I seriously don't know where to begin in describing the adventure that was my fall break. I learned way more than I ever thought that I would, about the Moroccan culture, about myself, and about life in general. It was not always pleasant or comfortable, and unexpected things happened, but that's the point of an adventure. It is a journey and a learning experience, not a vacation.
Even before I got on the plane to Marrakesh it was an adventure. I missed the first train there, and had to run around looking for an ATM in order to buy a ticket at all. When I finally got on the train, I met backpackers and we chatted till we reached Pisa, always intelligent and engaging conversation. I got to the airport and met the members of my group, and we started to get to know each other as we were boarding the plane
As for the plane ride there, lets just leave it that my stomach and planes are not friends :P
After we landed we met our guide and the journey began.
I could write an essay about this trip, so I'll just stick with the highlights and my commentary on them.
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| A street in Marrakesh |
This is a picture of a random street in the Medina (Old Town) of Marrakesh. The town has been there since the 11th century, so the streets were a labyrinth of narrow alleys lined with shops, riads (hotels or hostels) and apartments. The souks (covered markets) were very interesting also. Both locals and tourists shopped in the souks, and vendors sold most things that either a tourist or a local could want. We did some shopping there, but the highlight was a spice and herb shop. Many people in Morocco go to an herb or spice shop rather than a pharmacy, and the shop owner showed us different herbs and their uses. Most of us bought a ton of spices or herbs. I bought Moroccan mint tea, which we tasted on arrival at the riad. I love tea and am fascinated by the uses of herbs, so I was really happy that we stopped there. We also visited a museum and gardens.
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| Museum garden |
The next day, we took a 7 hour road trip to the Sahara. I slept a lot of the way, partly in the trunk of the tour van. Once we got to the Sahara, the sun had already set, so it was pitch dark because it was cloudy and there were no lights from towns anywhere. We took an hour camel ride into the desert. It was eerily quiet and I could barely see the stars, but once we got there, I felt a lot more comfortable. As it turns out, there are about 3 million people that live in the Sahara. They make camp and use solar panels for electricity, and visit nearby towns for provisions. I found this out after I climbed up a dune in the middle of the night and layed in the sand and watched the clouds clear from the sky. I have never seen so many stars, and I could clearly see the other arm of the galaxy. It was an incredible feeling to be that close to being totally alone in the desert under a billion stars. I looked over the dunes and I could see the lights from other camps and the occasional bonfire. It was comforting to know that even in the largest desert in the world, I wasn't alone. The next day we rode our camels back to the hotel where we left some of our larger bags.
Needless to say, it was a huge highlight.
The next day we headed out to the Todra Gorge, another 4 hour drive, so we left pretty early. When we got there the group divided into those of us that wanted to stay at the hotel and swim and those of us that decided to go rock climbing. Of course I chose rock climbing, because it was a bit chilly. It was definitely the better choice, and I finally climbed on real rocks rather than a wall :)
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| On the way to the gorge |
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| The gorge |
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| Entrance to the hotel |
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