As everyday passes I can't believe how close we are getting to leaving. On one hand I feel like the time is flying by and all I want to do is grab on and slow it down. On the other hand I am super excited to start this new chapter in our lives. I'm ready to spend some time with our families and set up home in North Carolina. With our Easter trip around the corner, I think its time to break out the familiar timeline...
1 day till we leave for the Coast
4 days till we are playing in Feast V
26 days till the movers arrive
34 days till we fly to Nairobi
38 days till we fly to Amsterdam
39 days till we fly to North Carolina
40 days till we start the house hunting process
49 days till we fly to Milwaukee to visit with family
56 days till we drive down to Illinois to visit with family and pack my things
62 days till the infamous Taco Tuesdays with the Stephenitch women
63 days till we start the drive back down to North Carolina
65 days till we officially are North Carolinians
Monday, March 25, 2013
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Our Last Kenyan Adventure
The days seem to be flying by and our DROS date just keeps getting closer and closer. There are so many more things we want to see in this beautiful country but the reality is we don't have enough time. Thankfully the Easter holiday coming up has provided us with an excuse to get away one last time.
Last year we traveled to Tiwi Beach to participate in FEAST IV, an ultimate Frisbee tournament on the beach. (You can read about our trip here) We are headed back to Tiwi to participate in the tournament again and are going to add a few days onto the trip to make it a real vacation.
We'll land in Mombasa and spend a few days there soaking in the sun and enjoying delicious food. Josh may even get in a dive or two! From there we'll head down to Tiwi to play for the tournament and two days of serious competition :) After the tournament its back up to Mombasa for another day before finally flying back to Kisumu.
Josh and I are really excited to get away for a bit and are ready to make the most of this last trip. From there its only downhill till we head back to the States!
Friday, March 15, 2013
50 Days
Are we really at that point? Do we really only have 50 days left till we leave this place? It seems unreal to me to even consider but in that short amount of time we will be leaving this home and headed to the next. Kenya has meant so much to us. Its been a land of firsts. Its where we met, decided to get married and started our lives together. This is the only home we've known as a couple.
Beyond that I can't even begin to start to think about saying good-bye to our friends here. They have become our family over the last three years and its hard to fathom that we may never see some of them again. (Yes I understand that's hard to say but I think sometimes its the reality.) Its hard to explain but the people we have met over here are some of the best I know. They are a different breed. Adventurous, full of life, kind and caring. It takes a special person to live and work here and our friends are just some of the best.
Don't get me wrong. I am excited to start this next chapter in our lives. It will be great to be back in the states and closer to our families. North Carolina will of course bring its own adventures; they will just be of a different kind ;-)
So 50 days...50 days to keep making memories. 50 days to fit in those last few trips. 50 days to soak up the equator sun. 50 days left in beautiful Kisumu. 50 days to say good-byes to friends. 50 more days in Kenya.
Friday, March 8, 2013
The Life of a Military Family
Its a given when you sign up for this whole military thing that life can change at a moments notice. For awhile Josh and I have "known" that we were headed to Washington state after our time here in Kenya. We were getting really excited about the area and all the things to do. It sounded perfect for us with many national parks in the area and the fun local breweries around. We even went as far to buy a few of those travel books and do a little research as to where exactly we wanted to live around base.
The move would give Josh a chance to take command of a medical detachment which is the next step in the promotion process for him. The timing was a bit off but we still felt confident that after a year of biding our time in Washington he could move into the command position.
In November we were faced with a big decision as the military presented us with an opportunity to move to Korea and take command of an unit there. We decided that we really didn't want to be so far from our family for another two years (we have been in Kenya almost 3) among other reasons. So we politely declined and again refocused on Washington. We applied for orders, spent numerous hours on the phone with the shipment people and started looking at rental properties in the area.
The last day of our honeymoon, the military again surprised us with yet another offer. Come to North Carolina they said. Take command of an unit here.
