Our trip to Morocco

April 14–29, 2025


*Image is by another member of our tour.

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Extra: Morocco Patterns & Doorways.

Back to: The Pisarro Family Home Page.

  1. ESE_0746.tif
  2. Tour Map.jpg — Rabat, Fez, Erfoud, Merzoug, Ouarzazate, Marrakesh, Casablaca
  3. FSC_6865.NEF — We flew Royal Air Moroc from JFK Airport. Empty when we got there, but the terminal filled up fast.
  4. ESE_0543.NEF — The airport in Casabanca was a little less crowded.
  5. ESE_0550.NEF — Our hotel in Rabat. The sign helped us navigate back to it.
  6. ESE_0571.NEF
  7. ESE_0547.NEF — We went for a walking tour with Andy & Jennifer.
  8. ESE_0546.NEF — But the Royal Palace was closed for the day.
  9. ESE_0558.NEF — Fish tagine
  10. ESE_0560.NEF — Steak & frites
  11. ESE_0567.NEF — Colorful herbs & spcies on the restaurant wall
  12. ESE_0574.NEF — Rabat has a nice contemporary art museum.
  13. ESE_0580.NEF — Our GPS showed the Arabic script for the street names.
  14. ESE_0587.NEF — We gathered for the first time. Hassan, our leader, is on the right.
  15. ESE_0589.NEF — Organizational meeting
  16. ESE_0637.NEF — We boarded our bus for our first day of travel…
  17. ESE_0625.NEF — …to the Royal Palace, which was open. The working fountain means the king is in residence.
  18. ESE_0980.NEF — The King of Morocco and his scions.
  19. ESE_0604.NEF
  20. ESE_0612.NEF — This reminded us of the cannons off Compo Beach in Westport, where 1,500 British troops landed during the Revolutionary War.
