All Around Morocco

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Last Friday we left for a marathon trip around the South of the country. Many hours in the bus brought us to beautiful hotels, vibrant cities and the most diverse yet stunning natural beauty I have ever seen. I appear to be allergic to charging camera batteries because after replacing a lost battery charger before departing I have now lost my camera battery. Thus this post is missing pictures from our last and possibly most beautiful stay, a very nice resort on the hem of the Sahara's flowing robe of sand. If Roger can get his pictures uploaded then I can post pictures of the group riding camels to sunrise in the desert, our trip back through what eerily resembled the American South-west (or Spaceman Spiff landscapes if you are a Calvin and Hobbes fan), a visit with to a rural village's traditional mill, a stone-skipping contest with local kids and finally a battle to the bloody end with the hordes of flies that invaded our bus while we were visiting the small village. Until then, enjoy!

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Photos

School Children, Rabat
This is the school right outside our window in Rabat. Every morning, we hear them sing the national anthem at 8:00 am. If we are still in bed when we hear it, chances are we are taking a taxi that morning. Good thing the taxi to school only costs us 10 dirham ($1.25)

Fancy Hotel, Marakesh
We spent the first leg of our journey on a four hour drive on the Marrakesh express. Marrakesh is a big tourist city in the middle of the dry heat of the desert.

Medina, Marakesh
As with the Medina in other cities, there was vibrant color a plenty.

The Group
Here we are, fresh at the start of the five days.

Wood Craftsmen
Using and bow, a knife, and his feat, we watched as a wood artisan whipped out a small pawn necklace. After this my camera died.

Hotel 1, outside Marakesh
The first night we stayed at a beautiful villa 45 minutes outside of Marrakesh.

Breakfast
We ate dinner and breakfast in this tent. We had a fun night with a swim in the adjacent lake, a poolside bottle of wine, a great dinner, and then some dancing to local music with the hotel employees.

Hotel Room
The room's slept six and had three floors and a lakeside porch. Beautiful and pretty cheap. I have the website if anyone is looking to visit Morocco.

The Bus
Back when I thought the bus was cool.

Saturday, Tadelak Workshop
A first stop on Saturday: a tadelak workshop outside of Marrakesh.

Tadelak
Tadelak is a shiny pottery. Using ingredients indigenous to the Marrakesh area they can make some beautiful colors and shapes.

Beautiful Home of the Proprietor
This was the house of the man who owned the workshop. As Mme Margach described it, it is very simple yet ultra modern. A pretty good recipe for beautiful digs.

Roger et Moi
The Roommates enjoying the open air living room.

The Majorelle Garden
Known for it's vibrant Cobalt blue that Yves Saint Laurent considered a major influence on his work, the Majorelle Garden were full of beautiful flora.

Grafitti
I don't know why these photo's aren't rotating.

Memorial
Yves Saint Laurent had his ashes scattered in this garden after his passing away in June 2008.

Memorial
The final resting place of a fashion icon.

Through the Gates
Yves Saint Laurent's house on the other side of the garden.