Our day in the Medina in Fes with our guide Charif was a breeze. The day was around 28c but inside the Medina was mostly shaded and the air felt like low 20s. Equally surprising was that it did not seem overly crowded most of the time, and when we did hit a tour group, it was just a matter of taking the next left or right and the slow pace resumed. Down through the narrow souks, past the decapitated camel head, complete with fur, tongue and eyes, hanging outsi...

What a full on couple of days it’s been. After a somewhat less than optimal nights rest due in part to a howling wind that was blowing the tables on the terrace around, and Jean walking into a door in the middle of the night ( the room was pitch black), we went to breakfast only to overhear a table of one of our AUKUS partners telling a lady from Germany, that they came from the greatest country in the world. I thought that if it is so great, why would you com...

After a very peaceful and relaxing 2 days at Ouirgane, we were off on our way to the Sahara, but not before a couple more stops, and 2 hyperthermic hikes. The first stop was Ksar ait N Ben Haddou, a UNESCO world heritage site and the backdrop for countless movies incl Lawerence of Arabia, Gladiator 1 and soon to be #2. The site is an ancient Kasbah on the main caravan trading route between Mali and Marrakech. Once the home of 200 Berber and Jewish families, onl...

On our way to Ouirgan in the Atlas Mountains, about 40k south of Marrakech. After leaving the wind on the coast and the low 20C temps, we are now at around 1000m above sea level, no wind and mid 30s. At first sight, the hills look barren and forlorn, devoid of habitation or capacity to support it, but how misleading that is. Our hotel is located halfway up a hill, overlooking the town of Ouirgan and today we went on a hike further up the mountain, following ...

The 4 hr drive down to Essaouria from Marrakech was through county that went from seemingly barren and rocky fields to acres of olives, grapes, wheat and melons. The contrast was amazing. The Moroccan oil, Agran, is a speciality and is used in cooking and when scented, for cosmetics and medicinal purposes. More on this in a few days. One of the additives is eucalyptus oil and it was surprising to see plantations of gum trees. Essaouria is a layback beachside t...