The base in North Carolina has its pluses and minuses. Its huge for one thing. There's a very large military community there and many amenities right on base. The downsides are that its pretty rural. After a lot of discussion we decided that the only thing that was holding us back from instantly accepting was that it wasn't Washington. It wasn't the national park haven we had expected. It wasn't full of fun restaurants and home breweries.
We have also come to the conclusion that that's ok. Its not Washington because its North Carolina. We will still make the most of this opportunity and see where it takes us. After months of "knowing" we were headed to Washington here we are ready to go to North Carolina. It really is the best decision for Josh's career and our family for so many reasons. Most importantly we will be together and that's what really makes a house a home. All the little details will work themselves out in His timing. And I mean what's life without a little adventure?
The move would give Josh a chance to take command of a medical detachment which is the next step in the promotion process for him. The timing was a bit off but we still felt confident that after a year of biding our time in Washington he could move into the command position.
In November we were faced with a big decision as the military presented us with an opportunity to move to Korea and take command of an unit there. We decided that we really didn't want to be so far from our family for another two years (we have been in Kenya almost 3) among other reasons. So we politely declined and again refocused on Washington. We applied for orders, spent numerous hours on the phone with the shipment people and started looking at rental properties in the area.
The last day of our honeymoon, the military again surprised us with yet another offer. Come to North Carolina they said. Take command of an unit here.
The base in North Carolina has its pluses and minuses. Its huge for one thing. There's a very large military community there and many amenities right on base. The downsides are that its pretty rural. After a lot of discussion we decided that the only thing that was holding us back from instantly accepting was that it wasn't Washington. It wasn't the national park haven we had expected. It wasn't full of fun restaurants and home breweries.
We have also come to the conclusion that that's ok. Its not Washington because its North Carolina. We will still make the most of this opportunity and see where it takes us. After months of "knowing" we were headed to Washington here we are ready to go to North Carolina. It really is the best decision for Josh's career and our family for so many reasons. Most importantly we will be together and that's what really makes a house a home. All the little details will work themselves out in His timing. And I mean what's life without a little adventure?
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Marrakesh
On the last day of our honeymoon we planned on spending the day exploring Marrakesh with the help of a tour guide. Even though we had done some wandering through the souks the day before, sometimes its nice to have a guide show you the historical sites and give you a bit of history about everything. After a quick breakfast we headed out to the square to meet our driver and tour guide. Our first stop of the day was outside the medina.
Jardin Majorelle is one of three public gardens in Marrakesh. The garden is named for a French man, Jacques Majorelle, who began the garden in 1924. He was very passionate about his work and the garden is a true representation of this. He collected plants from around the world (including 5 continents) and is noted as one of the most important plant collectors of his time. Josh and I wandered the grounds for a bit before heading back to the car.
The rest of the day was spent exploring the winding streets of the medina. We started in the oldest part of the medina where the city structure was originated. Here they still do most of the trades (carpentry, leather work, etc.). Our guide explained that first the mosque was built followed by the madersa, or Koran school. Then usually a bakery and a hamman (public bathing house). It was neat how you could still see these original structures maintained today.
Our first stop was the Madersa Ben Youssef. This Koran school was much larger than the one we toured in Fes although the construction was similar Beautiful mosaics lined the floors while marble and cedar wood made their ways up the walls. Aziz, our tour guide, was a wealth of information, a regular walking history book. While we were in the courtyard of the madersa, he filled us in on the history of the monarchy dating back to the Philistines. It was really interesting to us as we had read a lot about the changing ruling parties before coming.
After our history lesson we explored the upstairs dormitories a bit. These small rooms were pretty dark and gloomy. I definitely wouldn't want to spend my days there! From the madrasa we headed to the adjoining Museum, the Musee de Marrakesh. The museum housed some interesting artifacts dating back into early Moroccan history. We walked through exhibits on Fes' pottery and Berber jewelry. As many museums in developing countries, it wasn't much to look at. The fact that the descriptions were only in French and Arabic also made it a bit harder to understand what everything was.
