National Geographic

The day after our camping experience, we had breakfast then hopped into SUV’s that were going to take us to the desert.  Here I was thinking that we were in the desert the whole time, and what could possibly get more desert-y than where we were.  I had no idea what to expect. 

So, we head off into the desert, and after a few seconds traveling at 80 km/hr, the hotel is out of sight and so are all other signs of civilization.  It was like something you’d see on national geographic.  The first place we stopped was a rock quarry in the middle of the desert.  The rocks were mainly black granite (or maybe marble), but I’m no geologist.  The coolest thing about this place was that I took three steps and looked down and found myself standing on a huge sheet of rock with a hundred little nautilus shells embedded in it.  All around me there were fossils of squids, shells, other animals that I don’t even know how to identify or even describe.  It was so cool and we were in the middle of nowhere with no one around, so we were able to take small pieces of rock with fossils in them if we found them.  It was mind-blowing to find prehistoric sea creatures in the middle of the desert, though. 

After spending some time at the “archaeological site” which was not well maintained at all and thousands of fossils were being desecrated and carried off by people, we got back into the air-conditioned Land Cruisers and continued through the barren landscape. 

As we passed through the desert along the Algerian border, the occasional home would come out of the distance, every time we passed a house, the children would come running outside.  We would stop and give them pens and notebooks (although they would have rather had money… such teachers). 

We ended up in a little village where the musicians from the night before live.  We were greeted by them and welcomed in for a performance and tea.  One of the men had a little boy who was an apprentice musician and was very cute.  He was probably five and he and I hung out and ate peanuts and drank tea. Look at his pose in this picture with me below.  Tough guy.

Finally, after three phone calls by the secret police asking us where we were and why we hadn’t checked into our hotel yet (I’m not even kidding), we arrived at the next hotel. 

Sidenote… Barbie’s evil wrath can even be seen here in Morocco where similar dolls are made and manufactured just like Barbie is in the US and Europe.  Only, in Morocco, her name is Fulla.  Fulla is 100% Barbie in every way, and I am even the proud owner of some Fulla coloring books. 

I’m mentioning this here because Jenny and I decided that the hotel was Fulla’s palace.  The pool was glorious and we spent most of the day lounging and swimming and having a good time.  That is, until the sand storm had us running for our rooms in the early evening.  It was hot that night, and we left really early because we had an eight hour bus ride, which turned into ten, and the AC broke on the bus, so I am so looking forward to getting in bed in my cool mountain resort.  I have never been so happy to be in this sterile dorm room.  Two days of class then off to Fez for the weekend!  I’m sooooo excited!  Bon Nuit!