  21. ESE_0614.NEF
  22. ESE_0641.NEF — The Challah Archaeological Site of Rabat. Wd did not go in…
  23. FSC_6882.NEF — but Maria & Jose did.
  24. ESE_0644.NEF — The concert hall, under construction, is shaped like a serpent.
  25. FSC_6887.NEF — A sweeping view of The Mausoleum of Mohammed V. Two guards were on their way to guard duty.
  26. ESE_0652.NEF — Guards of the Mausoleum on horseback stand perfectly still like English Royal Guards.
  27. ESE_0655.NEF — Brenda with the guards.
  28. ESE_0661.NEF
  29. FSC_6898.NEF — Tomb of Mohammed V
  30. ESE_0673.NEF
  31. FSC_6891.NEF — An ancient mosque that stood at the site was destroyed, but its minaret still stands.
  32. ESE_0697.NEF — The sun broke through the clouds, onto the minaret.
  33. ESE_0710.NEF — Kasbah Oudeya, built in the 12th century
  34. ESE_0713.NEF — We went inside.
  35. ESE_0719.NEF — The inside has been developed into desirable housing.
  36. ESE_0716.NEF — Communal oven for baking bread of the inhabitants
  37. ESE_0730.NEF
  38. FSC_6932.NEF — Whitewashed homes
  39. FSC_6936.NEF — The casbah opens onto the the east side of the Atlantic Ocean.
  40. ESE_0740.NEF — On the other side is the New World.
  41. FSC_6943.NEF — A snack
  42. FSC_6944.NEF — Andalusian Gardens
  43. ESE_0762.NEF — And a costume museum—royal robes
  44. FSC_6959.NEF — Outdoor dinner on the veranda
  45. ESE_0769.NEF — Calamari, prawns, and a white fish
  46. ESE_0643.NEF — The next day, we were off to Fez [Fes].
  47. ESE_0819.NEF — Watch out for horse drawn carts!
  48. ESE_0823.NEF
  49. FSC_7001.NEF — We entered our magnificent ryad. It took 10 years to convert the original building.
  50. FSC_6992.NEF
  51. FSC_6982.NEF — In celebration of water, most ryads have a small pool in their courtyard.
  52. ESE_0842.NEF — The craftsmanship was wonderful to behold.
  53. FSC_6979.NEF — The door to our room
  54. e813e321-39ee-426a-9c23-4cfaebfa1844.JPG — *Jennifer and Andy
  55. ESE_0859.NEF
  56. ESE_0831.NEF — Part of a meal in the ryad
  57. FSC_7010.NEF — Preparing to see other parts of Fez.
  58. FSC_7019.NEF — Old Fez
  59. ESE_0883.NEF — A college student told us about the challenge of being a female medical student in Morocco.
  60. ESE_0895.NEF
  61. FSC_7029.NEF — Our group with the young student and her brother
  62. FSC_7030.NEF — Art d’Argile is an inlaid tile fabricator.
  63. ESE_0902.NEF — Demonstratng throwing a cup
  64. ESE_0923.NEF — And painting it.
  65. ESE_0939.NEF — The tiles are hand cut but fit together.
  66. ESE_0962.NEF — They actually place the tiles upside down—They know how to place them perfectly!
  67. ESE_0967.NEF — Beautiful tilework available to purchase.
  68. FSC_7033.NEF — A table top
  69. FSC_7040.NEF — Camel burgers are on the menu at Cinema Cafe.
  70. ESE_0982.NEF — Charlie Chaplin & Jackie Coogan look on.
  71. ESE_0991.NEF — The next day, we went on a day trip to Volubilis and Meknes.
  72. FSC_7048.NEF — We stopped at a roadsde stand along the way.
  73. ESE_0996.NEF
  74. ESE_1008.NEF — We approached Volubilis—a Unesco World Heritage site.
  75. FSC_7051.NEF
  76. ESE_1038.NEF — Monuments are still readable by us and Google Translate.
  77. FSC_7050.NEF
  78. ESE_1028.NEF
  79. ESE_1041.NEF
  80. FSC_7061.NEF — A triumphal arch
  81. FSC_7059 [1].NEF — The mosaics are fully exposed and fading. Here I boosted the image so you can see them clearly.
  82. FSC_7072.NEF
  83. ESE_1057.NEF
  84. ESE_1068.NEF — Our local guide wore a hijab, but talked about women’s improving status in Morocco.
  85. ESE_1094.NEF — Walking along, suddenly half our group disappeared into this shop of old knick knacks.
  86. ESE_1086.NEF — Jewish pieces
  87. FSC_7095.NEF — A wealthy home has been turned to a garden and museum of musical instruments.
  88. FSC_7099.NEF
  89. ESE_1100.NEF
  90. FSC_7109.NEF
  91. ESE_1112.NEF — For our home hosted dinner, we visited a family whose home was 462 years old. They are on the right.
  92. ESE_1137.NEF — In their courtyard were olive and orange trees.
  93. ESE_1134.NEF
  94. ESE_1150.NEF — We went up to the roof of our ryad to take this shot of the city at night.
  95. ESE_1166.NEF — Fatima, the girl we met a few days before, joined us to practice her English.
  96. ESE_1194.NEF — This sign was in the Jewish Quarter. We don't know what language is in the middle, but it is looking at us.
  97. ESE_1175.NEF — The temple, which is a museum
  98. FSC_7118.NEF
  99. ESE_1165.NEF — The Torah
  100. ESE_1169.NEF — The old Jewish Cemetary, which was closed
  101. ESE_1153.NEF — We explored more of the Jewish Quarter.
  102. FSC_7149.NEF — Deeper into the medina
  103. FSC_7154.NEF
  104. ESE_1206.NEF — The fish in the back is a skate. It has two eyes and a frowning face.
  105. ESE_1210.NEF — Waiting for scraps.
  106. ESE_1226.NEF — Dying fabrics
  107. FSC_7170.NEF
  108. FSC_7175.NEF
  109. ESE_1250.NEF
  110. ESE_1256.NEF
  111. FSC_7194.NEF
  112. FSC_7209.NEF — The tannery had vats with dyes and pigeon droppings, whose ammonia softens the leather.
  113. ESE_1285.NEF — The odor was pretty intense. We were given mint branches to hold under our noses.
  114. FSC_7201.NEF — The tannery had a vast array of fine leather goods.
  115. ESE_1269.NEF
  116. ESE_1301.NEF — Tanner bought a jacket that fit him perfectly.
  117. ESE_1306.NEF
  118. ESE_1319.NEF — Next, we stopped at a textile shop, where we picked up head scarves to wear into the desert, in two days.
