Back Home!

…and we’re back, after a nice long flight from Paris to LA, and then a nice long drive from LA to Santa Barbara.  Luckily, our friend Indy drove down to pick us up and then drove back to SB so we could crash out in the car.

A Night & Day in Paris

Ah Paris!  To only have 24 hrs. in this city is severely limiting, but it does take some things off the agenda.  

Last Stop in Morocco: Rabat

We took our last few days in Morocco slowly. Here in Rabat, we stayed in the medina in an absolutely beautiful riad, with a pool on the roof terrace just outside our room.  The temptation for reading and napping was too great to resist.

Beach time in Essaouira

We took the bus from Marrakech to the coastal town of Essaouira on Wednesday. Essaouira  is a relaxed little beach town with a long history as a strategic and economic port, dating back to the time of the Phoenicians in the 7th century BC.

 

Leaving the Desert: Day 3

We woke up early for our departure from the desert and the long ride back to Marrakech. Bidding the dunes farewell, we hopped in the 4×4 and took a different way back, off-road following the old Paris-Dakar rally route.

In the Desert: Day 2

When we awoke, it was to a high wind blowing the walls of our tent and raining fine sand into our faces…perfect weather for a camel ride to the last town before the open desert.

To the Desert: Day 1

We woke up early for our departure from Marrakech…our destination: the Sahara Desert.  Well, first some other places, but THEN, the Sahara Desert.  The day was overcast and cloudy as we approached the High Atlas Mts., driving up through the Tizi n’Tichka, a pass at 2260 m(~7400 ft) leading over the mountains. We stopped at the marker, but the clouds made seeing anything else impossible.

Marrakech Souk & Djemaa El Fna Madness

After getting back to the city post-hike, we decided to head out for a little more souk action.  We finally got the chance to snap a few shots from a cafe looking down on the markets, and then got a few more inside the alleyways.  But the real excitement was still to come: dinner in the Djemaa El Fna.

High Atlas Hiking

Today we booked another day trip, this time to do a little hiking in the High Atlas Mountains near the town of Imlil.

Natural Wonders

Today it was time to get out if the city and see more of the country. We booked a day tour and met our guide early to head to Imi-n-Ifri. There we climbed down into a gorge which is spanned by an amazing natural bridge. It formed 1.8 million years ago. We crossed under the bridge and were rewarded with some really great views.