From The desert to the mountains...this time it was the High Atlas . We stayed the first night in another UNESCO site . Ait.Benhaddou...a kasbah that has been lived in since the 1600's . Several hundreds of people would have lived there and farmed the flat lands that surround it . Because it is still in such good condition it has been used in many films over the last 30 years . Atlas Film Studios are located in the nearby town . "GLADIATOR" "BABEL" and "GAME of THRONES " have all bèen filmed there. The next day we ciontinued into the mountains .We actually drove through a pass that was 2300m and really cold and windy . Not all that different from home.We were headed toward a mountain village that would have involved an up hill ... read more

Another interesting day . This morning we left Chefchouen and proceeded to drive through the Rif range of mountains to the Atlas range. It was nearly all agricultural land growing wheat , lentils and some hay . The land looks aMazingly rich and the fields were in various stages ofgrowth . Some soil newly turned , about to be turned , planted with growth ranging from inches ( the lentils)to knee high , the wheat . I saw only 2 tractors ! The plowing was done mostly with donkeys ,occasionally with a horses. It seemed to be a family affair..6_8people working in the field. The plots were all side by side, sometimes a narrow ditch separating them . It looked good in the sunshine and fresh air . There were a lot of olive orchards about ... read more

I,m in Africa ! The journey was not difficult although I can,t say I slept to much . Suzanne met us for lunch in Montreal and we had a great visit . All is well with the Bourasa family . We arrived here at 6 am and had no trouble finding an ATM a and the train into town but the train was delayed nearly an hour for some reason . We didn't, get to the hotel until nearly 11am . It is a comfortable enough space within easy walking distance to the Medina and the Hussan II Mosque . We walked and wandered all day and found the people we encountered to be pleasant and helpful . .They seem relaxed .The sun was shining and our coats were too warm ...except when the wind was ... read more

And I am ready to The end of this journey . I have really enjoyed Santiago and do recommend it to anyone . I have walked and walked for the time I was here and it has always been interesting and I have always felt safe . The other day I climbed the stairs to the top of Santa Lucia and although I was a little winded I had no trouble with the climb . I am thinking that the physical exertion I have been through the last 4 weeks has been good for me ... although the good meals that are also huge portions has not helped my waistline. Shirley asked about water shortages and it really is getting to be a crisis in Bolivia . The rains are overdue and the farmers and the ... read more

Arrived here yesterday and after the wilderness of the Andes it was a pleasant surprise . It really is a backpackers haven and I feel right at home . The adventure in the wilderness was great . We travelled in a Nissan Patrol , 5 passengers and a driver through slat flats , lava beds , lagoons , water sheds of various sorts . There was no snow in sight but given the altitude the air was cool while the sun was extremely hot . At the highest point we were at 5000M ...and I coped well . Not a lot of anything that high except wild vicuna and Flamingos !!. Three different kinds of flamingos nest near the lagoons and eat minerals as well as the algae that is present . At Lagoona Colorado we ... read more