  119. ESE_1333.NEF — On our way to Erfoud, we encountered a troop of Macqaue monkeys.
  120. ESE_1344.NEF
  121. ESE_1387.NEF — Sheep crossing…
  122. ESE_1347.NEF — Hassan stopped the bus at a Nomad encampment and introduced us to the Nomads who invited us in.
  123. ESE_1374.NEF — A pretty rugged life
  124. ESE_1353.NEF — Black faced sheep
  125. ESE_1349.NEF
  126. ESE_1367.NEF — The Nomads had a solar panel to provide lighting and to recharge 21st centry electronics!
  127. ESE_1394.NEF
  128. ESE_1396.NEF — A nearby trout farm provided us fresh fish. It was delicious!
  129. ESE_1415.NEF — Through the Mid-Atlas Mountains on our way to Erfoud.
  130. ESE_1420.NEF
  131. ESE_1430.NEF — We stopped at an overlook. An oasis is behind Jose, Maria, Nan, and Don…
  132. 253b38ac-b00f-43a4-bcfa-8780975218e6.JPG — *…and us.
  133. ESE_1432.NEF — Chergum Kasbah & Hotel, for a one night stop
  134. FSC_7225.NEF
  135. ESE_1443.NEF — Dinner was a treat…
  136. ESE_1444.NEF — …and so was the array of sweets for dessert
  137. ESE_1468.NEF — A fossil shop was our first stop of the next day. These were Baculites.
  138. ESE_1483.NEF — Trilobite
  139. ESE_1452.NEF — Ammonite—one of Nick’s favorites
  140. ESE_1482.NEF — Beautifully restored fossil of a trilobite, showing its compound eye
  141. ESE_1502.NEF — We entered an oasis town where Nomads and other locals get their supplies.
  142. ESE_1508.NEF
  143. ESE_1514.NEF
  144. ESE_1528.NEF
  145. ESE_1523.NEF — Before the late 19th century, goods everywhere were displayed in bulk, not pre-packaged, like today.
  146. ESE_1533.NEF — A baby goat
  147. ESE_1544.NEF — “A camel is a horse designed by a committee.”
  148. ESE_1547.NEF — Nick loved the “What, Me Worry?” expression on the camel’s faces.
  149. a3aed5f9-ed1f-4dc5-b345-54fbeec82e7b.JPG — *Nursing a young camel. Camels come in a range of colors from white, to tan, to brown, to black.
  150. ESE_1560.NEF — Off on unmarked roads to our desert compound. We did not know how the drivers navigated.
  151. FSC_7255.NEF — The tent compounds were built in 2004.
  152. ESE_1574.NEF — The tents were unadorned on the outside. They had wood framed doors and windows.
  153. FSC_7250.NEF — Each tent was decorated differently. Our was done in torquoise and magenta.
  154. ESE_1579.NEF — How was a tagine prepared? We found out during a cooking demo.
  155. ESE_1587.NEF — As evening approached, Nick photographed the returning caravans against the profile of the giant sand dunes.
