We spent a lot of time in Morocco trying to decide what to do outside of the big cities. We considered taking a magical camel ride out into the desert to be alone under the stars, but those excursions are far out there and really expensive. After much research we finally found the ideal answer. Setti Fatma is a small town tucked in the mountains outside of Marrakesh. During our weekend there we went on three hikes, each more impressive than the last. Our fir...

Marrakesh is wild. It is the one city in Morocco where I could really feel taht I was in Africa. The beat of drums, honking of cars and bikes, and the shuffle of bodies is constant throughout the city, and most prominent in the few blocks around Djemaa el-Fna. The famous square lived up to my wild expectations. All day long the square is bordered by stalls selling spices, fruits and nuts, and orange juice. In the mornings you can see herborists sitting on ca...

(I just posted a bunch of pictures of Seville, Fes, Rabat, and Marrakesh, and a blog about Fes--don't miss 'em.)Along our voyage I have gotten stranger and stranger. We started off relatively familiar, but even in Italy Scott commented on how the waiters walk right up to unsuspecting tourists, offering menus and suggesting we take a seat--a practice totally familiar to me, but unbelievable to most Americans. Then in Spain I tackled a new language and lear...

There is no way to sum up Fes. Writing this entry towards the end of our Moroccan trip, I can safely say that Fes is the most overwhelming city in the country. Scott and I tried to tone that down by staying in the Ville Nouvelle instead of the confusing medina, and by hiring a guide for our first day. But all that did was create a different kind of confusion. Staying in the modern side of town made it harder to figure out what the people are like, and made th...

(Before reading this entry, be sure to back-track to Seville and Tarifa.)  Picture a small town, cradled by the mountains.  Since this town was originally the refuge of Muslims and Jews hundreds of years ago, all the wall are covered in a peaceful pale blue.  All the streets are full of wirey cats and playing children.  Down each alley there is a different artisan weaving wool, painting a bowl, or crafting a piece of wood.  If you close y...