March 4th, Tuesday

            Before the sun was even starting to threaten its awakening we were awoken to what sounded like a loud chorus of bells and music or maybe even a street party. There were bells ringing, horns blowing and what sounded like many many people singing a different song at the same time or even the  same song just with different timing. I was confused and a bit startled, but since I was so tired all I could do was toss, turn, and hope the “party” would be over soon. Once it finished I happily went back to sleep until the official start of the day. 

After getting up and ready Sarah and I headed downstairs for yet another wonderful breakfast. We were the first ones there and as we were enjoying the morning in the sitting room off the patio, our talking must have woken up Joussef, who quickly got us seated at a table on the patio and started making breakfast. The breakfast was almost exactly the same except we had pistachio yogurt, another type of pancake type thing that was full of holes, and bananas. We ate leisurely enjoying the beautiful morning. I read some Psalms and then watched the water in the fountain. 

Soon it was time to go out and meet with our tour guide. Joussef once again led us back through the now more familiar streets to the place where the taxi dropped us off, which then felt like 2 years ago. The tour guide and van were waiting. Joussef talked with the guide, we payed the tall, dark, and balding man, and sat down in the van. Other people got in the van and then we were off.

I wish I could accurately describe what I saw, but it was so much to take in and it all passed by so quickly. There were lots of houses, people, construction sites, donkeys, and motor bikes. There was so much dust, little shacks that whizzed by, even more people, kids driving motor bikes way too big for them, more dust, dirt, trash, fancy cars, fancy homes, shops, and large empty spaces or fields of just rocks, dirt, trash, and people. Making our way through it all we pulled into a gas station to fill up before our trip. I had to chuckle when I saw an empty cup that had held tea sitting on the pump, they really do drink it all the time! I noticed that the pump took a very long time and curiously the gas pump was right beside the driver-side door. 

Anyways once we were full, we kept on moving past the very wealthy country club residences, past the slums, and finally past the big city. We drove out into the country where it was green and the roads weren’t the best. We saw many people working the fields. I saw for the first time dogs. There was a fog climbing around the hills and we were just able to glimpse the Atlas Mountains. We passed through small towns and saw the children running out of school, hand in hand laughing and full of childhood joy. 

We finally stopped on the edge of the road to pick up a very important member of our tour group…the actual guide. Evidently the guy to pick us up was just the driver but Hamad was our actual guide. So at that point we all got out and were instructed to follow Hamad. As we followed him on the dusty street he spoke to us each in our own language, French, English, and Spanish.

He led us along seeing little things along the way in the very small and dusty town. We saw a lot of roosters, a couple of older women and two children, but to me the town seemed a little abandoned. The streets which were more like small mountain paths were empty mostly until we got to a house where I could hear other tour guides leading their little sheep, I mean tourists, like us through as well. 

As we entered the small house I noticed it was a barn at the bottom, a house where the family actually stays on the side, and if you went upstairs on the roof terrace there was a restaurant type set up. We were led into the room where there was a large clay pot type thing  on one side that was big enough to fit one person in with a “fireplace” underneath on one side. This we learned was the family’s hammam, where they would bath themselves. To our left there was a calf in its little room and supposedly there was a donkey but it was illusive. We then headed the stairs made of the same mud brick as the walls. We walked past tables on the roof-top terrace into a small room that was the kitchen. Here is where the ladies in colourful dresses and head coverings were making a flat bread and the typical mint tea. 

Out of the kitchen the roof terrace was set up very much like a restaurant, we came to our table and took our tiny, low to the ground, stools by the low table. It was at this point I was able to finally see better everyone who was in our group. There was a lovely French family of 4, a Mom, Dad, and two adopted children, a couple from England, a couple from the Island of Mann, a couple from Spain, and us. We sat beside the couple from Spain and Sarah started off by asking them where they were from in Spanish. They said, Extremadura, and expressed how good it was for them to speak to someone in Spanish. After talking for a bit they invited us to visit them sometime and later gave us their information. They were so friendly and open and it once again reminded me of my love for the Spanish people. I thanked God for His reminder and for open doors. 