  156. ESE_1596.NEF — We visited a Nomad farmer. He discovered water 20 years ago and settled in as a farmer to use it.
  157. ESE_1613.NEF
  158. ESE_1615.NEF — He can still climb trees. He harvests the 100 lbs. of dates that each tree produces.
  159. ESE_1620.NEF — Water bubbles from the ground.
  160. FSC_7268.NEF — We went by 4 x 4 into the desert to watch a sunset.
  161. ESE_1640.NEF — The sand is a deep orange color. Nick was wondering what the orange patch in his shoes was.
  162. ESE_1655.NEF — With deepening shadows, a some of us climbed a high sand dune.
  163. ESE_1667.NEF
  164. ESE_1691.NEF — Three women came out of nowhere to show us their wares.
  165. ESE_1700.NEF — Glorious sunset
  166. ESE_1712.NEF
  167. ESE_1741.NEF — Another returning caravan of tourists
  168. FSC_7290.NEF — With few lights at night, the stars shone brightly—an eight minute exposure.
  169. ESE_1761.NEF — We were about to go out on camels ourselves, into the desert.
  170. ESE_1747.NEF — Ready with our headgear.
  171. ESE_1745.NEF
  172. ESE_1749.NEF
  173. ESE_1764.NEF — The camels sit so we can mount them easily.
  174. ESE_1765.NEF — Each of the two groups of camels had a leader on foot and a fellow who went around taking pictures.
  175. ESE_1778.NEF
  176. ESE_1788.NEF
  177. ESE_1799.NEF — We were completely surrounded by dunes, making us feel like we were miles from civilaztion.
  178. ESE_1813.NEF — Each scene looked like it came out of Natonal Geographic.
  179. ESE_1816.NEF
  180. ESE_1818.NEF
  181. ESE_1838.NEF
  182. ESE_1840.NEF — The saddles had a steel handle so we could hold on with both hands. It was a rocky ride.
  183. ESE_1842.NEF
  184. 75af5d9f-d4cd-465c-8b45-e5a35bf7c981.JPG — *Steel
  185. ESE_1853.NEF
  186. ESE_1859.NEF
  187. ESE_1969.NEF
  188. ESE_1986.NEF — A bunch of ATVs came by, spoiling the silence.
  189. ESE_1994.NEF — Nick’s shadow. He was on the lead camel in the 2nd group.
  190. ESE_1997.NEF — The camels knelt, so we could get off them easily.
  191. ESE_2029.NEF — After the camel ride we went to a music school that taught African drumming.
  192. ESE_2039.NEF
  193. ESE_2017.NEF — We stopped at a dry good store. There, we picked up staples that would be a gift for a Normad family that we were going to visit.
  194. ESE_2045.NEF — We drove to a Nomad’s tent.
  195. ESE_2058.NEF — Though we arrived unannounced, the Nomad, 80 years old, greeted us warmly.
  196. ESE_2081.NEF — He and his son and daughter-in-law served us tea and bread.
  197. ESE_2093.NEF — A lot of Nomads moved into town becuase of a five year drought, but this family loved their life in the desert.
  198. FSC_7319.NEF — We bid them a fond fairwell.
  199. eacd725c-ce06-4962-ac9a-bf62402f0e0a.JPG — *Group photo
  200. ESE_2102.NEF — Back at the encampment, our next demo was a kind of pizza, like a calzone.
  201. aac5735b-7e19-45cf-af08-9f7884040e77.JPG — The entrance to our compound as night approaches
  202. ESE_2118.NEF — Enjoying the hazy sunset at our compound
  203. ESE_2109.NEF — A hardy beetle crawled by.
  204. ESE_2122.NEF — The next day, we stopped at a khatarat, a comunal well used by several local groups.
  205. ESE_2129.NEF — We passed a local camel herder.
  206. ESE_2134.NEF — We entered a ksar, a Berber walled city, to learn about life there.
  207. ESE_2137.NEF — We entered a nursery school where Barbara tuned into the children.
  208. ESE_2140.NEF — We paased an embroidery class, given to German students.
  209. ESE_2156.NEF — At a Berber museum, we saw this torture device‐Ouch!
  210. ESE_2173.NEF
  211. ESE_2178.NEF — Lunch, al fresco
  212. ESE_2180.NEF — Lamb tagine
  213. ESE_2213.NEF — At our ryad in Ouarzazate, we dined on the roof.
  214. ESE_2204.NEF — Sqwaking turkies and chickens were on the next roof over.
  215. ESE_2206.NEF — We could see a stork's nest on the minaret nearby.
  216. ESE_2215.NEF
  217. ESE_2222.NEF — Atas Studios, where major movies like Gladiator and Game of Thrones were filmed
  218. ESE_2223.NEF
  219. ESE_2228.NEF — Our local guide for the area. He had been an extra in films. He learned English from years of guiding tourists.
