0231111 Skoura: Got up at 7:00, went to breakfast, and loaded onto the bus at 9:00. We drove a short while to outside an area that is filled with ruins from an abandoned kasbah community. Lovely angles with all the buildings, gorgeous deep blue sky. One of the buildings has a cone-shaped roof denoting that a holy man had lived there in the past.

In walking through and around, there were signs of small plots of ground that had been or are used for modest crops. Ishmael explained that these plots, big and small, belong to various families. And the ditches next to them are for carefully rationed water. Depending on a plot size, the owner might get one hour of water and that could be anytime day or night on a schedule determined by the head of each tribe.

As we walked through the palm trees on our way to another kasbah, we saw water in one of the ditches and found a man using a single-hand plow hitched to two Mexican donkeys. He went back and forth over a small area. He was gracious enough to let us take pictures of him. Of course, we gave him coins for that permission. He even posed for us. Wonder what was going through his mind?

We walked for a bit and got to a dry river bed where, on the other side, was another kasbah that is a tourist stop and hotel. Kasbah Amridil. It was interesting, but the best part was rest from the heat, water, and potty. Long walk back to the bus since no real road to accommodate it. Drove to Auberge Famille Benmoro for a nice lunch on its terrace.

At this point some comments about food overall. It’s generally well-prepared but way too much. This lunch had a salad plate with rice, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, and more. The main dish was a chicken tagine. Huge. Then a fresh fruit plate. Our evening meal at the hotel started with bread and tapenade followed by a big bowl of soup with more bread. Main course was braised beef and a sweet couscous. Then a custard cake for dessert. About the tagines so far, I have not been wowed. Of course, my appetite and what appeals to me are compromised.

Drove back to the hotel about 2:00 where we had free time until 4:30. I did image downloading mainly. 4:30 was a lecture by Ron on some aspects of photography. 7:00 was supper in an upstairs dining room. As with all meals, I get to sit at my own table to east. The upside is that I get served faster than everyone else.

Tomorrow, we leave for the Sahara and taking images of the dunes. Understand the place where we stay is very nice.

20231113 Sahara: Had a reasonable night. Got up at 6:30, dressed, and was out on the dunes at 7:00 for sunrise at 7:20. People on camels way up on high dunes from other kasbahs to watch sunrise. Light was slow coming and where it hit on different dunes since there is a series of very high dunes to the east of us. Much more subtle images than the sunset last night. Stay out there until near 8:00.

Breakfast and then, at 9:30, our nose-to-butt camel ride on the dunes. It was fun. All had a good time. Two groups with leader walking in front leading first camel. Ron had his handler take him away from us so he could capture each of us in images. Last almost an hour and worth it. The hardest part is when the camel gets its feet (back legs up followed by front legs) and when it settles again after the ride (front end down followed by back end). I was properly attired in my dead covering to look “authentic.” Ha.

Very shortly after we finished, we grabbed our gear and headed out about 20km to Sudani Khamlea. The village is inhabited by dark-skinned Moroccan people. I think many might be from Berber background. They are very musical and put on music and dance for tourists to support their village. Very gracious and fun. Lots of good images of faces, hand, dancing.

Back to the hotel for about an hour before 1:00 lunch by the pool. Ron was nice enough to sit with me at my separate table. Great conversations. Loved getting to know him better. Then free time really until 7:30 supper. Some are going at 4:30 for four-wheeled drive into the dunes to more pristine areas that don’t have tire tracks, footprints, etc. as we do here near the hotel. Sounds like it’s a 20-minute drive to a location, 20 minutes there to shoot, another 15-20 to another location, another 20 minutes there, and then hightail back before it gets dark. I passed.

Just stayed near the hotel for the afternoon. Had a wonderful conversation with Claudia Teitelbaum. Lots of trading of stories and history. Walked out on the dunes about 5:30 and stayed until after 6:30. Was cloudy. Thus, no real dunes images. But it ended up that the sunset was spectacular in colors and breadth. Out in the open like this, you can see it across the full horizon. Nice!

Dinner was at 7:30. Buffet like last night. Ron sat with me again, which I appreciate. Back to the room to do this. Leaving tomorrow for Fes. It’s an all-day drive, the longest on the trip, with only stops for restrooms and lunch. Even if I cannot get good rest tonight, I will have all day to doze on the bus.

20231112 Sahara: It was a long and very interesting day altogether. I slept poorly all night, so was not really perky until mid-morning. We packed an overnight bag for the Sahara nights since the bus doesn’t go into there and we are in a series of four-wheel drive vehicles. Thus, big bags stay in the bus. Left the hotel at 8:00 and headed out through the desert. We moved from the High Atlas to the desert, and now to the Anti Atlas and the Sahara.

Before I go into the day, per se, some independent observations.

