Mrs. BD and I traveled from the port of Agadir up into the Atlas Mountains, took a 6-hour mountain hike, had a very late lunch/early supper, then headed back to port to sail out into the Atlantic towards the Canary Islands at dusk. That's what I call a full day.
People say we're adventurous, but we just want to live life abundantly, with variety.
The kasbah that Mrs. BD discovered, in the mountains (those are all Argan trees):
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More photo travelogue below the fold - lots of interesting photos for those who have never been in the Atlas Mountains -
Most of the city of Agadir is new, due to earthquakes. It is a busy port
Some of the old city remains
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The city is growing fast and not in a beautiful way
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Early morning drive out to the mountains with a pleasant Berber cabbie (southern Morocco is all Berber - very few Arabs and no black Africans). Signs are in Arabic, French, and the crazy-looking Berber script.
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We met our guide at the kasbah, and headed into the mountains where the paved road ended.
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Had to pass through a Berber hamlet along the way. We met the schoolteacher. Mrs. BD and I were the first Americans in that tiny, ramshackle village and that seemed like a big deal. The Berber people have good feelings about America and, unlike Muslims, love their dogs.
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A wadi. Lots of snakes, supposedly, but unfortunately we saw none.
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Up in the mountains
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The trails are donkey and wild camel paths
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Saw some of the wild ancestors of our domesticated tulips and daffodils
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We had a Berber mint tea "ceremony" on top of a mountain in the shade of an Argan tree. His wife had made Berber cookie-like things for us. Delightful, with vast views. That's where we saw the wild dromedaries.
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Then we hiked back over hill and dale back to the kasbah. Shoes off!
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They had prepared a lovely Moroccan late lunch for just me and the Mrs.: tomato, olive, and parsley salad with Argan oil:
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Moroccan chicken stew (talk about free-range flavor. Great, like a game bird)
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And the usual Moroccan dessert which you have to pretend to appreciate. Damn good coffee, though. Maybe the best I ever had.
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Afterwards, the kasbah had arranged a cab to pick us up and take us back to our boat. Golly, they were wonderful at that place, despite minimal English. Come to think of it, the chef/waiter had some ok English, but French is the lingua franca there.
Back "home" just in time for "All Aboard", and headed out to sea. Miller Time.
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