Day 5

 Today we left the Sahara behind on our way to the Atlas mountains. Water used to be brought down from the mountains through huge pipes to provide for the smaller villages and towns. At regular intervals there were wells for the villages to  access the water.

We stopped to visit one of the families who lived in one of these disuded water tunnels. An enterprising family that now have opened their home to private tours.

We were taken down some steps into the tunnel.

Every 50 m or so there was a large hole where a family had accessed the water. 

Deep inside a candle lit table had been laid for us and we were served a delicious meal.

We then made our way out of the tunnel into the strong daylight.

The next part of out jouney took us through the fertile valleys of the Atlas mountains.

Of course, wherever we stopped, we were greeted by friendly faces wanting to sell us something.

By late afternoon we arrived at our hotel for the night/ The swimming pool looked lovely but it was freezing cold and nobody ventured into the water.

 In stead we all sat in the gardens to just relax and chat. The tables were set outside for us to enjoy our evening meal in the lush gardens.  We had only just started eating when it began pouring with rain. We quickly picked up our plates and ran indoors. Four of us stayed on after dinner to chat to our guide Youseff. He had been born in the desert and was brought up living the life of a nomad. It was no wonder he had connections with so many people. He changed the itinerary quite a bit to include extra visits to people's homes etc making it a very special and interesting trip. He has decided that he wants to start his own travel business rather than working for a company. He is an excellent tour guide and I hope he makes a success of it. He is one of G Adventures top guides and is off to Cambodia on a trip next week as a reward from the company

Day 4 The Sahara.

 Today we were going into the Sahara. It was along drive hence the early morning start at 4.30 am. I didn't feel great but I either had to get on the minibus or leave the tour and return home. I just couldn't face food but at least I was drinking and not feeling nauseous.

We arrived at the hotel in the middle of the afternoon. We did stop a couple of times enroute and I think I slept as well so the journey wasn't that bad, The hotel was single storey but covered a large area with a couple of swimming pools and was on the edge of the desert. 

The rooms were large and had a patio door opening out onto the desert. 

View from the room.

Camels walking past the hotel.

For a change we had some free time in the afternoon and I went down for a swim which was lovely.

At about 6.30 we met up to get ourselves sorted out for a camel ride to see the sunset.

I really enjoyed the experience although getting on and off needed you to hold on tight.

The clouds gathered in time for the sunset so we didn't get to see a particularly good one. In the evening we sat round a camp fire whilst the camel drivers played varoius folk music on a variety of drums and then we sat back and watched the myriad of stars above.

Day 3

 we would spend today in and around Fez. We started off at a community pottery where young men and women are taught the craft of pottery, hand painting the pots and making mosaics.

 

We were then taken to the Medina. With its 9000 streets it is the largest in Morocco.

Looking down over the Medina.

Our guide for the day (can't remember his name) has a You Tube channel on Moroccan food and cooking. He was recognised on numerous occasions as he was guiding us round the Medina. People asking for selfies etc. Got a bit annoying in the end!

He took us to the oldest parts of the Medina including the leather workshops with the large curing and dieing vats.

As we entered this area we were given sprigs of mint to smell to counteract the overwhelming odours from the curing of the leather.  

A rare quiet street.

The entrance to the oldest university in the world.

The oldest existing and continually operating educational institution in the world is the University of Karueein, founded in 859 AD in Fez, Morocco. The University of Bologna, Italy, was founded in 1088 and is the oldest one in Europe.

'Guinness Book of Records'

This was in an old caravanserai where they were weaving a silk like fabric from the fibres of a large succulent. Many from the group bought scarfs for use in the Sahara, our next stop on the tour.

We stopped for lunch in a pleasant restaurant away from the crowds but still in the medina. I didn't want to eat as the heat was getting to me. Despite drinking frequently, staying in the shade, wearing a damp scarf I got worse as the afternoon wore on. By the time we got back to the minibus I realised I had sunstroke. The group left the minibus to visit somewhere else but I had now starting vomiting. Fortunately for me, one of the other members of the group told the driver to just get me back to the hotel and collect everyone else later.  I was helped up to my room with the air conditioning on full and more damp clothes to bring my body temperature down. I continued being sick but with the help of a nurse who was travelling with us and some anti nausea tablets I began to slowly recover, eventually being able to tolerate liquids (flat coca cola really does help).  Our tour guide Youssef wanted to get a doctor and phoned me every hour through the night. I had a very bad night but had it under control by the time we left for the Sahara at 4.30 the next morning. I was worried that I might have to return home. We were travelling in the early hours of the morning as it was a long drive and we wanted to avoid the hottest part of the day.

Day 2 Morocco

 

The first stop this morning was at Volubilis, a Roman site dating back to the 1st century AD.

 Pomegranate trees were everywhere.

A large Roman bath in the remains of a villa. A bit like the hot tubs of today.

Excellent mosaics showing the trials of Hercules.

An olive press.

For lunch we were taken to a centre run by women who were learning hospitality and cooking skills. The centre is funded by the non profit making organisation, Planeterra, which promotes sustainable tourism benefitting local communities. The travel company I use, G Adventures, is in partnership with Planeterra and wherever possible in the world your tour will include a visit to one of the community projects. I have always been very impressed with the work they do. The meal was huge, so much delicious food.

 A tea ceremony followed the meal. Mint tea is offered to us wherever we go.

We continued our travels to Fez and quickly settled into our hotel there. I am pleased to say that all the hotels we stayed in have excellent air conditioning. In the evening we visited a Riad. AS well as the meal there was entertainment from musicians, belly dancers and an enactment of a wedding which I couldn't work out.

The main course was centred around this meat pie which had a very sweet, sugar coated pastry on it. Not to my taste but interesting to try.