On the way to our next destination, we stopped at a local apothecarium. These traditional doctors are gaining popularity as many Moroccans are avoiding western medicine. We checked out the many jars of herbs and remedies and were amazed at the different concoctions for stomach aches and fever. We ended up purchasing some mint tea despite the apothercary's attempts on selling us on more.
Aziz then took us to a local antique shop to browse. Josh had been admiring some of the traditional Moorish sabers but we were hesitant to buy anything without knowing for sure it was authentic. We were quickly shown upstairs where Josh found a few knives he was interested in. Most were adorned with jewels and camel bone. I spent some time browsing the jewelry. I had been looking for a pair of earrings but thus far had resisted buying anything because of the poor quality. After some haggling we ended up walking out of the house with a beautiful henna-dyed, camel bone encrusted saber for Josh and silver turquoise earrings for me.
With our purchases in hand we headed back to the main square. Performers were in full force and we were quickly swept into the hub bub of it all. I even had one of my teeth pulled by the teeth pullers set up around the square ;-) Starving, we ducked into one of the small cafes and indulged on some pizza and sandwiches for lunch. Again it was really nice to enjoy something other than tangine.
After lunch we headed to the Palais Badi, an imperial palace that once held the Prime Minister and his four wives. Its said that the prime minister had a liking for one wife in particular and set out to spoil her. Her bedroom was the most grand with mosaics everywhere and large windows to let the sun in. Later she would move in to his private apartment located in a separate part of the palace. Even without the interesting back story, the house itself is really interesting. Its the traditional Moroccan design with an open courtyard in the middle and rooms off of it. The cedar woodwork is seen best in the ceiling designs and large mosaic fireplaces are in every room.
From the palace, Aziz left us and we decided to do some more exploring on our own. We headed over to the Koutoubia Mosque and spent some time walking around the large exterior and the gardens behind it. The gardens are beautiful and provide a much needed place to relax after a long day. Many couples and teenagers could be seen hanging out on the benches or near the fountain.
The souks were calling our names again and we headed back into the maze of streets to seek out those last few purchases. I wanted to get a few small tangines to use for serving dips and condiments. We managed to find a few in bright colors with metal work around the lid. Josh loved the wood work and we bought a beautiful domino set to use. The ceder blocks were inlaid with a lighter wood to make the dot designs. Our last purchase was a plate lined with camel bone and metal work. The bright orange and blue pattern stood out against the others and we thought it would be beautiful up on a wall.
For dinner that night we had already decided we would try one of the food stalls lined up in the square. We had kind of scoped out everything the night before but did another lap around them before deciding on the first stall. We ordered chicken and kebabs of all kinds and enjoyed a small feast on our last day. Despite some worries about stomach issues, we both were fine the next day. For dessert we ended up buying a whole box of sweets. Translation issues got in the way and the seller didn't quite understand that we wanted just one piece.
Stuffed we walked around the square one last time admiring the snake charmers and local musicians. The Djema del Fna really is a hub of activity and just one big stage. Tired but intrigued we ventured down one street that seemed to be filled with neon lights. Instantly we were transferred to a modern era with real stores and restaurants It was like a little gem among the history of the medina and a lot of locals could be seen wandering up and down the street. It was a nice reminder of the new era a midst the old.
Our honeymoon was a trip I won't forget. Somehow we manged to fit years of history and culture into a ten day period. The food, people, sights and landscape of Morocco are so unique and we were so excited to experience what little we did.
Jardin Majorelle is one of three public gardens in Marrakesh. The garden is named for a French man, Jacques Majorelle, who began the garden in 1924. He was very passionate about his work and the garden is a true representation of this. He collected plants from around the world (including 5 continents) and is noted as one of the most important plant collectors of his time. Josh and I wandered the grounds for a bit before heading back to the car.