  220. ESE_2231.NEF — We visited Asfalou, a mountainside town, where the guide grew up.
  221. ESE_2259.NEF — The family we visited raised farm animals as well as crops.
  222. ESE_2257.NEF
  223. ESE_2262.NEF — The farmer’s wife, who made cous-cous from scratch. The process takes two hours.
  224. ESE_2267.NEF — They make their own bread.
  225. FSC_7328.NEF — We were welcomed with Moroccan mint tea and bread as is tradition.
  226. ESE_2273.NEF — Son and grandson
  227. ESE_2287.NEF — Making bricks from mud, straw, and manure
  228. FSC_7338.NEF — The cous-cous the farmer’s wife made was part of our lunch.
  229. ESE_2308.NEF — We visited a women’s center funded by O.A.T. The director described how it was established.
  230. ESE_2317.NEF
  231. FSC_7340.NEF — At the center, the women learn sewing, reading, writing, and domestic tasks such as baking cookies for sale to the community.
  232. ESE_2320.NEF — Many of us got henna tattoos. They wash off after a few days.
  233. 1d6b26f2-82b0-47fa-bf12-6806b9e37064.JPG — *Dinner at an Ancient Egyptian themed restaurant.
  234. ESE_2341.NEF — On our way to Marrakesh
  235. ESE_2346.NEF — Through the High Atlas Mountains—at 7,000 feet, the highest point in our journey.
  236. ESE_2372.NEF
  237. ESE_2362 [1].NEF — This straw camel was stopped by Customs who thought it was taxidermy.
  238. ESE_2384.NEF — Arriving in Marrakesh, we headed to our ryad, Art Place.
  239. ESE_2390.NEF
  240. ESE_2394.NEF — Great looking fake logowear was everywhere in the markets.
  241. FSC_7341.NEF — Our room at Art Place was very comfortable.
  242. FSC_7345.NEF
  243. FSC_7347.NEF
  244. ESE_2657.NEF
  245. ESE_2664.NEF — Art adorned Art Place.
  246. ESE_2666.NEF
  247. ESE_2398.NEF — Lunch there was presented beautifully.
  248. ESE_2400.NEF
  249. FSC_7356.NEF — We checked our maps before diving into the marketplace.
  250. FSC_7358.NEF — There are hundreds of alleyways to get lost in.
  251. FSC_7359.NEF — Sandals anyone?
  252. FSC_7365.NEF
  253. FSC_7372.NEF
  254. FSC_7373.NEF
  255. ESE_2403.NEF — Teapots used in Moroccan tea ceremonies.
  256. ESE_2416.NEF — We don’t know if the colors of the spices were real.
  257. ESE_2411.tif
  258. ESE_2417.NEF
  259. FSC_7374.NEF — Walking on the grounds of the Palais Royale
  260. FSC_7400.NEF — The Palais Royale is now a museum and restored garden.
  261. FSC_7381.NEF
  262. FSC_7387.NEF
  263. FSC_7402.NEF
  264. ESE_2435.NEF
  265. FSC_7416.NEF — Olives come in many colors and are served at every meal.
  266. ESE_2448.NEF
  267. FSC_7423.NEF — Bloty is a spice and aromatic oils shop.
  268. ESE_2473.NEF
  269. ESE_2477.NEF
  270. FSC_7420.NEF — Back in the central square, a hubub or activity.
  271. ESE_2452.NEF
  272. ESE_2482.NEF
  273. FSC_7426.NEF — Food stalls
  274. 7cf9db69-b477-4d45-bd71-4988529f5f79.JPG — *Beth tries a snail.
