The Final Day

Up early in time to watch the sunrise the next morning.  I walked some distance out of the camp.

Sands in the early morning light

Sunlight rising

Mornings are incredibly quiet here.  Sitting, taking it all in, experiencing the peace, for a moment I felt deep in my heart I could be happy and content living in a Bedouin tent.  Like this small one I saw outside our camp.

Bedouin tent with only the basics

The feeling slowly passed, and I realized I could be happy and content if power and WiFi were included.  Of course, that would distract from the peace.

For fun, I took a pic of my footsteps in the sand.  No telling who last walked there or who will walk next.  Or how long before the wind fills them in.

After a breakfast of omelet and fruit, we packed up and were back on the road.

At lunchtime, we stopped in N'aat Ben Haddou.

Aït Benhaddou is a Berber Kasbah or castle along the old caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech.  No longer occupied, it is still impressive.

Kasbah from a distance showing the lookout post

A closer look

I was disappointed we didn't walk through and up to the lookout point.  It was midday and the Brit ladies thought it would be too hot to walk.  I did find a link to a video that helped give an idea of what it looks like inside.  I would say it's more like a pueblo in the American Southwest than what we think of as a building tiled and decorated with elaborate mosaics.  

We had lunch on a restaurant terrace with a view of the kasbah.

I chose kefta--almost as delicious as Joe made for my birthday.

Then the drive back to Marrakech, a stay in the hotel and the trip to Rabat.  For no apparent reason, the train was delayed leaving Marrakech and very slow for most of the way back.  Joe and I decided the reason was a state secret 'cause we'll never know why.

Back in Rabat, things are back to normal.  Zorro is checking out one of the resident tortoises (at the far left of the picture), trying to be brave.

An awesome trip I won't forget!!!

An Evening in the Desert

We arrived at the Bedouin camp just after sunset.  Unfortunately, the only inside picture I thought to snap is blurry.

"Courtyard" with orange seating area and fire ring in foreground

This is the camp in the distance taken in the morning

The "rooms" were nice, assorted tapestries on the floor (as well as on about half of the "courtyard" and the bed was comfortable.  

Note the cool stand and mirror in the corner

View of the camp from my door

We were served Moroccan tea, hot and sweet with mint.  (The poor British ladies never quite adjusted to tea with sugar.)  In the seating area in the middle of the camp, Muhammad brewed the tea over a small gas stove.  When it was heated, he poured some into a glass, then poured it back into the pot, blending the elements of air, earth and water.  He repeated this three times.  Then, holding the pot high above our glasses, he filled them, making sure there were bubbles on the top.  No tea should be served without them.  Traditionally, the higher the pour the more someone likes you.

The guys joined us in the brightly draped seating area, brought out a variety of darbuka drums and a guitar and treated us to an impromptu concert.  

The crescent moon and evening star hung in the sky.  I would have loved a photo, but couldn't make it work.

Then it was time for dinner.  The dining room was a delightful surprise, more in keeping with an Arabian Nights fantasy.  We were served chicken tajine and fruit.

Me and the Brits

After dinner, we settled on stools around a campfire, listened to traditional songs and learned some rhythms on the darbuka.  With the sun down, the heat of the day disappeared.  The evening breeze was cool and I'm glad Joe lent me a light fleece jacket.

Snapped this right after Hasim wrapped the drape over his face 

Before going to bed, we stared at the brilliant stars flung across the sky.  Easy to do with no ambient light to interfere.

Then off to bed to dream of my sheik.