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| Jardin Majorelle |
The rest of the day was spent exploring the winding streets of the medina. We started in the oldest part of the medina where the city structure was originated. Here they still do most of the trades (carpentry, leather work, etc.). Our guide explained that first the mosque was built followed by the madersa, or Koran school. Then usually a bakery and a hamman (public bathing house). It was neat how you could still see these original structures maintained today.
Our first stop was the Madersa Ben Youssef. This Koran school was much larger than the one we toured in Fes although the construction was similar Beautiful mosaics lined the floors while marble and cedar wood made their ways up the walls. Aziz, our tour guide, was a wealth of information, a regular walking history book. While we were in the courtyard of the madersa, he filled us in on the history of the monarchy dating back to the Philistines. It was really interesting to us as we had read a lot about the changing ruling parties before coming.
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| An arch way in the madrasa |
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| The call to prayer area |
After our history lesson we explored the upstairs dormitories a bit. These small rooms were pretty dark and gloomy. I definitely wouldn't want to spend my days there! From the madrasa we headed to the adjoining Museum, the Musee de Marrakesh. The museum housed some interesting artifacts dating back into early Moroccan history. We walked through exhibits on Fes' pottery and Berber jewelry. As many museums in developing countries, it wasn't much to look at. The fact that the descriptions were only in French and Arabic also made it a bit harder to understand what everything was.
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| Josh in one of the balconies |
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| The museum |
On the way to our next destination, we stopped at a local apothecarium. These traditional doctors are gaining popularity as many Moroccans are avoiding western medicine. We checked out the many jars of herbs and remedies and were amazed at the different concoctions for stomach aches and fever. We ended up purchasing some mint tea despite the apothercary's attempts on selling us on more.
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| The many jars of traditional medicines and spices |
Aziz then took us to a local antique shop to browse. Josh had been admiring some of the traditional Moorish sabers but we were hesitant to buy anything without knowing for sure it was authentic. We were quickly shown upstairs where Josh found a few knives he was interested in. Most were adorned with jewels and camel bone. I spent some time browsing the jewelry. I had been looking for a pair of earrings but thus far had resisted buying anything because of the poor quality. After some haggling we ended up walking out of the house with a beautiful henna-dyed, camel bone encrusted saber for Josh and silver turquoise earrings for me.
With our purchases in hand we headed back to the main square. Performers were in full force and we were quickly swept into the hub bub of it all. I even had one of my teeth pulled by the teeth pullers set up around the square ;-) Starving, we ducked into one of the small cafes and indulged on some pizza and sandwiches for lunch. Again it was really nice to enjoy something other than tangine.
After lunch we headed to the Palais Badi, an imperial palace that once held the Prime Minister and his four wives. Its said that the prime minister had a liking for one wife in particular and set out to spoil her. Her bedroom was the most grand with mosaics everywhere and large windows to let the sun in. Later she would move in to his private apartment located in a separate part of the palace. Even without the interesting back story, the house itself is really interesting. Its the traditional Moroccan design with an open courtyard in the middle and rooms off of it. The cedar woodwork is seen best in the ceiling designs and large mosaic fireplaces are in every room.
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| One of the beautiful ceilings |
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| Another view from the palace courtyard |
From the palace, Aziz left us and we decided to do some more exploring on our own. We headed over to the Koutoubia Mosque and spent some time walking around the large exterior and the gardens behind it. The gardens are beautiful and provide a much needed place to relax after a long day. Many couples and teenagers could be seen hanging out on the benches or near the fountain.
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| The minert of the mosque |
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| Another view |
The souks were calling our names again and we headed back into the maze of streets to seek out those last few purchases. I wanted to get a few small tangines to use for serving dips and condiments. We managed to find a few in bright colors with metal work around the lid. Josh loved the wood work and we bought a beautiful domino set to use. The ceder blocks were inlaid with a lighter wood to make the dot designs. Our last purchase was a plate lined with camel bone and metal work. The bright orange and blue pattern stood out against the others and we thought it would be beautiful up on a wall.