• Many partially built buildings that are finished as people have money. There are no property taxes unless you are a business.
• Most buildings are made from Adobe brick or concrete block. Some poured concrete.
• I have been told to stay hydrated, which is no problem, since I am thirsty all the time and am consuming gallons of water.
• Have been in touch with Kathy and John and Natalie. That is fun to keep this connection while they are in Greece and I am here
• Morocco is very clean and feels safe. Even when I have been in any kind of a small city with people around, there is never a feeling that there is either crime or pickpockets.
• Education is required for all children. There is a very strict child labor law. While French has been taught for years as the second language, this is now switching to English
• In Berber cities, they use their own language and not Arabic.

The scenery on most of the drive up to and beyond lunch was flat desert with mountains behind. Houses dotted here and there and villages as well. Sage is a planted shrub in the desert to feed nomadic tribes’ goats and cattle. On many plots of land in the flat, vast area there is a block or adobe wall on the street with a closed gate. Picture this with no fences or barriers of any kind on the other three sides of the plot.

Our first major stop (other than one for pictures or bathrooms) was in the town of Tinghir for a visit to the workshop of Berber rug weavers at The Berber House. The rug shop was quite welcoming, tea and ceremony, and they showed us about every pattern of rug that they make. All handmade. All have specific stories and patterns aligned with events or tribes. Wonderful experience. Many of our group bought some to send home.

Then a nice lunch at a nearby hotel, Kasbah Lamrani, by their pool. I had my table, of course. Also has a calico cat who wanted my food! Continued our drive through the desert and the scenery continued to change. About 4:00 got to Erfoud, an oasis region at the edge of the Sahara. Our four-wheel vehicles (three of us and a driver for each) were waiting. However, before departing, we spent a good deal of time at a place where fossils from what was the ocean floor here hundreds of millions of years ago are made into wonderful artwork, tables, sinks, etc. They dig up huge blocks of fossils from under the desert. Each block is cut into slabs by a high-tech saw that can only cut one inch an hour…that’s how hard this material is. It’s all amazing to see what they have to do next to hand-tool around to reveal each fossil.

Fifteen-minute drive over the desert in the four-wheel vehicles. I was with Ron and Ismael. Got to Erg Chebbi and our hotel, AUBURGE DU SUD, where I am in Room 33, about 5:30. Put our stuff away and then wandered out onto the dunes which start right by the hotel. Climbed up and down dunes to get angles for shadows and light. Stayed through and beyond sunset catching nuances of colors and angles. This was the spot for which I rented a 100-400mm lens and it was worth it.

Dinner around the pool at 7:30, music by Ishmael and some of the staff. This really is Ishmael’s element! Did some image downloading, but was asleep at the keyboard by 9:00. Shower, shave, bed.

20231114 Sahara to Fes: Up at 7:00, breakfast, on the four-wheel car at 8:30, Erfoud by 9:00 and transfer to our bus. This was a long day ending in Fes at the hotel around 6:00. The trip was through the Middle Atlas into a smaller part of the range and then out of the mountains altogether.

So, some things:

• Ishmael has done a good job filling us in on the rituals for dating and asking a woman to marry.
• There are “Dynastic Lands” in the desert. These are lands owned by the king, but given to local people in the region to own and raise crops. One has to build a small house as a start. Many plant date palms. Ownership passes down generations and no one is allowed to sell the land.
• Judaism is part and parcel of this culture from its beginnings. The current king has an advisor who is Jewish.
• You see palm trees with the exterior burned. This is to kill bugs but does not harm the tree.
• I brought sandals for the desert, but never wore them and did not get sand in my shoes.
• Very happy I did this trip. Experience of a lifetime even with getting Covid.
• Lots of police road checks mainly for driver IDs and logs. We are rarely stopped in the bus.
• Food is relatively inexpensive, good, and large portions.
• There is almost no graffiti.
• Passed through area where apples are grown and there are cork trees.

The day brought lots of changing scenery. We started in the dunes, went into desert terrain, mountains in the background. Some towns and villages along the way. Then up into the mountains with lots of curves, down into a valley, up again. Passed by lush oasis or two with date palms. There were whole stretches of time with absolutely nothing out there. Then, round a corner, and you’re in a town. Went through valleys with wooded hillsides. Some areas with sparse grass. Moved from area mostly with Berber population to Fes, which has an Arab population.

Nice lunch at a huge hotel where they serve grilled trout from local streams.

The oddest town we went through was Ifrane. It’s Swiss architecture and ski slopes in the middle of the mountains. Strange, to sat the least. It’s also home to a big university.

Got into Fes. Big city. Lots of traffic. Here you can see many women with no head covering. Had to walk to the hotel since bus cannot get near it. We are at RIAD YACOUT, FES where I am in Room 15. To get here, it’s up and down various stairs. Beautiful and big old building. I think Moorish design with it’s tiles, arches, colors.

Nice dinner. I got to sit with the big kids! Tomorrow is a really full day spent mostly in the oldest and biggest medina in Morocco.