Dictated by Flinn again;

We had a lay in bed today, then got up and had our breakfast and had a little chat with Sarah and Jo, two ladies we met. They thought we were a french family because I call my mum 'mama'.

After breakfast we went out. Our first stop was one of the OJ stands in Djemma El Fna, then I bothered mama for an ice-cream. All I want is ice-cream! So I bothered her and whinged and whined so much that in the end she said "anything for 5 minutes peace and quiet."

We saw lots more stinky horsies and knackered old donkeys on our way to the Koutoubia Mosque. We went exploring and walked a really long way and it was very, very hot. Mama told me that today is the day that all muslims have a long pray in the mosque and we saw lots of men at the mosque with their little caps on - and they were wearing dresses!! I want a little hat like that, but I don't want to wear a dress!

It was quieter in the souks and medina today because everyone is spending their time praying. I asked mama if I could go inside the mosque and pray for more ice-cream! She rolled her eyes at me.

After looking at the mosque, we walked and walked ..........and walked. I got so hot mama poured water all over me and wet my hat and shirt and Imogen's too. It dried really quickly, so she did it again. It made me feel better. Then I had to walk again!

We were walking to the Jardins Majorelle because it is supposed to be nice and quiet. We stopped at a cafe on the way for a drink. We drank all the water we took out with us and then all the water we got on the way. At the cafe, there was a big fish in a tank. It was all alone, but I'd like to have been that fish swimming around in a tank of water, instead of walking here, there and everywhere.

The toilets in the cafe were not nice at all though. They were dark and had no door!! Mum pretended to be the door for me, cos I didn't want to be looked at having a piddle! All the men and boys that we see keep touching me and scruffing up my hair and pinching my cheeks and I don't like it. Mama taught me to say "Ne touche pas - don't touch me", but they laugh and do it anyway, thats why I wanted mama to be my toilet door!!

When I came out the toilet, mama said to me "So Flinn, are the toilets full of eastern promise?" and she laughed. "I don't think so" I told her. "Whats eastern promise?"

Then she made me walk some more. I think my legs will be stumps at the end of this holiday. I've decided I don't like walking anymore!

All that walking made me hungry again, so mama stopped to buy a loaf of bread - the stuff that looks like a frisbee. Its a bit crumbly frisbee bread and makes a mess all over me. Mama said you couldn't tell, as I was the muckiest pup in town anyway.

I got told off because I wouldn't share the frisbee bread with Imogen. Then I got told off again because I still wouldn't share it with her. Then I had a tantrum. Then I got a smacked bottom.

I was in a grumpy mood then and mama made me walk even further. AT LAST we got to the Majorelle Gardens and mama paid for us to go inside. I was all happy then because inside the entrance there was a little tiled pool with a bird bath in it. I didn't think the birds would mind sharing their bath with me, so I 'wetted' my hat and plonked it on my head.

It was nice and shady and cool by the little pool. The birds thought so too - there were lots of them hopping and flopping around - until I chased them all away. Mama sighed and said "Flinn, I wish I had half your energy. Stop bothering the birds!"

We all sat and cooled off for a while, then walked around the gardens. We saw lots of different cacti, plants and flowers. There were lots of very tall palm and date trees and different pools and fountains here and there.

In the main pool I spotted a turtle, a frog, a fish and a goldfish. Then I spotted lots more. I was really excited when I saw a little fat frog sat on top of a lily pad. I saw fat orange fish and skinny black ones. I saw big turtles, little turtles, skinny turtles, baby turtles, huge turtles, turtles with mouldy shells, turtles swimming, diving, floating and climbing on lily pads. Turtles everywhere!

Imogen and I played for a while in the fountain that squirted water into the turtle pool. It squirted us, not just the turtles and we got soaked, but that's ok cos we got nice and cool. We stayed until the gardens closed and then went to get a taxi back to Djemma El Fna. Mama said there was no way we were walking all that way back.

When we got to the square we were gasping and went to get an OJ - and hooray, another ice-cream, then we went back to the Riad to cool down and have a rest. We had a long, cold shower, then took our books, diary, drawing stuff and travel games up on the roof and lay under the bedouin tent area relaxing and chatting. We looked at the mountains too.

Later on, we took Jo and Sarah out for supper. We wandered around the square for a while looking at this and that. We saw a soup man and stalls selling roasted sheep heads - dead heads - and they still had teeth in. YUK!! We saw a stall selling roast tongues and lots of people eating them. I don't want to eat a dead head, but I might eat a tongue!!

We chose a spot to have our meal and sat down at the long benches. We ate round heavy bread dipped in spicy sauces and olives while we waited for our food to be cooked. I had spicy sausages. Imogen had harira soup with an extra big ladle specially for her extra big mouth! Mama had vegetable tagine again. Then I ate some of Sarahs brochette. I played with a Moroccan baby sat behind me. It was a girl baby and she kept grinning at me and grabbing my hand. She liked me!

We finished our meal and wandered around the souks for a while. I looked at babouches again. I still like orange ones. We went in a herb and spice shop and smelled all sorts of things. We asked the herb man where the local hamam was and he gave us directions to it. Mama said we'd go to it tomorrow. I'm looking forward to that.

We went back to the Riad and sat on the roof, on the pillows, under the bedouin tent again. We watched the stars, listened to the call to prayer and other music that was being played. Then we went to our room and played guess who and four in a row. Mama said I was a little cheater. I don't have four legs though, but I can run fast!

I 'drawed' for a while and Imogen read, then mama said it was time to go to sleep.

Imogen says;

"Yep, there was a lot of walking today. More than we expected from what the guidebook said." Mam and I have come to the conclusion that the guidebooks lie. If it says, walk 5 minutes, you know they really mean 55 minutes!

I thought I was going to flake out from bread withdrawal symptoms on our way to the gardens, thanks to my baby bro's lack of sharing ability. Boy can that kid whinge! I thought we were going to end up in fisticuffs!

I can vouch that the cafe toilets, definately were NOT full of eastern promise ... and if they were, someone needs to think up some new promises pretty darned quick!

The gardens were ok though. They were a bit of a rip off entrance fee wise, but worth it for the peace, shade and - yeah - water fountains!! I'm SO glad mam haggled with a taxi driver to take us back though.

Mum says;

"I'm SO SO glad I forked out for some proper, comfortable trekking sandals!"