Camels, Hookah, and Belly Dancing OH MY!

He was the biggest camel of the pack!

Looking rough in our Berber tent!

Out of this world orange juice in Marrakesh with Hannah!

Ah Africa finally! As I got off the boat and walked along the dusty port that was filled with industrial ships and cranes, I wanted to reach down to touch the red earth that I missed so much. Cheesy I know, but Africa really does have this hold on you that cannot be explained. Morocco is just the beginning of Africa, next we have Ghana, South Africa, and Mauritius.

I spent the day in Casablanca, looking at the second biggest mosque in the world (behind the one in Mecca because none are permitted to surpass that one) and watching tons of Moroccan boys jump off the wall next to the mosque into the rocky water 50 feet below. These brave kids make this insane jump then struggled against the waves and rocks to get back to shore. Three American guys made the jump as well (one did a backflip and landed on his back – ouch!) and I was so jealous because that would be unacceptable as a woman in this Muslim environment. We also walked through the “le suk dans le medina” (the marketplace in the center of old town) and I loved how hot and crowded it was. There were tons of people selling spices, scarves, chunks of meat, fake purses, with kids of all ages hiding in the long alleys that led away from the long, winding market. Although we thought we’d never escape, the suk finally came to an end with a sweet English-speaking Arab warmly welcoming us to Morocco. He introduced me to his grandson who was living with him to learn Arabic. The little boy was so sweet and reached up for me to hold him in my arms. What a fabulous way to be welcomed to this country that holds so much mystery for me.

Although I wanted to go to Ricks Café from the movie, Casablanca, it was closed due for the end Ramadan. It’s also not the real Rick’s, which was shot in its entirety in Hollywood. This country closely adheres to its Muslim traditions and I dressed conservatively with my shoulders and knees covered everywhere we went. I cannot imagine being a woman in this or any other Islamic nation. In 120-degree heat, they are expected to be completely covered, fast for the day, and avoid fun activities such as soccer or drinking. Their discipline is something to admire, and it makes me appreciate my freedom as an American woman.

One thing about Morocco is that the people really do not move quickly. Repeatedly I encountered situations where things didn’t happen at the usual “Western” pace. For example, our train from Casablanca to Morocco took 5 ½ hours because it broke down in the middle of the desert. Unsure of what was going on, we spent 2 ½ hours baking in our sweat wondering what was going on. Later in the trip, after spending 12 hours on a bus with 4 more to go, our bus driver pulled over and had a sit-down dinner without telling any of us who were also starving and ready to get home. As crazy and frustrating as these experiences were, it was part of the journey and if everything had run smoothly there wouldn’t be anything to write about! It’s good therapy for Miss Impatient Alex anyways!

Marreketch was beautiful in comparison with the industrial capital of Casablanca. The traditional rust-colored architecture was so unique and I loved seeing kids peak their little heads out from behind it. It was a busy city and the main market was killer at night – filled with snake charmers, monkeys, flirty yet a little bit sketchy Arab men, and tons of delicious food. Moroccan orange juice and mint tea are very special drinks here. They are both incredible and I drank them with every meal that I could. The food was exceptional as well. I tried everything: tajine, couscous, kebabs, with meats, eggs, and veggies in them. At one meal (where we were the only people in the restaurant) we had a special “surprise” that turned out to be a belly dancer with a little pouch of a tummy and a gap in her teeth. For the two nights that we were in Marrakech we stayed in a huge apartment in a nice hotel with a pool and went out to a nice nightclub. Our next two days were a complete 180, but still just as fun and exciting.

We took a 12 hour-long bus ride from Marreketch to the Zagora dunes. This trip included an hour-long delay due to a minor bus accident and lots of “riddles” from our charismatic guide, Yussef. Driving through the Atlas Mountains was gorgeous but there were a lot of painfully close switchbacks. After a long drive, we were thrilled to be thrown onto the camels and lead away into the desert with 6 nomads. After the initial excitement wore off and the sunset faded we were left on uncomfortable camels being lead into the darkness of the Sahara for 2 hours. I felt a sense of adventure letting these people lead me into the dark with no sense of where we would end up. Then suddenly, when I least expected it, we were there! It was pitch black dark and I could barely make out a few white tents. We were lead to into them discovered a small fire-lit lamp alighting a room of small mats and blankets. The tent was a beautiful green and red design and it was pretty nuts to think that it was my home for the night. They served us mint tea, we ate dinner with our hands, and then after a few bug scares we laid down exhausted. I fell asleep outside the tent, under a billion stars with the nomads playing instruments a few tents away.

I awoke to an incredible sunrise against hundreds of sand dunes. I had gone to sleep thinking such a place couldn’t be more magical but waking up to those unexpected dunes (we couldn’t see them at all the night before) blew me away. Another shorter camel trek, a 15hr bus ride, and a beautiful village excursion later and we were back home on the ship. My time in Morocco was just the right amount of adventure, surprise, hospitality, and mishap. I loved sweating through the long delays and digging sand out of my ears just as much as the delicious couscous and amazing sunsets. I learned a lot about patience and discipline here, as well as how to really embrace discomfort. These things make coming back to the boat for good food and a warm shower all that much better and me all the more grateful to be on this voyage.