I arrived a couple days ahead of the rest and went on a tour Casablanca, which was a treat! Visited the Grande Mosquée Hassan II, It is the largest mosque in Morocco and the 13th largest in the world.                                                               When Paula and Stacey arrived we headed South to El Jadida, which is located along the coast, just southwest of Casablanca  This is an old Portuguese city, In 1506 the Portuguese built a fortress here to protect their shipsand baptised it Mazagan, which soon developed into the country’s most important trading post. Sultan Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah seized Mazagan from the Portuguese following a siege in 1769, but the Portuguese blew up most of the fort before leaving.

Citerne Portugaise, is another highlight of El Jadida, the vaulted cistern lit by a single shaft of light. the spectacularly tranquil spot, with a thin film of water on the floor reflecting a mirror image of the ceiling and columns.  It was originally used to collect water and is famous as the eerie location for the dramatic riot scene  in Orson Welles, Othello.

For me, one of my favorite places that visited, allowed us to stay in a home of an amazing family.  They live in a community called Sidi Bennour.  There are no words to tell you the amazing hospitality they showed us. I will never forget them.  In this section I will also post some of the "I-phone" images that were taken.  Many times we get caught up in the moments and don't have our "real" cameras handy.   Many spontaneous and, heartfelt moments are captured with the phone.  We slept there overnight, in the morning as the kids went off to school, we were taken to their Souk to shop and photograph.

While traveling we believe in responsible tourism. One amazing organization we have become friends with is called SPANA - The Society for the Protection of Animals in Abroad. SPANA raises awareness and educates owners on the care and treatment of their animals.  It is amazing what these veterinarians do or "make do" with such little funding. They rely on goods peoples donations to help them provide medical attention and awareness throughout communities that desperately need the help.

At the foothills of the Atlas Mountains lies the beautiful home and donkey refuge of Susan and Charles Jarjeer Mule and Donkey Sanctuary. 

"Committed to promoting effective methods of dealing with abuse, neglect, cruelty or any unnecessary suffering of animals in Morocco." We spent a wonderful afternoon and evening with them and enjoyed meeting the whole furry family.

Not far outside Marrakesh, we were invited to visit one of the King's Royal Stables.  They were such wonderful hosts to us, showing us the stallions both at liberty and under saddle.  Took us for a tour of grounds including the breeding facility, stables and allowed us to photograph a beautiful saddle and headstall used only for the Royalty.  

Not far from the Royal Stable we had an appointment but we were behind getting there and the riders did not have their horses prepared either.  We ended up lucky enough to have all the elements fall into place.  Thinking we would loose our light due to both delays, we just decided to make the best of it -  as they say.. "make lemonade  out of the lemons".  Sometimes you just fall into situations and the magic happens. Never loose a chance to let the magic work for you, so we did just that!

We left Marrakesh and headed South into the Atlas Mountains.  These mountains are beautiful, but not so forgiving.. Construction crews were working on some much needed road changes, pulling the road in a bit from the edge and widening.  Crossing the Atlas you enter into the Rock desert and  on of our first stops was Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou, a fortified city, or ksar along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrrakech. Most citizens living in the area are now living in more modern dewellings in a nearby village, but 4 families still live in this ancient city.  This is one of the locations that Game of Thrones was filmed in Morocco.

Responsible tourism is a combination of things for us, as you saw we helped raise funds for SPANA and  Jarjeer Donkeys, but we found a man, a very good friend of our guide and we were told he needed help.  We went to visit him to take notes, photos and try to see if we could help raise funds for him.  The story is all in my facebook and I would be happy to share if anyone is interested in helping, but the short of it, he has had to have his one leg amputated and they are trying to save the other leg.  An enlarged heart, caused blood circulation to fail for his limbs.   We did raise some money for him and he has had the one surgery, but there is so much more that needs done.    He has a young song that is missing out being able to have his dad go for a simple walk with him.  I will provide a link here if you are interested in learning more about Mustafa. 

 http://pauladasilva.wixsite.com/thesolidarityproject/mustafa-needs-help

Moving on to the Sahara, we had been told to keep a keen eye out for Nomads.  In the Morocan Sahara Dessert and in the Atlas Mountains, many people still maintain their peculiar nomadic tribe way of life.  They move from place to place, a wanderer.   In the desert tracks from Tafraoute Ait-Atta to Taouz, along the Algerian border, hundreds of families live in a migrant pace, following their animals in search of food and water. They are difficult to see as they blend in with the natural landscape.  We took our 4 x 4 up a rocky path to see if they would like some fruit and water.  The parents were not around but the children were so cute and sweet.  They were eager to have the offerings and allowed us to take photos.

On the way to the sand desert,  we past some odd looking mounds.  We were told that on each side of the High Atlas in Morocco, various societies have built thousands of tunnel and well networks called khettaras.  A remarkable water management and delivery network that had enabled people to live in arid and semiarid environments.

The next night we stayed in a tent in the Sahara, it was just us 4 in the camp, and it was so nice.  They prepared dinner by candlelight and after that we sat around the campfire and learned how to play the typical Moroccan Drums -tom-tom- . How can it get much better in the Sahara, in a tent.. stars over head... Life is good.

Close to where we were staying was a Community that has a Woman's Coop.  The President of Morocco is promoting education for women and also teaching them to be self sufficient, by making items and selling them.   This particular place has a school for the children as the women work in the next room.  We purchased some beautiful items to help support them. After the tour of the School, we were invited for a lovely lunch, we all sat on the floor around this table filled with food that we were sure was not something they would have every day... Really felt special. 

Heading to our next destination we stopped in a small village that is built upon layers of fossils.  Morocco is rich with fossils such as ammonites, orthoceras, trilobites and dinosaur teeth. A portion of the Sahara Desert which was once an ocean is contained within Morocco and holds many remains of creatures that once inhabited the earth. Skilled artisans take great time and care to prepare  and polish such fossils. We watched as they were extracting them out of the streets that were being repaired.  This village also was having a "farmer's market" but with the main fruit of Morocco, dates.  All the vendors in this very busy market area, were only selling dates.  I never realized there were so many different types!  The Last photos here are from an old Portuguese Fortress.  The vantage point is clear, you can see for miles.   It also shows there the oceans once were and where they find all the fossils.

Back on the road to our next destination.  As we travel, we see many unique to us, but daily activities of the local Moroccans.  From putting up and bagging feed for animals, the herds of goats, etc. everything is just waiting for us to capture with our lens.  Our next for night  was Zagora - Mezguita- Kasbah Des Caids Du Mezguita.   Wow.. to stay in a Kasbah!  The rooms were very beautiful and the food outstanding!  The word Kasbah is a type of local medina, Islamic city or fortress (citadel)  A place for the local leader to live and a defense when a city was under attack. A Kasbah, has high walls and normally not many windows.

This is the day... you always are sad to have arrive, the day you are heading back.. to get plan your trip home.  Even with the thought of leaving Morocco soon, we were traveling through some of the most beautiful land formations. We passed through a town picked up some odds and end, Moroccan Olive soap and things then back on the road across the Atlas Mountains.