7 days in morocco by Christian Kaufmann

This is the story of two Back Packers that ventured into the heart of Morocco without any previously arranged plans. Moving from one city to the next they discovered not only the beauty of its scenery but the true charm of this country. Its people.

Tribute to a Friend

When I announced my plans to make a book about this journey of ours, Adrian asked why I wanted to do such a thing. To be

Es ist schwer jemanden zu finden, den man von Grund auf treu bleiben will. Jemanden den man gerene in der NĂ¤he hat. Einen wahren Freund.

honest, it took me a bit by surprise. What was my ultimate purpose, besides creating a pretty book with some interesting pictures?

Ich hatte die Ehre und das Vergnuegen mit Dir diese Reise zu erleben. Zusammen haben wir ein Land entdeckt und die wahren Erinnerungen haben nur Du und Ich. Moegen es nicht die letzten sein die wir zusammen erleben.

Christian

ÂŠ 2008 Christian Kaufmann Photography

After thinking about it for a while, I came to the conclusion that this trip had given me an insight into the Moroccan way of Life and it had touched me profoundly. In some ways I want to share this insight with the World. This book is a testimony to the

7 DAYS IN MOROCCO

[A Photographic Journey]

Moroccan humility, friendliness and humanity that we found in this third world country and which exceeds in my opinion the hospitality of any western society. But

Christian Kaufmann

7 DAYS IN MOROCCO

[A Photographic Journey]

7 DAYS IN MOROCCO "When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable." Clifton Fadiman US author, editor, & radio host (1904 - 1999)

THE KINGDOM OF MOROCCO Morocco (Arabic: &%# $# # # # # # "! "al-Maghrib"), officially the

name "Morocco" originates from medieval Latin

Kingdom of Morocco, is a country located in North

"Morroch," which referred to the name of the former

Africa with a population of nearly 34 million. It has a

capi tal, Marrakech. The word "Marrakech" i s

coast on the Atlantic Ocean that reaches past the Strait

presumably derived from the Berber word Mur-Akush,

of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea, Morocco has

meaning Land of God.

international borders with Algeria to the east, Spain to

the north (a water border through the Strait and land

Culturally speaking, Morocco has always been successful

borders with two small Spanish autonomous cities, Ceuta

in combining its Berber, Jewish and Arabic cultural

and Melilla), and Mauritania to the south via its Western

heritage with external influences such as the French and

Saharan territories.

the Spanish and, during the last decades, the AngloAmerican lifestyles.

Morocco's long struggle for independence from France ended in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier

The biggest event on the Moroccan calender is the

was turned over to the new country that same year.

month of Ramadan, during which Muslims fast during

Gradual political reforms in the 1990's resulted in the

the daytime and feast at night. Most restaurants are

establishment of a bicameral legislature in 1997,

closed for lunch (with the exception of those catering

although the king still possesses the actual political power.

specifically to tourists) and things generally slow down. In the year 2008 Ramadan took place from Sept. 1 until

The full Arabic name Al-Mamlaka al-Maghribiya

Sept. 29. At the end of the month is the holiday of Eid

translates to "The Western Kingdom." Al-Maghrib

al-Fatr, when practically everything closes for as long as

(meaning "The West") is commonly used. The Latinized

a week and transport is packed as everybody heads back to their home village.

DAY 0

Departure

IN SEARCH OF SOMETHING NEW Two Friends, Adrian & Myself, with a common past and a unknown future, seek to find something new. Something that would spark our imagination, our motivation, our inspiration once again. We decided to leave the cold beginning of autumn in Europe and venture into the borders of Africa. The country we chose is 6

Morocco. Adrian, after taking a temporary break from his studies and a definitive break from his girlfriend, is especially eager to change the course of his life and this trip should signal the start. Me, on the other hand, I see this trip more of a escape from the cold Swiss reality for a couple of valuable days. Most would call it simply a vacation but I want to believe that this trip is more than that. In my mind, this journey is a confirmation, that the unknown can still evoke new spirit in me.

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

We had booked the flight to Marrakech for the next morning at 7 0'clock. Knowing that we had no train connection from Zurich to Basel at that time, we decided to spend our first night at the Airport in Basel and here we where, both strapped with two back packs Trying to make the best out of it, we improvised a bed out of the first bench we saw and tried to get as much sleep as possible. Around 4 0'clock the crowds started arriving and by no means where they considerate. We soon realized that sleeping time was over. So we waited like two zombies until boarding time came and the true adventure could finally start... or was it already beginning.

DAY 1

First Contact

A SHORT STAY A lot of money?

populated urban centres.

We'll see...

We get off, at the same spot, as all the other tourist. Still we don't have a clue. So first is first. We decide to get a map of Marrakech and maybe some general directions of what to see in this city.

