Location: Marrakech, Morocco
Date: July 24 - 25, 2008

Local Temperature: Ranged from 74 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit

Total Journey Mileage: 1812

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Late last week we enjoyed a wonderful day and a half in Marrakech. It is located further inland than the rest of our Morocco route and while wandering the lively souks in the medina part of the city (old part) we got our first real taste of heat. Luckily for us, the heat was cut by the wonderful fresh and cold, orange, lime and grapefruit juices being sold at stand after stand in the center of the medina.

 

 

The souks were colorful and loud, full of men trying to sell us jewelry and inquiring about our marital status. Another topic of conversation throughout Morocco has been Aparna’s Indianess. Let’s just say, her ethnicity has made our frequent police checkpoint stops much easier, and Moroccan men are very keen on welcoming her to this country! I’ll let her tell you more about that later. Also noteworthy, Doug tried to negotiate a trade with one shopkeeper;  me in exchange for 3,000 camels and half of Morocco. The transaction occured much to my protest, but luckily after some tugging, Aparna was able to steal me back.

 

We ate at the food booths in the medina, trying tagines, mint tea, dates, nuts and snails.

 

 

Marrakech is beautiful at night, but we enjoyed wandering both during the day and evening, getting a feel for the people and the place.

 

 

On our last day in Marakkech we enjoyed some wandering and a few hours relaxing at a hammam. Once you do your research on what a hammam is, you will understand why there is no photographic evidence.

 

I’m off to set-up our campsite here in Dakhla, Western Sahara. More pictures and stories soon!