Hey everyone!
I still haven't had time to type up the post about Ghana, but I thought I would share a little about what I will be doing in Morocco when we arrive the day after tomorrow. I am signed up for the two-day trip "Marrakech and Ourika Valley - Berber Family Visit." The following description is taken directly from the SAS Field Program Book. I'm very excited!
"Situated at the foot of the tall Atlas Mountain range is the most famous imperial city of Morocco, Marrakech. Upon arrival, proceed on foot into the ancient city, also known as the Medina. Explore the Mosque of the Koutoubia (the booksellers), erected in the XII century. From its imposing and stupendous minaret, a masterpiece of the Hispanic-Moorish art, the muezzin calls the inhabitants of the city every day to prayer.
Next, visit the Majorelle Gardens, home to the late Yves Saint Laurent which today houses a collection of plants from the four corners of the earth, flourishing among elegant ornamental lakes and an Art Deco villa. You will also visit the Medersa Ben Youssef, one of the jewels of Marrakech. The current structure of this Koranic school was built around 1570 and it is the biggest medersa (school) in the whole of the Maghreb (west).
Lunch provides an opportunity to relax and to taste some food typical of the local kitchen. Continue on an inside visit of the Bahia Palace, residence of Ba Ahmed, the chief Vizier to Sultan Moulay El Hassan. Particularly striking are the painted cedar wood ceilings. The Palace is Andalousian in style.
Enjoy an era gone by exploring the colorful and perfumed world of the souks of Marrakech. In the lanes covered with reeds and lanterns a wealth of local handicraft are shown. Finally, arrive at the most famous plaza in Morocco, the Jemaa plaza el Fna, where you will find a cosmopolitan crowd of dancers, cantastorie, snake charmers and monkey trainers. This site was proclaimed a "Masterpiece of the oral and immaterial patrimony of the humanity” by UNESCO in 2001.
The next day, depart on a great day trip from Marrakech to the Ourika Valley which is prime hiking territory in all seasons. Less than 45 minutes out of Marrakech you can see green gorges, sparkling yellow wheat fields at the foot of snowcapped mountains, and the ferocious flow of the Ourika River, where women wash clothes in the spray of waterfalls at the roadside. Look out, too, for traditional flat Berber homes; they are assembled in stacked villages all merged in the same red earth. The only vertical line which breaks the slither of horizontal roofs is that of the village mosque, whose minaret towers above it all.
Spend time with a traditional Berber family where you can observe their way of life. Enjoy lunch with them before the drive back to Casablanca.
Note: Please bring a pair of sturdy walking shoes."
I still haven't had time to type up the post about Ghana, but I thought I would share a little about what I will be doing in Morocco when we arrive the day after tomorrow. I am signed up for the two-day trip "Marrakech and Ourika Valley - Berber Family Visit." The following description is taken directly from the SAS Field Program Book. I'm very excited!
"Situated at the foot of the tall Atlas Mountain range is the most famous imperial city of Morocco, Marrakech. Upon arrival, proceed on foot into the ancient city, also known as the Medina. Explore the Mosque of the Koutoubia (the booksellers), erected in the XII century. From its imposing and stupendous minaret, a masterpiece of the Hispanic-Moorish art, the muezzin calls the inhabitants of the city every day to prayer.
Next, visit the Majorelle Gardens, home to the late Yves Saint Laurent which today houses a collection of plants from the four corners of the earth, flourishing among elegant ornamental lakes and an Art Deco villa. You will also visit the Medersa Ben Youssef, one of the jewels of Marrakech. The current structure of this Koranic school was built around 1570 and it is the biggest medersa (school) in the whole of the Maghreb (west).
Lunch provides an opportunity to relax and to taste some food typical of the local kitchen. Continue on an inside visit of the Bahia Palace, residence of Ba Ahmed, the chief Vizier to Sultan Moulay El Hassan. Particularly striking are the painted cedar wood ceilings. The Palace is Andalousian in style.
Enjoy an era gone by exploring the colorful and perfumed world of the souks of Marrakech. In the lanes covered with reeds and lanterns a wealth of local handicraft are shown. Finally, arrive at the most famous plaza in Morocco, the Jemaa plaza el Fna, where you will find a cosmopolitan crowd of dancers, cantastorie, snake charmers and monkey trainers. This site was proclaimed a "Masterpiece of the oral and immaterial patrimony of the humanity” by UNESCO in 2001.
The next day, depart on a great day trip from Marrakech to the Ourika Valley which is prime hiking territory in all seasons. Less than 45 minutes out of Marrakech you can see green gorges, sparkling yellow wheat fields at the foot of snowcapped mountains, and the ferocious flow of the Ourika River, where women wash clothes in the spray of waterfalls at the roadside. Look out, too, for traditional flat Berber homes; they are assembled in stacked villages all merged in the same red earth. The only vertical line which breaks the slither of horizontal roofs is that of the village mosque, whose minaret towers above it all.
Spend time with a traditional Berber family where you can observe their way of life. Enjoy lunch with them before the drive back to Casablanca.
Note: Please bring a pair of sturdy walking shoes."
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