{"id":4497,"date":"2025-05-09T07:34:48","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T11:34:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/?p=4497"},"modified":"2025-05-19T17:28:14","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T21:28:14","slug":"morocco-tour-day-7-april-20-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/?p=4497","title":{"rendered":"Morocco Tour, Day 7 \u2014 April 20, 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>On Day 7, in addition to yogurt with honey and jam for breakfast, I enjoyed French toast. We would be spending eight hours on the bus. Our destination was Erfoud, near the Sahara, and to reach it, we would cross the Middle Atlas Mountains that were dotted with pine and cedar forests. We have a <em>Blue Atlas Cedar<\/em> in front of our house, and were in search of one like it, but nothing we saw was a match to ours.<\/div>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<p>There were rest stops every two hours, and typically, the \u00a0stops featured food and souvenir shops. At one such stop in a town called Ifrane, Nick and I shared a chocolate croissant that was as good as the best we have ever tasted in France. The temperature dropped as we went higher into the mountains, but \u00a0we had no problems because Hassan had advised us to dress comfortably in layers.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1333.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-4509 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1333-235x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"151\" height=\"193\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1333-235x300.jpg 235w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1333-768x982.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1333.jpg 801w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 151px) 100vw, 151px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1344.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-4508 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1344-300x208.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"247\" height=\"171\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1344-300x208.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1344-768x532.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1344.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 247px) 100vw, 247px\" \/><\/a>Our bus stopped when we approached a group of a \u00a0rare species of monkeys called \u00a0Barbary Macaques. The monkeys were very much accustomed to tourists, and were happy to take peanuts from our hands. Later we stopped at a tent inhabited by a semi-nomadic family, who welcomed us. They could pack up their tent and move whenever they chose. \u00a0Outdoors, they had a flock of black faced sheep, and indoors, they had electricity powering many devices.<a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1347.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4511\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1347-300x209.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"441\" height=\"307\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1347-300x209.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1347-768x536.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1347.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 441px) 100vw, 441px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1353.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4510\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1353-300x166.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"443\" height=\"245\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1353-300x166.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1353-768x425.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1353.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 443px) 100vw, 443px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1367.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4506\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1367-300x197.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"445\" height=\"292\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1367-300x197.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1367-768x506.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1367.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 445px) 100vw, 445px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1396.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-4520 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1396-300x154.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"281\" height=\"144\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1396-300x154.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1396-768x394.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1396.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 281px) 100vw, 281px\" \/><\/a>At our lunch stop, as always, there were \u00a0options for each course. Nick and I enjoyed barley soup, trout, and apple pie. They were all tasty. Where do you get fish on your way to a desert? The town in which we were eating, Midelt, had been converted into a fish farm, and \u00a0its main feature was trout.<a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1415.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4519\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1415-300x100.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"498\" height=\"166\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1415-300x100.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1415-768x257.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1415.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 498px) 100vw, 498px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1430.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4507\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1430-300x197.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"501\" height=\"329\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1430-300x197.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1430-768x505.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1430.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 501px) 100vw, 501px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/From-Nan-1-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-4512 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/From-Nan-1-1-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"135\" height=\"180\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/From-Nan-1-1-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/From-Nan-1-1.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 135px) 100vw, 135px\" \/><\/a>After lunch, we drove through the High Atlas Mountains. We would be spending the night at <em>Kasbah Cherqui<\/em>, which was so beautiful and so comfortable that we wished we could spend more time there. At our dinner buffet, we chose from many kinds of chicken, vegetables such as green beans and broccoli, fruit such as watermelon, and cakes for dessert. Before going to bed, I made notes about our day&#8217;s activities as I do each night during our travels.<a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FSC_7225.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4504\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FSC_7225-300x171.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"526\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FSC_7225-300x171.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FSC_7225-768x439.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FSC_7225.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 526px) 100vw, 526px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1444.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4505\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1444-300x177.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"528\" height=\"311\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1444-300x177.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1444-768x453.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1444.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 528px) 100vw, 528px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>5,747 steps<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On Day 7, in addition to yogurt with honey and jam for breakfast, I enjoyed French toast. We would be spending eight hours on the bus. Our destination was Erfoud, near the Sahara, and to reach it, we would cross the Middle Atlas Mountains that were dotted with pine and cedar forests. We have a &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/?p=4497\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Morocco Tour, Day 7 \u2014 April 20, 2025<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-morocco-2025"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4497","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4497"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4497\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4928,"href":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4497\/revisions\/4928"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4497"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4497"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4497"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}