  275. FSC_7424.NEF
  276. ESE_2486.NEF — The fruit is glued in, so it can’t fall.
  277. ESE_2487.NEF — ‘Snake charmers’ were there to wow the tourists.
  278. ESE_2491.NEF
  279. ESE_2505.NEF — We didn’t get a photo of this snake around Nick’s shoulders.
  280. FSC_7432.NEF — Dessert
  281. ESE_2533.NEF — Turning in.
  282. ESE_2542.NEF — The next morning we explored more alleys of the medina.
  283. ESE_2540.NEF
  284. ESE_2544.NEF
  285. ESE_2549.NEF — Donkey carts and motor scooters were a big hazard in the alleyways.
  286. ESE_2561.NEF — Our local guide of Le Jardin Secret, which originated nearly four hundred years ago
  287. FSC_7454.NEF
  288. ESE_2577.NEF
  289. FSC_7461.NEF
  290. ESE_2584.NEF
  291. FSC_7465.NEF — These market stalls date back to the middle ages.
  292. FSC_7466.NEF
  293. ESE_2595.NEF — The wood carver worked on intricate panels, all by hand.
  294. ESE_2600.NEF
  295. ESE_2602.NEF — Rubbing these magic lamps produced no genies.
  296. FSC_7467.NEF
  297. ESE_2614.NEF — A manikin became alive!
  298. ESE_2621.NEF — The rug merchant was another highlight of the tour.
  299. FSC_7472.NEF — After a tea ceremony, they displayed their merchandise.
  300. FSC_7469.NEF
  301. ESE_2659.NEF
  302. ESE_2700.NEF — We took horse drawn carriages around modern Marrakesh.
  303. ESE_2687.NEF
  304. ESE_2724.NEF — And we ended up at Le Grande Café de la Poste in an old post office building.
  305. ESE_2730.NEF — It was considered the best meal of the trip.
  306. ESE_2738.NEF — Another day of exploring Marrakesh
  307. ESE_2739.NEF — A cellphone tower disguised as a palm tree, with a stork’s nest on the top. Cellphone service was excellent, even in the desert.
  308. ESE_2741.NEF — The Museum of Water Civilization, devoted to Morocco’s constant quest for water.
  309. ESE_2747.NEF
  310. FSC_7483 [1].NEF
  311. ESE_2758.NEF
  312. ESE_2764.NEF — Jardin de Majorelle was renovated by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner. They loved Morocco.
  313. ESE_2819 [1].NEF — A memorial to Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre Bergé
  314. FSC_7515.NEF
  315. FSC_7496.NEF — Bamboo
  316. ESE_2766.NEF — bougainvilliea
  317. ESE_2768.NEF
  318. FSC_7498.NEF
  319. FSC_7505.NEF — Water lily pond
  320. ESE_2780.NEF
  321. ESE_2782.NEF
  322. ESE_2788.NEF — Regular lilies
  323. ESE_2797.NEF — The gardens had an extensive collection of cacti.
  324. ESE_2800.NEF
  325. ESE_2776.NEF
  326. ESE_2806.NEF
  327. ESE_2814.NEF — Koy
  328. ESE_2847.NEF — We met with a young woman who described the difficulties of transitioning from the old traditions to the new.
  329. ESE_2853.NEF — Our final dinner, a day early, at the The Red House.
  330. e4df1132-78e1-44fd-9663-40ae06dd61c7.JPG — *
  331. ESE_2864.NEF — Its walls were beautiful mosiacs.
  332. ESE_2873.NEF
  333. FSC_7522.NEF — We left for Casablanca before the stalls in Marrakesh were set up.
  334. ESE_2874.NEF — But the carriages were already lined up to take tourists around the city.
  335. ESE_2933.NEF — The Hassan II Mosque, in Casablanca, the 2nd largest Mosque in the world. It was very recently constructed.
  336. ESE_2887.NEF — Hagia Sofia in Instanbul could fit inside it. Notre Dame Cathedral could fit inside that.
  337. FSC_7551.NEF
  338. FSC_7554.NEF
  339. FSC_7582.NEF — 25,000 people can fit inside the mosque and 80,000 outside it.
  340. ESE_2901.NEF — The mosque was closed, but we got an exclusive tour because we had a guide.
  341. ESE_2916.NEF
  342. ESE_2905.NEF
  343. ESE_2911.NEF
  344. FSC_7568.NEF
  345. FSC_7605.NEF — Below the main floor is a room where thousnads of worshippers can wash their hands before a service.
  346. FSC_7610.NEF — It was hard to take in the majesty of the mosque.
  347. FSC_7622.NEF
  348. ESE_2940.NEF
  349. ESE_2944.NEF — Not quite Rick’s Café Americain
  350. ESE_2946.NEF — The interior is supposed to be a recreation of the movie set.
  351. ESE_2964.NEF
  352. ESE_2949.NEF — Casablanca is on the shore of the Atlantic and the beach is lined with private clubs.
  353. ESE_2955.NEF
  354. ESE_2971.NEF — Pigeons are worldwide.
  355. ESE_2972.NEF — Stop!
  356. ESE_2978 [1].NEF — We board our plane with Jennifer and Andy for our flight back to JFK.
  357. ESE_0746 [1].NEF