For dinner that night we had already decided we would try one of the food stalls lined up in the square. We had kind of scoped out everything the night before but did another lap around them before deciding on the first stall. We ordered chicken and kebabs of all kinds and enjoyed a small feast on our last day. Despite some worries about stomach issues, we both were fine the next day. For dessert we ended up buying a whole box of sweets. Translation issues got in the way and the seller didn't quite understand that we wanted just one piece.
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| Our dinner stall for the night |
Stuffed we walked around the square one last time admiring the snake charmers and local musicians. The Djema del Fna really is a hub of activity and just one big stage. Tired but intrigued we ventured down one street that seemed to be filled with neon lights. Instantly we were transferred to a modern era with real stores and restaurants It was like a little gem among the history of the medina and a lot of locals could be seen wandering up and down the street. It was a nice reminder of the new era a midst the old.
Our honeymoon was a trip I won't forget. Somehow we manged to fit years of history and culture into a ten day period. The food, people, sights and landscape of Morocco are so unique and we were so excited to experience what little we did.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
From the Mountains to Marrakesh
The next morning we woke up to a blanket of snow covering the trees and mountain tops. Thankfully the sky had cleared up and the High Atlas, including the largest peak in Morocco Jelbel Toubkal, were visible in the distance. That morning we had decided to take a short hike before heading to Marrakesh.
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| Bundled up and ready to go |
All bundled up, we headed out with our guide. The plan was to hike to the highest city and then make our way back down to Imlil via the waterfall. It was so peaceful to head out in the early morning with all the snow still on the trees. The only people about were men trying to shovel the remaining snow from the rooftops. After dodging a few flying piles, we headed out of Imlil along a donkey trek. The path zig-zagged back and forth eventually leading to a lookout point where you could see for miles.
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| The morning sun peaks out from behind the clouds |
From there we headed up to Afound, the small village in the mountains, to get a better view of Jelbel Toubkal. As we cleared the houses we could see the mountain peak in the distace. At 4120 meters, many Moroccans consider it the second highest peak in Africa. Although this is incorrect (Mount Kenya gets the honors with approximately 5000 meters) we do think it is the highest peak in North Africa.
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| The beautiful High Atlas |
The trip down to the waterfall was a bit hairy as the fresh snow made the rocky path a bit slippery. Our guide didn't seem deterred by the white stuff as he constantly grabbed handfuls along the way. At the end of the hike we met up with Mohammed, jumped back into the car and headed back toward Marrakesh.
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| On the way down |
The drive to Marrakesh was thankfully short and lacked the windy roads we were used to. We drove first to the medina (middle of the city) where our Riad was located. The Djema El Fna, or square, was already alive with activity. Snake charmers played their oboes as cobras danced and rose off the ground. Monkey handlers walked around ready to drop their "pets" on an unsuspecting tourist. Money required for removal of the monkey.
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| Our riad for the next two nights |
We headed first to the hotel to settle in before doing some exploring of our own. We wandered among the streets looking for some lunch. We found Earth Cafe, a small little place with good juice and yummy oriental based food. After lunch and a quick look at the map, we were off to the souks (markets).
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| Lunch. Apparently I'm excited for something other than tangine. |
We really didn't have anything in particular in mind to purchase but rather just wanted to explore all the markets had to offer. Again our senses were on overload as vibrant colors and detailed craftsmen work overflowed from every stall. From leather work to cheap magnets for the fridge, you could find everything you were looking for in the alleys of the medina.
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| Wandering the streets of the medina |
After a few hours of wandering and some purchases, we ended up at another cafe for a quick drink. It was nice to sit up on the terrace and enjoy the mid-afternoon sun. Somehow we managed to walk a big loop inside the souks and emerged at the Djema El Fna unscathed.
