The Land of the Setting Sun

Audley client Bob Cargill shares tales of his recent journey to Morocco

By Audley Travel

December 4^th, 2015

good fortune

Our chance to see Morocco came when we won a lottery. The World Affairs Council of Dallas and Fort Worth held a raffle in which the prize was a pair of business class, round trip tickets from Dallas to anywhere in the world on Qatar Airways. We decided to use our prize to visit the enchanting country of Morocco and learn more about its culture and history.

The Kingdom of Morocco, occupying an area 2/3 the size of Texas on the northwest corner of Africa, is the “Land of the Setting Sun.” We decided that a 10-day excursion in this westernmost country of Africa with a guide and car would be far better than our exploring an alien country with an alien culture and language on our own. After lengthy internet searching, we found Audley Travel and worked with Brigitte Crumpler to handle our arrangements. She proposed a detailed itinerary that fit our time, interests, price, and ages (81).

Martha and Bob enjoying Marrakesh dining

fez, the cultural capital

Immediately upon arriving at Casablanca Airport, our guide Abdul and driver Mohammed awaited us. Abdul is a pleasant man of mid-50s, speaks English very well, and obviously enjoys presenting his country to interested visitors. His knowledge of Moroccan history is amazing, and he presents it well. Off to Fez we rode - Mohammed drove the Mercedes van with care and consideration for us. We even had Wi-Fi in the van!

In Fez, an amalgam of three separate cities – 9th century, 13th century, and 20th century, we made many stops. We visited the Mellah (old Jewish Quarter), a 17th century synagogue, the main souk, a madrassa, and two UNESCO supported sites of local crafts - mosaics and rugs. The products of these two sites were, in our view, incredible in beauty and in craftsmanship. We also walked in the exquisite mosaic-covered city gates. Pictures of these majestic gates easily remind one of the beauty of the Arabic cultures.

remote sands of erg chebbi

We made our way from Fez to Erfoud, where we met our new driver Abraham and his 4x4 Toyota to take us to the Erg Chebbi. Abraham knew this western edge of the Sahara well enough to drive us for an hour eastward with no GPS or map to meet our camel driver with two camels at Erg Chebbi.

We boarded the camels and marched to the top of a great sand dune to watch the sun set on the desert. In the dunes, some of which appeared to reach heights of 50 feet, we met several small groups of tourists who had come to watch the sun go down, but most left the desert after sunset, leaving us to peace and quiet.

We rode to a small encampment comprising three white tents, one of which was our home for the evening. Abdul occupied the second tent, and the third was outfitted as an elegant dining room. While dinner was being prepared, Gnawa musicians serenaded us with their folk chants accompanied with a simple drum, a three-string guitar, and krakeb (a kind of cymbals.) The night sky, with no extraneous lights, was so clear that even the best-known constellations were difficult to discern among the myriad of unseen stars. We eventually located the Big Dipper and Polaris.

a home-cooked meal

Next, we headed over the High Atlas Mountains. On our second day, a local guide, a different Abdul, took us on a three-hour hike into the local village. We encountered school children, all of whom appeared pleasant and each cared for the others – no bickering or scuffling. The high point of our trek was a visit in the home of the local imam. He was absent, but his mother (around 80), wife, and four daughters shared homemade Moroccan bread, made with only flour and water in a small open fireplace. We broke bread, dipped it in home-pressed olive oil, and consumed it along with delicious mint tea.

We then headed to the city of Marrakesh. Djema El Fna – the main square – was filled with thousands of people of every kind by midday until late evening. The several souks (markets) within the Djema make up an extensive maze for which one needs a local guide if he wishes to find his way out. Here, every imaginable ware can be found for sale: spices, fruits, nuts, birds, shoes – you name it. Exploring the activities of the souks occupied us for many hours.

Hand made bread at the home of a local imam

Local man using a hand powered lathe in Marrakesh

A street filled with markets in Marrakesh

goodbye for now

When we finally made our way to the airport to head home, Abdul escorted us. He brought us from the van to baggage check and to the final checkpoint, which, without Abdul’s guidance, we would have never found. We parted with hugs and promises to keep in touch. We regard Abdul as a real friend, a friendship forged during ten days of almost constant togetherness when we discovered our common interests in history.

We arrived back home, exhausted but overjoyed with our journey into alien lands filled with their own customs, cultures and habits, all underlain with outgoing friendliness we have rarely seen.

Audley arranged a wonderful excursion and everything about the Audley part of our trip was as nearly perfect as possible. We thank the World Affairs Council, Qatar Airways, Marriott Hotels, and Audley Travel for an excursion from which we learned much and made new friends.