Pharmacy/Tea shop/Drug Store

Our tour guide in Morocco took us into this incredible pharmacy where she knew the owner. We had a 45minute explanation of several popular creams, spices, perfumes, oils, teas and what they are used for. Then it was time to comprar. I picked up a few massage oils, anti-aging creams and herbs for headache/congestion/relaxation. I would CONSIDER giving up my beloved Duane Reade for this extraordinary Moroccan medicine megahouse.

Medina- Fes - Fotos

An inside peak into the Medina in Fes!

Dance dance dance

Upon arriving at a rest stop at a hotel we were surprised with this lovely dance performance and tea!

Weaving away

Here is a video of a carpet being woven in a shop in Fes. There were three women working on it and we were told it would take over a month to be completed.

I'm on a camel!

"Ride a camel" has been on my to-do list for quite a while now. Very happy I can check it off and proceed down the long list of things I need to do in life-two of those things being "african safari" and "background dancer in a rap video."

Our group of over 50 people took a two hour camel ride from the hotel in Merzouga to an oasis in the Sahara. Before out departure the hotel staff dressed us in a burqa to protect us from the sun and sand.

I have many things to say about riding a camel. First and foremost, they are way taller than I realized. When the camel goes from sitting/lying down to standing up you have to hold on tight because it jerks forward and then backwards and then forwards again. It kind of reminded me of a bull riding experience at Johnny Utahs.

The initial feeling was quite exhiliarting. I was a big horseback rider in middle school so it felt good to be straddling a large animal once again .. We were sorted into groups of five, our five camels connected by a rope with a guide holding the rope at the front. So it was very different from horseback riding in the sense that we did not have to direct, lead or do any kind of steering. It was also very different because instead of a saddle with stirrups we sat on a bunch of blankets and other unknown uncomfortable items strapped on with ropes with our feet dangling down on the sides.

Unlike humans who generally pause, think and then motion towards the nearest "WC" sign, camels go to the bathroom whenever they want. And they go a lot. The girl in front of me was basically riding a walking toilet the whole time and I couldn´t handle it. I guess I´m kind of immature because every time I saw her camel do his business I felt the need to shout out to her and laugh about it.

All of this silliness said, the camel ride was so liberating, relaxing and unlike anything I´ve ever experienced. Knowing that I was in the middle of nowhere, let alone the Sahara surrounded by sand for miles was such a calming feeling. However, by the end of the two hours my body was more than ready to dismount from the creature. I never expected to actually get a workout from riding a camel, but my legs were super sore afterwards!

Buffet Me

One of my favorite things about Morocco was definitely the buffet style eating, at EVERY single meal. It was pretty much my dream come true ( did I just say that out loud?!?) There were amazing vegetables, mystery meats and desserts every day three times a day. It was a blessing and a curse that I had a pretty bad cold the whole week in Morocco and had to rely on Rachael to taste and smell things since I was not able to. When I could taste the food though it was amazing!

Spring Break: Morocco

After tossing around several ideas for what would be the perfect plan for Spring Break/Semana Santa, Rachael and I decided we should go to Morocco! We are SO excited. We found an excellent trip to Tangier, Rabat, the Sahara Desert and Fes through the program DiscoverSevilla. They organize affordable trips and excursions for study abroad students and language assistants. I am extremely excited for the authentic food, the camel excursion through the desert and to bargain with shopkeepers! This Thursday night we will meet in Sevilla and embark on our 6 day adventure. I will return back to Malaga March 31 just in time for the Semana Santa processions in the city center.