This is the place we stayed at in marrackech -the Riad Omar which looks better on the inside than on the outside. It was in the Medina which is the old part of Marrackech and only a couple of hundred metres from the central square and the souks which were amazing and, for me, a bit overwhelming. When I first came to marracekech and before I met the group I was travelling with I stayed in a hostel which was also fine but not so well located.
This is the street leading to the Jemaa el Fna (the central square in Marrackech) where you will find manymany vendors, alleys leading off toe hundreds of souks and acrobats, snake charmers, music etc. I don't have any pics of the Jemma el Fna as I didn't think I coukld possibly convey the colour, variety (amazingly good people watching) and extent of the scene.
Our group on camels in the Sahara
Me on a camel. Check out the classy specialized camel riding footwear I have on.
The camel behind me kep wanting to get acquainted.
Outside our desert camp there was a nomad's camp and this youhng girl came over to offer some handicrafts. She was a very good bargainer.
Riding camels in to the Sahara.
Me waiting to go into the desert with our transport waiting for us
Our transport in to the desert
Having a swim at a hotel in the desert before riding camels into the dunes. This was a treat after trekking for a week or so.
The gate to a small city.
Our trekking group with our guide, cook and muleteers
a young Berber girl checking us out at a kasbah that we stopped at for a short while
Vern considering who knows what while we stop at the kasbah for some water and mint tea
Me on the roof of the kasbah
walking through a berber village
Berber youth by our camp in the Atlas mtns
weary trekkers seek shade at the end of the day
Stream through a gorge. I walked about 2-3 k through the stream. mainly ankle deep and sometimes up to my knees. It was fun.
a rest stop with our guide Mohammed (Mo) on top
ruinds in a green valley amidst dry hills
trekking
in the Atlas mountains
our trekking camp set up at a nomads shelter
large home in a berber village. Note the livestock
We crossed many streams but this may be the only bridge we saw.
Stopping at a tiny store in a tiny village Terry casually asked the price of a dress. This is the result.
Trekking past some ruins
Mo, our guide, with two of the muleteers
Our cook with one of the mules. They packed up when we were leaving in the morning and then passed us during the day and had camp ready for us when we reached it later that day.
The intrepid trekker in the Atlas mountains
our sleeping tents, some of the mules and the atlas mtns
A nomad's shelter with out trekking tent in the background
about 1/2 hour before reaching the summit of M'Goun at 4,070 metres
at the top of a pass and descending to our campground below
Trekking in the Atlas mtns
Trekking camp with the dining and cooking tents(white) and the smaller sleeping tents
Mo, our guide, in the centre with some of the funny looking Canadian trekkers
Mo helping us across a small stream
leaving the Happy Valley and starting our trek into the mtns
a funny looking Canadian trekker at dinner
Liz and Vern, some of my fellow trekkers who were all from the Chilliwack Outdoor Club
Happy Valley
Our guide's new home and small hotel being constructed
The Atlas mtns
Jemaa el Fna at night
OOOOOps - this in Spain
I enjoyed Morocco finding it very interesting and vry different from what I have experienced before. It was some times a bit overwhelming and the scenery in the Atlas mountains was great but very different (much more arid) than I was used to.
The group I travelled and my travel arrangements were very different from those in Spain where I had just come from. In Spain we were all meeting each other for the first time and we had noone to solve problems or make decisions for us so I think there was a bonding. In Morocco the situation was different as I was joining a group where everyone else knew each other and noone knew me. Also we were looked after and decisions to a large degree made for us. I have done lots of camping and hiking and found it strange to leave the work for others but our guide, cook and muleteers were friendly and efficient and needed the work more than they needed any assistance from me. Just a bit different than I was used to.
I did enjoy Morocco and found it a fascinating country to visit. Of course my knowledge after a couple of weeks there is VERY limited but I can see why so many people have visited and enjoyed it.
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