125 Degrees...

        On the three-hour drive to Marrakech we drove past many small Berber villages that consisted of a simple adobe square wall surrounding four to twenty adobe one-room homes. There are four main Berber tribes, but many villages. The Berbers were the original people that lived in Morocco. The homes were simple, a hole for a door and curtains that served as windows. There normally was a donkey or two standing in the shade and a flock of sheep nearby. The closer we drove to Marrakech, the hotter it got. I sympathized for the cloaked shepherds that walked with their flocks across the hot desert. The men wore long smocks and small caps.

            We finally made it to Marrakech and entered the 125 degree dry heat. The moisture in your mouth was instantly gone as your breathing became shallow. We set off on our journey and visited the beautiful Jardin Majorella- a colorful garden. Despite being in the western tip of the Sahara Desert, the Jardin Majorella garden was lush. It had desert plants and vibrantly colored pots and buildings. The garden stood out against the brown landscape and adobe buildings. We then visited two old palaces- and I'm a little embarrassed to admit this- but I don't remember too many details about the buildings. I distinctly remember how hot it was and that we our last meal was eight hours ago… but not much else. We went to a spice market and then to a wonderful Moroccan lunch. The meal was delicious and full of flavor, but despite its tastiness, it didn't treat me too well the next day.

            As we sailed to Portugal we talked about Morocco in our classes and realized that while in the country there were many high points, as well as many low points. One of our deans shared a proverb from Abraham Lincoln and it (roughly) says, "Behinds the clouds the sun is always shining." Some students walked away with bitter feelings towards Morocco and he reminded all students that sometimes good can come from bad situations. Some of the great highlights I heard from other students included an amazing hike through the Atlas Mountain to various Berber villages. These villages never see tourist and welcomed the students with open arms. My roommate had a fabulous time in Marrakech and got to experience the night life. She said that Marrakech comes to life at night, once everyone breaks fast. She got a beautiful henna tattoo, had for fortune read (in Arabic) and saw a snake charmer. I think it would be very interesting to revisit Morocco when it is not Ramadan. The life style of the entire country is changed for the Holy Month and I am eager to see the similarities and differences at other times of the year. Overall Morocco was interesting, unique and insightful and I can officially say I've been to Africa!

We are about to dock in Portugal! I'll give you updates soon.

~Tori

P.S. Nat leaves for TCU tomorrow! I can't believe my baby sister is growing up!

P.S.S. I get home in 12 days- it is crazy how quickly this has gone by!