During our conversation we were brought more tea, freshly baked (made) flat bread and oil, butter, or honey to dip it in. We were even told that they had bee hives and that they harvested the honey right there. It was of course delicious and very picturesque looking out over the hills dotted with other tiny towns. 

It was however in this moment that I realised I needed to use their restroom and so after asking where it was, Sarah and I made our way downstairs to the “restroom.” What we found behind that curtain door however was two places to put your feet and a hole. Agreeing that we both did not need to go that bad we quickly headed back upstairs. Later after we were heading out I realised I couldn’t wait. So after seeing the French lady’s daughter exit the “bathroom” and her giving me a knowing and sympathetic smile of encouragement I went for it. Although smelly, it was fine. 

Then it was back to the van. We drove along beside a river that was lined with restaurants on the other side, and the oddest thing…couches, sofas just right along the river pulled up to the water like beach chairs. It was such a very funny sight and it looked even a bit precarious. Although not as precarious as the bridges that were provided to get to them. They looked truly like something from a Indiana Jones movie, rope bridges with falling, small planks or sticks to walk across, I kind of expected to see indian arrows flying toward us as we got closer. We were assured it was safe and so of course we had to have a photo shoot on one of these bridges. I felt like a true explorer walking across the shifting sticks over the somewhat rushing water, that is until I saw little kids playing on it and my picture that looked kind of like a soccer mom with a fanny pack. 

Anyways after that the time had finally come for me to have my encounter with Carol the camel. (I’m not really sure if that was her name or that she was really a she…) I did though get to have my picture taken on her, but because of our lack of money at this point I couldn’t go on a ride. 

Ok after that we continued down the road until we came to a village where we got out of the van and went into what looked like just the door to a house. When we entered though the first thing to hit me was the aromatic smell, it was a spice garden. I could have closed my eyes and just enjoyed the beauty but I would’ve missed how pretty it all was to see as well. How amazing is it, that God has blessed us with so many ways to experience beauty, from sight to smell, taste and touch! It wasn’t very big and our tour guide took us around the small garden and tried her best to explain in English what they had there. I saw and smelled all kinds of things from lemon grass to lavender, all of them clearly marked in sections. 

We walked past a couple of ladies demonstrating how they ground the spices on a stone wheel to make it into a paste-like substance. Then we were led into a room upstairs where the guide gave us a sales pitch and then allowed us to look around at all the spices to see if we wanted to buy some. I went outside instead and talked some to the couple from the Island of Mann, Holly and her boyfriend. After that I sat down on a low stone fence to soak it all in from the feel of the sun cascading down on me to the smell of the spices, to the little ladies grinding away at the spices. While I was enjoying all this I even made a new friend. A little kitten came up to me and climbed in my lap and curled up in a ball for a nap. It was precious. 

Then it was time to go and I had to say goodbye to my new furry friend. So back in the van we went; off to our next destination which happened to be a restaurant. We were led down several levels of the patio at the restaurant until we came to the bottom closest to the river. It was beautiful under the shadow of the Atlas Mountains, hearing the river closing below us, and seeing the willow tree waving as us in the breeze. 

While we were admiring all the beauty we quickly came to realise that lunch wasn’t included in the price of the tour and the cheapest thing on the menu was 8 euros not including the water. Resigning ourselves to the cost knowing there was no other option unless we just didn’t eat. After coming to grips with the fact that after this meal we would no longer have enough money to even get a taxi back to the airport, we did what any beloved daughter would do…We asked our Father to provide the money for us, we thanked Him for the trip and for providing, and rested in knowing that He is our Abba who loves us and cares for us. So we enjoyed our meal and even were serenaded by a couple of musicians playing somewhat traditional Berber music along the way.

