Barb's Travel Adventures

Hi all,
Another update but this time there is arabic on the keyboard as well as all the keys being mixed up. Am now in Essaouira on the coast of Morocco. The tour ended yesterday morning and all the rest returned to Marrakech while I stayed here. It was really sad to see them leave. I got up for their 6:15 am departure to see them off. These times on email give me a timeout from all the difficulties of communicating. As you walk through the medina here, every vendor is yelling Madam, Madam, sometimes chasing you down the street. It is quite cheap to use cyber cafes - 20 Dh/hr or $3hr except for the time spent hunting for the right keys. Thanks all for your messages. I really enjoy reading them. The weather here is warmer but there is always an ocean breeze so it has hardly been hot. Yesterday and today I have met several people who speak english so it is enjoyable to have these brief conversations. I stayed an extra day in the upgraded accommodation we had because the reservations for the previous group through here had been badly screwed up and they had no hotel. The upgrade was fantastic but at least a 15 min. walk from the medina. Not good by yourself at night alone although I feel quite safe but it is far from everything. I am now in the Hotel Souiri in the medina which is normally used for the tour I was on. It is a more resonable §35 nite. The woman at the desk, Fatima, speaks quite good English and the people working here are extremely nice. The trekking in the High Atlas Mtns was awesome as was the road and countryside. At least no washouts this time. We stayed in the somewhat remote village of Aremd and hiked to Sidi Chamarouch. Some went farther. Again it was extremely cold. At 4:00pm, it was nearing zero. No heating in the hotel except there were very hot showers. Normally they stay in a berber`s home with only cold water but our guide splurged for the hotel because it had the hot showers. It was 10C in our room in the evening - not so sure I should have bought that thermometer for my pack.
My birthday coincided with the last night of the tour and they surprised me with a birthday cake and song - the long Aussie version of Happy Birthday. Even the waiters sang. We had a fantastic time. We all ended in hysterics as one of the waiters tried to take a photo with Robyn`s camera and he couldn`t see through the viewfinder, then when he finally got it figured out, and tried pressing the buttion, the picture didn`t take so he started the routine all over again. This took about 10 min. It couldn`t have been scripted better by the best comedians. I am breaking up just trying to write about it and the boys next to mme are starting to giggle too... Well I think I have myself back under control.
One of the lunch options available here is to go the the fish venders just beside the medina and pick the fish you want and they grill it over coals and serve it with salad and bread for 50 Dh(§7). [bargained later by myself for a price of 25 - 30 Dh]. There is also a little street stand where you can get a whole baquette with your choice of meat grilled and fillings(kind of like salad) for 15 dh(§2.50). § is the closest thing I can find on this keyboard to resemble a dollar sign. I have explained enough with my note(lost the one Daniel wrote for me but got a new one from the receptionist at the hotel in Marrakech) so they serve my steak with fried onions and tomatoes on a plate and salad - fresh tomatoes, red onions, potato salad, egg and mayonaise on another plate. They recognise me and I get a big smile from them(they are very young - probably 13 - 16 yr old). Eating well has been difficult because of the cumin and corriander in everthing or else it is deep fried or grilled charcoal black. Almond, dates and bananas are my backup foods.
Had mint tea today with a shop keeper who fixed my necklace after it was broken by someone - he speaks very good english and really likes Canadians. I had bought oranges(siimilar to mandarine oranges) and offered these to him and the friends who had dropped by. It turned out this was a very good thing to do. Leanne, I might buy your bell from him as it is the only one I have found but it is very heavy - solid brass about 4 in tall with an old Moroccan coin for the ringer - it is 70 Dh or §10 Cdn which I think is what you said. I am probably going back there tomorrow to see the market that he said would make some very good photos. I seem to have been accepted as some sort of family member since we have shared mint tea. When I asked him when the banks would be open so I could cash some travellers cheques, he offered to lend me some money. Don`t anyone worry - Fatima at the hotel knows where I am going. This fellow is part Berber and it is just the way they are. Mahammed, in the desert was going to give me his jacket and do without when I didn`t have my coat there. Well my hands are starting to freeze - this place is open to the street and the sun has gone down. I don`t have my pack with me now to know how cold it is.
Love to all, Barb
PS - looks like it will not be very easy getting to Casablanca.