On the road by 9:00 AM. Today we are moving south so we were prepared for a relaxing day is a beautiful van with a great driver and a guide.
We were out of Fez in no time and for the next 7 1/2 hours, with a few short stops, we were transported through so much of the Moroccan country side it is impossible, once again, to convey it in words. So, I will give a brief commentary and let you try and determine what Morocco is.
We were soon in sight of the Mid Atlas Mountains on number 1 quality two lane highway/roads, speed limit max today was 100 KPH. We passed through hamlets, beautiful agricultural valleys, villages: all clean as a whistle with wide newly paved blacktop through Alpine Forests with pine, cedar and other greenery, first to 5000 feet rising to 7000 feet and clear blue skies, absolutely glorious!
We then passed snow fences then later sand fences both to stop drifting snow and sand from drifting across the road. Today we saw our first oasis and also or first sand dune. We saw endless nomadic shepherds, hired by wealthier owners. The shepherds and their family move the herds of sheep from spring, summer, winter pastures as the weather and grass permit. I will never listen to Zamfir playing The Lonely Shepherd again without thinking of the shepherds, single males or families, without thinking of what we have seen the last several days.
- There appears to be an ongoing road and highway improvement programme in Morocco, every time we travel it is going on. The infrastructure is ahead of the country in some regards.
-Then we were in hight desert country that became rather uninteresting and then downright bleak, almost wasteland, marginal with a very, very sparse population, if at all.
- By the way, Morocco has closed the border to Chinese because of corona virus. Tough decision as 4,000,000 Chinese have been coming here recently, each year. A reasonable portion of Morocco's income is from tourism, 4,000,000 less will have a major impact.
- Climate change is a reality here. Vast amounts of the country we have passed through are marginal for agriculture and they acknowledge that there is a drought here, if it is not a drought but indeed global warming there are big consequences for many Moroccans, let alone other millions, possibly billions of people in this big world. So, if you life in BC don't complain about the damn rain!
- I had a marriage proposal today from a Berber widow, see the photo below.
Tomorrow we go to a desert camp for an overnight: tents, camels and all that stuff, do not get too excited though, we apparently have electricity, hot water and showers, and get ready for this 'Internet". Really Doug?
It was great day, our health remains somewhat stable and no more accidents. [A week from today we are on a plane on our way home!]
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With apologies for some of the photos taken at 80 KPH, [otherwise we would have taken two days to get here with all the photo opportunities.]
Also please forgive the spelling and grammatical errors and the photos not being in consecutive order. Thinks don't work the same over here!!!
iPhone showing the altitude.
The Berber on the right is looking for a new husband. Volunteers?
She lives here, below the highway, all year round, has chickens!
This is a mosque, alongside a restaurant in the middle of nowhere. They take their faith seriously!
Our lounge and sitting area.
The bathroom entrance.
The bed. A killer in the dark, as it is on a raised platform a few inches high that is a toe stubber!
Our reception at the hotel upon arriving. Read their faces.
It's a job!
Countryside.
An Alpine Town in the hills alongside a University built by the Saudi King. It's good to have the King of Saudi Arabia as a friend obviously. The most expensive university in Morocco, U$20,000 per year.
A home in the hills.
Donkeys are a key part of Moroccan life, inside and outside of the cities.
Typical barren countryside that went for miles. Contrasting to the verdant and fertile areas that abound here.
A dry river or Wadi with a small community nearby.
Where is the French Foreign Legion?
Our room is somewhere in there...
Our hotel, rather like an oasis as we visualize one in our mind don't you think?
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