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| Olive sellers |
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| A beautiful painting shop we explored. The seller was in the middle of his prayers |
Here we watched the evening food stands set up and looked for a place to enjoy the sunset. The medina in Marrakesh isn't the best for terrace views as almost all houses are topped with satellite dishes. This makes the picturesque views of the High Atlas a bit hard to capture amid the modern necessities.
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| Sunset on the mineret |
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| Enjoying a sundowner after a long day |
After enjoying the sunset we headed back to the Riad to get freshened up for dinner. Our plan was to try to find this highly recommended little Italian place in the heart of the souks. We hastily looked at the map and after deciding it was just a right here and a left there we were off. Things looked a little different after we were in the alleys but somehow we managed to find the place with minimal wrong turns.
I ordered the spinach cannelloni and Josh got a steak. It wasn't the best meal we had on the trip but the atmosphere was nice and it was good to get away from all the hub bub of the square. After dinner we headed back into the Djema El Fna to scope out the dinning stalls and see what else there was to enjoy.
The square is basically a huge open air theater and for a few dirahms you can sit and listen to music or a storyteller. The monkeys still wander at night and countless touts try to pull you into their food stalls for dinner. There was even this "fishing" game where you had a pole with a small ring on the end. The object was to loop the ring around the top of a coke bottle. If you ringed the bottle then you got to keep the soda.
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| Dried fruit sellers in the square |
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| Exploring some of the souks at night |
After a few hours in the square we headed back to the Riad for the night. It was an exhausting day and we knew it would only get worse tomorrow as we had a guide booked for the entire day.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
The High Atlas
In the morning we headed to Ait Ben Haddou to explore the kasbah a little more. The buildings are mainly abandoned except for a few stores along the way to the top. We climbed the many steps to the fortified keep at the top of the kasbah. From there we had an excellent view of the surrounding area and the houses below. On the way down we stopped in a small Berber home and were able to see what the houses look like from the inside.
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| In front of Ait Ben Haddou |
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| Ait Ben Haddou |
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| Me and our driver Mohammed |
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| Josh and I at the top |
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| A list of all the movies and TV shows filmed at Ait Ben Haddou |
Back in the car we headed up into the High Atlas Mountains. The temperature quickly dropped and soon it was snowing! Having not seen snow in about two years, it was a bit cold getting out of the car for the first time. I braved it when we hit 2130 meters, the highest point on the road to Imlil.
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| Freezing at 2130 meters |
On the way back down we stopped by a local woman's cooperative selling argon based products. The women take the nuts and split them open using hard rocks. Once opened they grind the nuts into a paste. From there they make soaps, oils and nutella like spreads. We may have gone a little overboard when we hit the gift shop, but everything was so delicious and natural. We ended up with two jars of the nutella spread, a bottle of oil and some hand cream.
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| Trying my hand at making argon oil |
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| Some women separating nuts at the argon coop |
For lunch we stopped by a little cafe alongside the road. By then some hot food sounded like just the thing. We both had Berber omelets which aren't much different than what we would think of as a traditional omelet. They are simply served in a tangine pot and are eggs mixed with tomato, onion and peppers.
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| Yummy lunch |
The rest of the trip down the mountain gave my stomach some problems. I couldn't get over the winding roads that twisted back in on themselves. Luckily I picked up some crackers at lunch and nibbling on those made it a bit better. After seemingly coming down through the High Atlas we started to head into the Draa Valley. The luscious green that we expect was white instead as large snowflakes started to fall.
As we drove toward Imlil, Josh and I were just amazed that we had gone from desert to snow in such a short time. Morocco's landscape has really impressed us in how unique it is. Just out of Imlil we were able to pull the car into a small garage. We worked a bit frantically to try to put all the clothes we would need for the night in one bag as the trip to our guest house was a bit difficult.
