Marrakesh
Trip Start
Apr 02, 2006
1
13
33
Trip End
Ongoing
Marrakesh, Morocco
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Our hotel is prime position, near djemma el fnaa square, where all the Marrakesh action is (edge of the souq, nigth market of seafood bbqs, musicians and strange boxing bouts) ... but we're also directly across from Koutoubkia mosque, the premier mosque of Marrakesh.
Hilarious!
Marrakesh delights were put on hold as I had the opportunity to accompany my Tour Leader on a 'reccie' to a small town a few hours away. the company is looking for a new itinierary and wanted a hotel and activities scoured on the one free day in the area.
We arrive in this tiny hamlet where there is an unexpectedly gorgeous hotel and a guy hanging around who wants to accompany Kate and I on our quick hike in the area. He presents us with sprigs of flowers and trees and eventually we capitulate, a duality of responsible tourism by employing a local and trying to discourage his destruction of the environment in order to woo us.
3 hours walking later and we have seen all teh sights fo this small town, including the dam that they0're building which will provide power at the expense of villages being flooded and people being moved to a new city of their choosing. It's very odd to look at the hillside and see a white line marked out where the water is supposed to fill up the valley.
So a little adventure to finish off the two week whirlwind that has been my Training Tour. A brilliant time, a learning cliff rather than a curve, and lots of thoughts to take home and work on in a few weeks time!
