{"id":4791,"date":"2025-05-16T09:02:27","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T13:02:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/?p=4791"},"modified":"2025-05-16T09:02:47","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T13:02:47","slug":"morocco-tour-day-14-april-27-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/?p=4791","title":{"rendered":"Morocco Tour, Day 14 \u2014 April 27, 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This was the day of the Hot-Air Balloon Ride. Those who wished to participate had to leave our riad at 5 AM, because the balloon site was forty-five minutes away. We opted not to go, because Nick was still coping with a cold, and I was concerned about \u00a0my motion sickness.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2741.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-4819 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2741-174x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"126\" height=\"217\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2741-174x300.jpg 174w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2741.jpg 593w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 126px) 100vw, 126px\" \/><\/a>We awoke in time for breakfast, and we found that the choices were even more varied than they had been the day before. I was so pleased to see \u00a0poached pears, my favorite dessert, and Nick liked the beef sausages. Then \u00a0Hassan \u00a0took the rest of us to two museums, the <em>Museum of Water Civilization<\/em> and the <em>Jardin de Majorelle<\/em>. We had never been to a museum that was about water before, but water is foremost on the minds of Moroccans. We learned what the government is doing to bring water to its people. \u00a0On the other hand, Marrakesh has five golf courses that are allotted large amounts of water. Only the wealthy play golf, so \u00a0those without wealth receive no benefit from so much water being given to golf courses.<\/p>\n<p>We had a relatively quick lunch at an Italian \u00a0pizzeria \u00a0called Portofino, where the choices were pasta or pizza. Nick ordered pasta carbonara, while I chose four cheese pizza. Although they weren&#8217;t quite like pizza and pasta at home, they were still tasty.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2766.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4816 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2766-247x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"168\" height=\"204\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2766-247x300.jpg 247w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2766-768x933.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2766.jpg 843w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 168px) 100vw, 168px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2819.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4818 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2819-173x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"123\" height=\"214\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2819-173x300.jpg 173w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2819.jpg 591w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 123px) 100vw, 123px\" \/><\/a>The Jardin Majorelle was begun by Jacques Majorelle in the 1920s, but it fell into disrepair through the years. 1n 1980, Yves Saint Laurent and his partner began restoring the garden. It was refreshing to be there on a day during which the temperature had risen above 90 degrees. We saw many elements of flora \u00a0including water lilies, varieties of cacti, palm trees, and flowers, and fauna, such as fish and frogs in ponds.<a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FSC_7490.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4814\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FSC_7490-300x204.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"472\" height=\"321\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FSC_7490-300x204.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FSC_7490-768x523.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FSC_7490.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 472px) 100vw, 472px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FSC_7505.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4811\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FSC_7505-300x196.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"476\" height=\"311\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FSC_7505-300x196.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FSC_7505-768x502.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FSC_7505.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 476px) 100vw, 476px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2782.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4820\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2782-300x213.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"476\" height=\"338\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2782-300x213.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2782-768x545.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2782.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 476px) 100vw, 476px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2827.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4821\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2827-210x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"359\" height=\"513\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2827-210x300.jpg 210w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2827.jpg 718w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 359px) 100vw, 359px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>When the group that had taken the Hot-Air Balloon ride returned, they described their experience in glowing terms. We were surprised to learn that each balloon could hold about fifteen people.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2847.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-4812 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2847-300x273.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"251\" height=\"228\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2847-300x273.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2847-768x699.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2847.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 251px) 100vw, 251px\" \/><\/a>After a rest back at the riad, we met Fatima, a Moroccan woman who told us about her quest for gender equality while being \u00a0part of a family that wanted its traditions to continue without change. Her story brought to mind my mother&#8217;s life in the 1930s. Her father was born in Italy and he expected that his children \u00a0would follow all the \u00a0customs and traditions he had grown up with, which meant that equality for women was out of the question.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2856.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-4815 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2856-300x161.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"356\" height=\"191\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2856-300x161.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2856-768x412.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2856.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 356px) 100vw, 356px\" \/><\/a>Although our tour hadn&#8217;t been completed, this was the night of our farewell dinner, which was held in <em>The Red House<\/em>, the former home of a Frenchman who had decorated it beautifully. We were just a few steps from the busy street, but we \u00a0left the hubbub of Marrakesh behind us as we enjoyed our dinner and thanked Hassan for his excellent leadership.<a href=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2864.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4813\" src=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2864-300x173.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"501\" height=\"289\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2864-300x173.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2864-768x442.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ESE_2864.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 501px) 100vw, 501px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>7,177 steps<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This was the day of the Hot-Air Balloon Ride. Those who wished to participate had to leave our riad at 5 AM, because the balloon site was forty-five minutes away. We opted not to go, because Nick was still coping with a cold, and I was concerned about \u00a0my motion sickness.<\/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-4791","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\/4791","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=4791"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4791\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4825,"href":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4791\/revisions\/4825"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pisarro.org\/aboutnick\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}