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| Josh ready to trek down the mountain toward our guest house |
The snow kept coming as we precariously made our way down the slope and into the village. A warm fire greeted us at the cozy guest house and we were able to warm up with some mint tea, the traditional Moroccan sign of hospitality. The rest of the night was spent in the common room next to the fire. For the first time on our trip, all of the guests at the guest house spoke good English. We had a great time meeting the other couples and enjoyed a delicious family style meal.
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| Our cozy room |
Another couple was also there on their honeymoon. I wasn't at all disappointed that they took the so called "honeymoon suite". The suite was a small wooden cabin outside with only a wood stove to heat it. Our room was cold but was surprisingly cozy after we lit a fire in the fireplace.
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| The view from our hotel |
I snapped a few pictures of the snow before turning in for the night thinking it would be gone before morning. It has been two years since I'd seen snow and although I was not prepared for the cold it was beautiful to look at.
*photos Josh Bast
Monday, March 4, 2013
Dades Gorge
In the morning we headed toward the gorge. The road twisted through the cliffs and doubled back on itself numerous times. I didn't think I had issues with car sickness until this drive! About halfway there we stopped at an overlook to take some pictures. We were amazed at the rock formations known as monkey fingers. I don't know about monkey fingers but they sure looked like brain coral to us. Each section was rounded and seemed to fit together seamlessly.
As we entered the gorge, the road steadily climbed upwards taking us out of the heart of the rock face. The sheer height of it all made me a bit nervous but Josh seemed to enjoy reaching over to take pictures. Toward the end of our drive we found a place where we could once again get out and walk a bit. Like Todra Gorge we weren't able to do any true hiking but we walked along the road for a bit admiring the gorge.
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| Looking into Dades Gorge |
With only one way into the gorge we had to retrace the road out. Once we were back on the main tarmac the road seemed to loose its twists and turns, to my joy. We then headed south through the Rose Valley. The area is famous for its yearly harvest of pink roses. The roses are then sold or made into a variety of products including rose water, oil, soaps and hand cream. Each year a festival is held in honor of the roses and a "Rose Queen" is crowned.
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| Overlooking the winding road. It took a lot for Josh to get me near the edge. |
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| The newer portion of the Kasbah |
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| The front of the kasbah |
Leaving Skoura we drove around the local area. These small car tours have been some of our favorite parts as its nice to get out of the tourist bubble and see how everyday life is like here.
Ouarzazate was our next stop for a late lunch. Ouarzazate is jokingly the "Hollywood" of Morocco as it has been the site of many famous movies including Gladiator, Jesus of Nazareth, Kingdom of Heaven and Indian Jones. There are two movie studios here who specialize in Bollywood like movies although they do assist in larger foreign productions.
For lunch we had the traditional tangine and skewers. It seems everywhere we go has the same menu. Despite the food being delicious, it is getting a bit old to have the same thing day in and day out. After lunch we headed into town to see the Kasbah Taourirt. We didn't go inside this one but took some decent shots from the outside gates.
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| Kasbah Taourirt |
From the Kasbah we headed to a small Berber house filled with authentic Berber and Toureg tribal artifacts. The Berber have inhabited Morocco since before the Arab, French and Spanish migrations where the Toureg people are decedents of slaves brought in from Mali and Sudan. Inside the house we saw beautiful carved doors from old Kasbahs, camel saddles, tea kettles, African masks, Jewish artifacts, etc.
My favorite part of our visit was looking at all of the different tribal carpets. The carpets were made from camel, goat, lamb hair as well as silk. Each design told a story and although you could make out a few symbols here and there no one but the woman who weaved it really knew the larger picture. We knew we wanted to get a rug of some sort but were a little overwhelmed with all the different styles and colors.