After the meal the group started walking. We were told we were in Eureka Valley and that we were going to a waterfall. I was so excited to see it and so with enthusiasm I followed our guide. We went through I guess what was a town that was on the other side of the river. It looked like we were just walking through a maze of houses up the hill, but I came to realise that they were actually a bunch of restaurants and shops. We followed a path all the way up until it became rocks then we basically bouldered on a small scale up the creek that was created by the waterfall. We went higher and higher carefully stepping and climbing following each other and our guide. Hamad during the harder parts and even at times the Spanish man Bernie lent us their hands to help us along our way. I had to laugh as we saw their homemade refrigerators are bottles placed in a fountain, under a small waterfall, or sprayed by a sprinkler. 

Once we finally reached the look-out for the waterfall it felt like such an accomplishment and I even felt closer to those on the tour. We got our pictures taken and just enjoyed it for a bit. Then it was time to head back down, which was much more tricky than going up. I had to rely much more on our guide and his instruction, by letting him show me where to place my feet so as to not slip and to allow him to stabilise me on some rocks. (What a great example of what God does for us! I could have of course tried to climb down on my own instead of listen to the one who knew the rocks and had done it so many times, or even not allowed him to stabilise me when I needed it, but both of those things would have resulted in disaster. So what a great lesson that as I am climbing on the rocks of this life I need to listen to my Guide and allow Him to led and stabilise me along the way) 

It was great though and so very beautiful in that valley. Sarah and I kept quoting different Psalms because we really could picture David leading his sheep right through there as he wrote them. Along the way a couple of times the money worry came to my mind, but just as our guide led us up and down, supporting us, and instructing us, I knew God would in the end too. 

As I walked back to the van I started talking to Holly, we talked about the fun things we both had done during our time there, I told her about the henna experience, and the conversation even led to our money predicament. She said that her boyfriend’s card was doing the same thing, but that hers was working, she then asked if we needed some money to get by and quickly I said feeling a bit embarrassed we’ll be fine I’m sure. After saying that I thought maybe it was through her that God was trying to provide, I just needed to stop being proud. Later down the road when we were talking she asked again if we were going to be alright or if she could give us 200 durham (20 euros), she said it wasn’t very much but she would like it if we would take it. I paused and then accepted and when we asked how we would get the money back to her she said forget about it and that she knew we would’ve done the same for her. I was blown away, God had once again provided and through a complete stranger. 

We got back to the hectic life of Marrakech, thanked Holly and her boyfriend again, and then walked back to the Riad. We decided to try the ATM machine one more time, but of course it didn’t work. Along the way though we did discover that the same restaurant that we ate at the first day accepted credit cards. So then we had just enough for Sarah to barter for her souvenir, us to get a delicious fresh orange juice at a stand in the square for 8 cents, and try the ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon spiced tea. While sharing the spicy tea I soaked it all in for the last time, all the music of the street performers and snake charmers, the smoke from the food stands floating and mixing with the lights, and the mass amount of people walking, eating, laughing, talking, and making up a beautiful part of this picture.  We of course had to laugh though when the song, “Shine bright like a diamond,” came on over the stand’s loud speaker, it had followed us even there! 

Once we finished our tea we said good-bye to the square and continued on to Le Bougainvillier, where we ate pizza of all things and best chocolate torte I’ve ever tasted…well maybe it was the only one I’ve ever tasted, but let’s just say it was a privilege to put it in my mouth.  After our last dinner under those tin lights we walked slowly back to the Riad, enjoying all the chaos and allowing ourselves to take part of the dance of life in the evening one more time.

When we got to our room I went out to visit the stars that were so clear on the roof, until I got too chilly to do so which was only about 10 minutes later. Then feeling very very tired I tried to go to sleep. I woke up shortly after thinking Sarah had not gotten back to room, but when I realised she had, I tried to lay back down but I started to feel sick. I went to the restroom and after wards I started to shake really uncontrollably. As I went to lay back down Sarah asked me if I was alright and I told her that I was shaking and she said that she was too. After praying I calmed enough to drink some water, and slowly the shaking started to slow down. Needless to say restful would not have been my word of choice for my last night.