Desert Trip 2013

Here's a link to our Spring Break Desert Trip, 2013.

Part 1:

http://vimeo.com/67118663

And Part 2:

http://vimeo.com/67120674

Moroccan Education 101

Our trip to Essaouira was particularly interesting to all of us as we delved into Moroccan work life.

Carpentry Shop

Lesson on wooden inlays

Underground Bakery

Typical Moroccan Bread

Herbs and Potions!

This one made me giggle

Argon Oil Co-Op

Child labor with a smile

Jewelry Workshop

A rather young-looking worker

Phew! What a day. We saw, tasted and smelled things we never could've imagined.

A stroll through Essaouira medina

A couple weekends back, we headed a few hours south to seaside Essaouira.  We were blessed with perfectly breathless weather, in a town where the wind blows constantly.

We braved the local old-town medina, but wiser this time with the accompaniment of a seasoned guide, Mohammed.  (Quite possibly the 57th Mohammed I've met in 8 months)

Medina girls

For any artist, this place is a feast of colors, (but we'll talk less about the "aroma's").

Hotel

Medina store

Joseph was a bit
of a trend-setter

Mohammed, our guide, to the left

Couldn't help but fall in love with these Moroccan doors:

Light's on but nobody's home

Someone lost their feather-duster

I came upon this lady, drawing her water from the communal water source:

Dentist....really?

"Enough photo's already, Mom!"

More about our trip to Essaouira tomorrow....

THE Mosque Visit

Grand Mosque Hassan II is hard to miss in Casablanca.  Great to use as my GPS when lost in the maze of Downtown.

It boasts the highest minaret in the world (60 stories high) with a laser to Mecca.  It is grandiose.

Grand Mosque Hassan II

Many families use the grounds for picnicking or youth jump off the surrounding walls into the ocean.

View from the mosque wall,
looking south down the coast

Looking down from the wall
- definitely not going to jump!

A bit neck-breaking looking up

And on we went to take a peak inside:

Look at the tiny people in front of the doors

Courtyard, also used for prayer

(Welcome to look, but not to enter)
Men departing from prayer

Aah, time for a break.

An Ode to Doors

A light stroll through the Casablanca medina  - one could make a book of Moroccan doors.

Enjoy these...

Casablanca Medina

Once upon a time, two families from Houston ventured into the Casablanca medina (old town).

It was a searing hot day and finding parking was the first challenge.  Once our feet hit the cobblestones, excited vendors emerged from their stalls to beckon us into their dark and dusty boxes.  Not unlike typical Chinatown chaos, the labyrinth of market shops began.  It was apparent that more goods originated from the Plastic Continent than home-grown Moroccan.  But surprisingly it didn't seem to make the medina any less Moroccan.

Casa Medina

We wove our way along alleys, passing mosques, kittens, garbage, produce, furniture fabrication, junk yards, textiles, and much more of everything.

Little L catches sight of a kitten

Boy #1 sneaks a peak inside the
(no-go-zone) mosque

The sign actually says
"Boutique California"

Casa Medina

"Mom, we're heading to the mosque."

Medina kids

Manufacturing corner

Bug Boy scored a free painting!

Then it was time to find a restaurant open for business.  Not as easy as you may think.

A well-known restaurant, Cafe Maure

They sure love their king

Where old meets new.  Opposite the Port of Casablanca

Still looking, still looking... SCORE!  Rick's Cafe - straight out of the movie, 'CASABLANCA'.
Thx V.

Rick's Cafe

Looking up from the table

Humphrey Bogart's gambling den