I just got back yesterday from a week in Morocco. It was probably the second best experience of my life, after studying abroad in Montpellier of course. The countryside itself was absolutely stunning, filled with mountains and desert, and the weather was really beautiful (around 75 or 80 degrees) every day, so we were lucky in that respect. We had 2 vehicles, 1 guide, 1 cook and 1 other driver. All three of them were some of the best people I've met, and really knew the country, and showed us things we could not have otherwise experienced. I don't know of anyone else of whom I've felt so fondly after only knowing them for a week. I might attribute this to the welcoming nature of the people of Morocco. Almost every single person I encountered was sincerely welcoming and wanted to make me feel comfortable and at home, so that was a really wonderful atmosphere to be a part of.
The first day, we just got to our hotel in Marrakesh and spent the night there. The next day, we woke up early, left the city and drove through the Atlas Mountains, and stopped for a picture at the Tichka Peak. The drive was stunning, and the contrast between the base of the mountains (dry and arid) was a huge contrast to the snow-covered peaks. After driving for a while, we eventually stopped at Ait Ben Haddou, where we went into a Kasbah (a fortified village), and saw a typical Berbere home. After, the cook traveling with us made us a delicious lunch of a vegetable/ fish salad and couscous. After, we continued on to our guesthouse at Skoura, where we stayed for the night. The place was run by a family, and everything felt really comfortable. They cooked us a giant meal of vegetable soup, chicken tagine with eggplant, zucchini, carrots, turnips, potatoes and onions. For dessert, we had oranges, bananas and strawberries sprinkled with cinnamon. We had nan and crepes with honey and jam, with freshly squeezed orange juice for breakfast.
We continued driving, and stopped at a pottery shop where we got to see the processes involved in making homemade pottery. After, we continued to another Kasbah and got to meet with a few of the inhabitants. Then we continued to Kelaa de M'Gouna, the "capital of the rose". We went through the Valley of the Roses, where there weren't actually any roses, but it was very lush in any case. Down in the valley, there were lots of shepherds herding sheep and goats. We spent the night at an inn in the Todhra Gorges. The inn had drums and a guitar, so of course our whole group (20 of us and our guides), had a sing along/ jam session. It was so much fun! After dinner, a bunch of employees put on a drumming show for us, so that was a lot of fun.
The next day, we drove through the valleys of Ziz and Tafilalet, where the largest palm grove can be found. We continued on to Erfoud, an oasis known for its fossils. We got to stop at a workshop where people recover fossils and then polish them and make various items to sell, such as tables, necklace pendants, plates, ash trays, etc. Eventually, we got to a hotel in Erg Chebbi, where we stopped to drop most of our belongings before a camel ride into the desert. After, we took a 2-hour camel ride into the Sahara, which was something I will never be able to replicate. It was super cool to see the many miles of sand dunes, as well as a line of 20 camels walking in them. I named my camel Mr. Feeny, and we had a pretty unbreakable bond. I'm sure he felt the same way. My butt and legs were a little sore afterwards, however, so as much as we bonded, I was relieved to leave him until the morning. Finally, we reached our camp in the desert, and slept in a bivouac tent. A bunch of us climbed up a sand dune, which is one of the most difficult things I've ever done. Newsflash: There is no traction on a sand dune! I was shocked.
The next day was mostly driving through Alnife, an arid landscape with palm groves weaved in. We reached our hotel in Agdz, where we got a tour of the city. I learned that the part of the village we were staying in had been abandoned for about 30 years, and that it was built in the 17th century. After returning to the hotel, the women cooking our dinner invited us in to help them prepare the meal, as well as have a dance party in the kitchen. It was a lot of fun learning some traditional African dance moves in the kitchen! :)
The next day, we drove through the Atlas Mountains, but at a higher altitude, so we saw SNOW! It was like being home again (except the whole mountain part). It was really beautiful. We pretty much just drove all day, except for one stop at an oil shop-- oil for food, essential oils, etc, and we got to learn how they were made. That night, we made it to Marrakesh and went out for dinner.
The next morning, we took a guided tour of Marrakesh, where we went to a garden of plants (which I forgot the name of)-- it was really beautiful and colorful. After, we went to a Koran school, and got to see the bedrooms of the students who lived there. We had a free afternoon, so we went to the souk to go barter and shop for various things. I bought a necklace and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. The atmosphere at the market was a little overwhelming for me, since there were so many people and all the vendors were quite pushy. The coolest part of the souk was seeing monkeys sitting on peoples' shoulders, as well as seeing snake charmers. The next day, we spent the morning and early afternoon in the city, and then left to go home.
All in all, it was the best trip I've ever taken. Morocco was such a different experience than any westernized European country, and I absolutely loved it.
