THE UNFAMILIAR

AS WE LOADED OUR BAGS ON THE SECURITY SCREENING BELT VERY EARLY THIS MORNING,  BRUCE, WITH A GRIN ON HIS FACE, LOOKED AT ME AND SAID "CAN YOU BELIEVE WE ARE BOARDING A PLANE FOR SUDAN?"   I JUST SMILED AND REPLIED, "WELL, IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THE PEOPLE JOINING US ON THIS FLIGHT,  IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS WE ARE GOING SOME PLACE EXOTIC.

AND HAVING SAID THAT, READER, YOU SHOULD KNOW WE JUST LEFT ANOTHER COUNTRY ONE WOULD ALSO CALL EXOTIC -- MOROCCO -- WHERE WE SPENT TEN DAYS EXPLORING 

THE MEDINAS OF MARRAKECH AND FEZ, WINDING OUR WAY THROUGH NARROW SOUKS WHERE WE INHALED INTENSE SCENTS OF CUMIN, SAFFRON, CINNAMON, AND MINT.   WE ALSO SLEPT IN A TENT IN THE SAHARA DESERT AND WATCHED THE SUN SET IN THE WEST AND RISE IN THE EAST, SURROUNDED BY SAND DUNES THAT STRETCHED TO THE HORIZON.  AND WITH LOCAL BERBERS AS OUR GUIDES, WE HIKED THROUGH THE LUSH OASES OF THE DADES AND ZIZ VALLEYS, FILLED WITH DATE PALMS BRIMMING WITH FRUIT AS THIS IS THE HARVEST SEASON.

WITH MANY MOROCCAN STORIES  STORED IN MY HEAD FOR FUTURE POSTS, I AM PREPARING MYSELF FOR ANOTHER ASTONISHING ADVENTURE ON WHICH WE ARE ABOUT TO EMBARK.   

STAY TUNED. THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES FROM KHARTOUM AND THE SITES OF ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS IN WHAT IS NOW CALLED THE SUDAN. 

THE JEWISH CEMETERY IN FEZ

A SMALL VIEW OF THE  BEAUTIFUL ZIZ VALLEY 

ENJOYING FRESH MINT TEA IN A BERBER HOME 

OUR MOROCCAN CHEF SHOWING OFF HER BEAUTIFUL TAGINES 

A DELICIOUS TAGINE MADE WITH CHICKEN AND QUINCE 

A HANDSOME MAN TO FLIRT WITH IN MOROCCO