{"id":4581,"date":"2025-05-11T16:19:16","date_gmt":"2025-05-11T20:19:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/?p=4581"},"modified":"2025-05-19T17:32:52","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T21:32:52","slug":"morocco-tour-day-9-april-22-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/?p=4581","title":{"rendered":"Morocco Tour, Day 9 \u2014 April 22, 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I awoke at midnight with severe gastrointestinal distress that afflicts many travelers. I wasn&#8217;t upset, though, because I had brought Imodium from home. I searched through all the meds that I had in the tent, and I discovered that the Imodium had been left on the bus. Then I was upset!<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>When Nick woke up at 7 AM, he went to \u00a0the common room to get help for me. Jennifer and Beth came right over, bringing the meds I needed. I learned that two others in our group had the same problem that I had, but they had been taking the medication for hours and \u00a0their digestive systems were under control. As for me, I could not possibly spend an an hour on a camel with no bathroom nearby. Hassan assured me that I would not be alone at the encampment because O.A.T. employees would be working in the kitchen. In fact, they brought me yogurt and \u00a0a large bottle of water that I requested.<\/p>\n<p>At noon, twelve hours after it began, my situation was under control. I can&#8217;t describe the group&#8217;s activities first hand, but this is what Nick said when they returned at 1:30 PM:<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8220;The camel ride was exhilarating! <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1747.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-4597 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1747-300x254.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"182\" height=\"154\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1747-300x254.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1747-768x650.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1747.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 182px) 100vw, 182px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1765.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-4600 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1765-204x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"107\" height=\"157\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1765-204x300.jpg 204w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1765.jpg 698w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 107px) 100vw, 107px\" \/><\/a>&#8220;We were driven out to the camel encampment and then spent an hour riding the camels, seeing only \u00a0the Sahara Desert sand on all sides of us. Our heads were wrapped in \u00a0colorful scarves that kept us \u00a0from getting too much \u00a0sun and sand. We loved it!<a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1761.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4606\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1761-300x118.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"488\" height=\"192\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1761-300x118.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1761-768x302.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1761.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 488px) 100vw, 488px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1764.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4605\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1764-300x132.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"479\" height=\"211\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1764-300x132.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1764-768x339.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1764.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 479px) 100vw, 479px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1788.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4604\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1788-300x161.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"457\" height=\"245\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1788-300x161.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1788-768x413.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1788.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 457px) 100vw, 457px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1800.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4603\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1800-300x214.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"458\" height=\"327\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1800-300x214.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1800-768x549.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1800.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 458px) 100vw, 458px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1969-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4592\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1969-1-300x193.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"476\" height=\"306\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1969-1-300x193.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1969-1-768x495.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_1969-1.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 476px) 100vw, 476px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2039.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-4596 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2039-234x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"129\" height=\"166\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2039-234x300.jpg 234w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2039-768x984.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2039.jpg 799w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 129px) 100vw, 129px\" \/><\/a>&#8220;At the end of the ride, we went to Khamlia, a village known for its African music. We had a drum lesson, and then attend a performance.<a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2029.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4599 alignnone\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2029-300x184.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"435\" height=\"267\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2029-300x184.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2029-768x471.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2029.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 435px) 100vw, 435px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2017.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-4601 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2017-300x184.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"184\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2017-300x184.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2017-768x472.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2017.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>&#8220;We planned to visit a nomad family in the desert. We stopped at a dry goods store to pick up staples that the nomads might need. Then \u00a0off to the nomad&#8217;s encampment. I was impressed \u00a0by how Hassan interacted with them as we had arrived unannounced. He spoke to them with kindness and sensitivity. They welcomed us warmly and told us about their lives, serving us Moroccan tea.&#8221;<a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2045.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4598\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2045-300x131.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"451\" height=\"197\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2045-300x131.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2045-768x335.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2045.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 451px) 100vw, 451px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2081.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4613\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2081-300x195.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"466\" height=\"303\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2081-300x195.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2081-768x498.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2081.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2093.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4595\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2093-300x231.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"456\" height=\"351\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2093-300x231.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2093-768x590.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2093.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 456px) 100vw, 456px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2102.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-4593 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2102-300x283.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"251\" height=\"237\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2102-300x283.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2102-768x725.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2102.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 251px) 100vw, 251px\" \/><\/a>Late in the afternoon \u00a0at our encampment, \u00a0there was a pizza making \u00a0demonstration in the common room. A cook had made dough, and she used her fingers to stretch it into a circle. This was topped with chopped beef, onions, cumin, paprika and cinnamon. Then another circle of dough was placed on top of the filling, and the circles were pressed together, \u00a0to make a sort of calzone. Enough was made to constitute our dinner. As we ate, \u00a0two of waiters brought out traditional instruments that they played for us.<\/p>\n<p>After dinner, Hassan set chairs onto a nearby dune for us so that we could sit \u00a0with a glass of wine in hand, watching the sunset. A feeling of peace overcame all of us. Later, in \u00a0complete darkness, we enjoyed the night sky.<a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2118.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4594\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2118-300x136.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"525\" height=\"238\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2118-300x136.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2118-768x349.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2118.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>3,513 steps.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I awoke at midnight with severe gastrointestinal distress that afflicts many travelers. I wasn&#8217;t upset, though, because I had brought Imodium from home. I searched through all the meds that I had in the tent, and I discovered that the Imodium had been left on the bus. Then I was upset!<\/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-4581","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\/4581","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=4581"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4581\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4930,"href":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4581\/revisions\/4930"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4581"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}