Our guide and his assistant laid out carpet after carpet before we were able to nail it down to two we really loved. Then the bargaining began! We ended up walking out of the house with two rugs at a decent price that we know are authentic. The first was of Berber nomad origin made out of camel hair. The camel hair doesn't make it the softest but adds a sense of durability. The nomad people would take these rugs with them on long caravans in the Sahara so the rugs had to be able to withstand the sandy conditions. Its long and skinny and will be perfect for an entry way. The design is abstract and made out of red, green and yellow yarn.
The second rug is Bedwin and made out of cashmere wool. Its traditionally given to new brides to symbolize fertility and many "happy" years. We like the colorful thread woven into the white background along with the abstract animals stitched into the design.
After finishing up in town we headed a few kilometers outside to catch a glimpse of the famous Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou. The Kasbah dates back many centuries and there are still a few families who live in it today. Currently there are projects to continue restoration on the property so that it can be rented out for future film productions. We didn't go inside the Kasbah as that was going to be saved for the next morning but we did stop at an overlook to get a few good shots of the entire structure.
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| Looking in the valley at the famous Ait Ben Haddou |
That night we stayed at a small Kasbah near Ait Ben Haddou called Kasbah Elloiuse. The sheep tied up in the neighboring house welcomed us into the hotel and locals wandered the streets just outside. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing in the indoor terrace and enjoying a delicious dinner.
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| Our hotel for the night |
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Todra Gorge
Our alarm went off early as we had plans to catch the sunrise over the dunes. It was extremely difficult to drag ourselves out of the warm bed and even more difficult to get out from under all those blankets! Throwing on all the warm clothes we had we headed out into the desert. The morning was serene and peaceful. We made it up one of the larger dunes just in time to see the sun peak out from behind the mountains in nearby Algeria. Despite not being a morning person, the peaceful few minutes Josh and I had as the sun rose were worth it.
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| The sunrise light hitting the dunes |
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| Untouched dunes |
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| Camp in the light of the morning |
Choosing not to take the camels back out of the Sahara we boarded our Prado and headed out of Merzouga. In Rissoni, the next city, we went on a quick car tour of the numerous ksars dotting the terraced date fields. Ksars are different from kasbahs in that they do not have the large fortified wall surrounding the houses. Not having this fortified exterior allowed many to be built next to each other. It seemed like there was one at every twist and turn of the road. The terraces were very elaborate as well allowing for irrigation and conservation of water. The area doesn't seem rain often and when it does it uses every drop.
From the desert we started to see the landscape change once again to rocky cliffs and barren flat ground. The Atlas Mountains began to emerge as we hit Tinerhir. Tinerhir was breathtaking with its sprawling villas dispersed between decaying kasbahs and luscious oaisises. It was hard to define where Tinerhir began and where it ended.
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| Looking over Tinerhir |
After Tinerhir, we headed into Todra Gorge. The gorge rises 300 meters into the sky and the face constantly changes colors as the sun moves across the sky. We were able to get out of the car and walk along the road for a bit here. The gorge is also a rock climbers paradise and we saw many climbers from beginner to advance trying their hand at the cliffs. Unfortunately most of the trails were designed for those planning on spending a few days there so we were unable to do some hiking.
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| Driving into Todra Gorge |
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| Many rock climbers were testing out their skills on the rocks |
We jumped back in the car and headed for Dadas Gorge, the other beautiful gorge in the area, to spend the night. The drive again was one of the best parts as the landscape jutted and rose before us. Our hotel was located on a cliff overlooking a small town making for amazing views of regular life: women hanging out laundry to dry and a group of boys starting up a soccer game.
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| The little town near the Dadas Gorge |
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| The view from the hotel balcony |
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| Josh over a fossil embedded in the hotel floor |
At the hotel we were upgraded to a small suite and enjoyed exploring our huge room and the surrounding grounds. That night we were treated to yet another delicious meal and watched a little of the current soccer match on television.
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| Our suite |
Even though we've been on the road a lot of this trip, I feel like we are getting a true taste of Morocco. We have explored the cities, the desert, the gorges and will soon head into the mountains.
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