we delivered gifts to a school and enjoyed a guided walking tour of
the Medina with its mind boggling maze of souks. Inside, the scooters
were replaced by donkeys. Our senses were assaulted with sounds, odors
and sights never experienced before. Four undercover armed policemen
followed our group of 42 through cobbled alleyways intricately spread
out like a spider's web. Getting lost is not an option. In the end of
the tour, it was like herding cats for our guides. The highlight in Fez
was a dinner in the home of an upper middleclass Moroccan family. Their
children giggled at us as we dined like Sultans on traditional cuisine.
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Berber Tents |
Heading off |
Sun rise camel ride |
Landscapes
vary dramatically in Morocco from peaceful beaches, rugged mountains
with ski resorts to the expansive arid Sahara. We headed out into the
Atlas Mountains through forests of giant cedars and apple orchards.
When we encountered snow, the temperature dropped drastically. We
stopped to feed the gentile monkeys lining the road and had lunch in the
Berber capital of Midelt. We learned about the fascinating life of
these nomadic diverse tribes who are distinguished by their tattoos.
The town of Erfoud is the gateway to the Sahara. From there we were
transferred by 8 Land Rovers deep into the dessert for an overnight in
Berber tents. [I never know what to expect on adventures such as this,
but figured anything could be tolerated for 14 hours.] We arrived to
the encampment at sunset for a rugged "Midnight at the Oasis" experience
that rivaled Survivor. After our dinner feast, it was like a giant
slumber party. We woke at 5:30am to be greeted by 36 camels and enjoyed
a caravan ride into the dunes to watch the sunrise.
We departed on to Tinghir, "Land of 1000
Kasbahs." What is a Kasbah you ask? An ancient ornate sandstone
fortress that houses tribes like a big subdivision. It was 100% Berber
here. Their skin was dark and worn. It's a hard life in this desert
with an average life span of 55 years. We drove past fields of chic
peas and suddenly like a mirage came upon a lush oasis in neon green
with a thousand palm trees. From here we explored the Todra Gorges with
its cliffs towering 900 feet. We overnighted in Quazarzate, home to
artists and a burgeoning film industry. Many popular movies have been
produced here. We toured the 13th century Kasbah of Eid Bin
Habu, a World Heritage Site where part of Gladiator was filmed.
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The mountain-side Berber
Village |
Suzy feeding a monkey |
At the herbal pharmacy |
Enroute
through the mountains in springtime, we passed hills colored with
apricots, poppies, saffron, rosemary, oranges and walnut trees. And the
bees were swarming in this land of honey. Then we entered into the
Valley of Roses. Along the road, boy's sold necklaces of roses. The
river was flooded from the rose distilleries which fragranced the air.
Later we stopped to visit a remote village for some authentic cultural
immersion. A woman named Fatima took us each by hand along a cliff side
as children followed. We peered into the homes of locals who only spoke
Berber and exited with some great photos.
Our best time was spent in exotic Marrakech. Our
excellent guide there named Mohammed lead us to the major sites which
encompassed the country's best artwork. He passionately explained to us
from history to today why Morocco will always view Americans as
friends. We visited a traditional herbal pharmacy with demonstrations
on such cures as teas for depression, oils for snoring and Berber
Viagra. In the afternoon we got lost in the labyrinth of a thousand
souks that sold knock-offs such as "Polex" watches, "Louis Chiffon"
bags, "Berberry" scarves and "Channell 5" perfume. The spirit of
Marrakech is found in the bustling Djemma El Fna Square with its snake
charmers, dancing monkeys, soothsayers and medicine men. We marveled at
the collections of teeth for sale that were pulled with pliers by a
knock-off "duntist" no doubt. We were accosted at each turn to for
tips. The monkeys hated coins and now only accept bills. The Kodak
moments were well worth it.
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Heather hitches a ride at Kasbah Eid Bin Habu |
The Gladiator set at Eid
Bin Habu as it looked for filming |
The group |
Our last night was spent in Casablanca which is
worn at its seams with 6 million inhabitants. We visited several points
of interest such as, The Royal Palace and the world's 2nd
largest mosque, but one wouldn’t want to linger there. In no way does
the city portray Morocco. This is a land of sandcastle architecture,
exotic bazaars, colorful tribes and camels. It is ancient, vibrant and
captivating. My fervent hope is that the veil of radical Islam will not
infiltrate and choke all the achievements of the present progressive
monarchy.
I've consumed enough olives, mint tea and couscous
to last a lifetime. On airport arrival, I viewed my group now laden
with hand-woven rugs, ceramic pots and magic potions, pounds of spices,
brassware, Aladdin sandals and long caftans that they will never wear
again. We covered so much territory that we'll need a vacation to
recover from our vacation. It was however, a journey well done as we
unveiled the mysteries of one of the world's most unique desert
kingdoms.
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Our Marrakech Hotel |
Jennifer and camel |
At the orphanage |
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