We catch the bus to the city and soon we notice that there is an all to familiar chaos on the streets. Having lived in Athens, this was almost like being back there. Two cars on one lane, hundreds of scooters swirling around like mosquitos and buses driving with their doors open and a guy hanging half way out with a big smile. Simply beautiful.

Everything is plagued with tourists, walking around with t-shirts and short pants. The make a clear contrast with the Moroccans. Mostly long sleeve and much less shiny and flashy. I even have to admit that the both of us also fit the description. Adrian at least has sandals on. Me not even that.

I don't know what to expect from this country or its

culture. To our surprise, a clouded sky greets us. From the air, the skyline reveals a dry landscape but with surprising green square fields popping up left and right. As soon as we get of the plane, the typical customs line awaits us. My first impression of the people is friendly but distant. Their faces reminded me of the typical Egyptian face. While filling out the entrance card and i notice that there is a field to state your "Place of Residence", during the time spent in Morocco. We hadn't arranged any hotel booking during our preparation. If there was such a thing as a preparation. The truth is that we don't have much of a plan of what to do. We know we want to go west, in search of beaches and sun. After writing down an address we toke from the flight guide, we get to change money. Swiss Franks for Moroccan Dirhams. The conversion rate is 1:7. For 200 Swiss Francs i get 1400 Dirham more or less.

The other noticeable detail is the color. The omnipresent color is a kind of salmon red/brown. The soil, the walls, the houses. It almost seems like the ingredient of Moroccan society. The city starts becoming busier as we get closer to the center of the city, the medina. A medina is typically walled, contains many narrow and maze-like streets, and was built by Arabs as far back as the 9th century. Because of the very narrow streets, medinas are free from car traffic, and in some cases even motorcycle and bicycle traffic. The perfect place for a market. The streets can be less than a metre wide. This makes them unique among highly

Route N8 leading from Marrakech to Essaouira. Total Distance around 400 km.

We find the famous mosque, Koutoubia in front of us and a tourist information spot not far away. As we get closer a 40 year old Moroccan Gentleman approaches us and asks where we are from. We engage in small talk about our reason here in Morocco and soon enough he offers his services as a guide to us. For 200 Dirham he would be happy to show us Marrakech

and explain to us the historical interesting spots of this city. We explain to him that we first have to decide where we want to stay tonight and get rid of our luggage and maybe then accept his offer. In the tourist office, the person behind the desk asks us what the other man wanted. - Just to show us around, we answer. But we can see on his face that he's not happy with the answer. - Don't trust him, he says. - No good, he says. We get a map from the guy and start to feel a bit weary about the place. As we walk around the city, we are noticed but ignored at the same time. The people smile between each other but not to us. The only ones asking us something seem to be interested to sell us something.

local buses which cost only 25%-50% and are much more fun. These ones aren't really comfortable, but you can get in contact to the local people and learn a lot about the country. The buses often take longer routes than the big ones, so you can see villages you would never get to as a "normal" tourist. For heat-sensitive people this is not advisable though, as locals may tell you that 35 degrees is "cool" and no reason for opening a window. So with this in mind we got on the first bus that was leaving to the coast and that happened to be the one to a place called Essaouria. We found it on the map and decided, why not. Its the spot west. Within an hour we were on our way to our new destination in a smelly bus with no air conditioning. But it was authentic. The only other tourist on board was a 50 year old British gentleman. The rest, were locals traveling for God knows what reason. Without looking back we hit the road...

After 30 min of wandering aimlessly around we both come to the decision that Marrakech is not as appealing as we had expected. It was wiser to head west and come back the last day to Marrakech and get to explore it more then. A plan in hand, we searched our means of transportation. The local Bus. The traveling guide said following: "Nearly every city has a central bus-station where you can buy tickets to travel from region to region. You can either choose the buses for tourists with air-condition and TV. Or you can take the The Koutoubia Mosque is the largest mosque in Marrakech

Locals at the Bus Station in Marrakech.

AN UNEXPECTED INVITATION After two hours riding on the bus something

arabic.

unexpected happened. At one of the stops the bus regularly makes every 30 min or so, a large group of

We arrived at Rashid's Home and got to meet his

people came into the bus filling up to the last seat.

Family, one by one.

Next to Adrian a young teenager sat down, who introduced himself as Rashid. He was the first person

Rashid lives with his uncle Said, his wife and

to speak to us on the bus since we left. He was one of

children, his aunt with her children, [ 9 cousins

the few that spoke well french and one of the fewer

total] , another uncle with his wife, and some other

that showed true interest from the start.

people that are somehow related to his family, but don't ask me how and with whom.

After chatting for 20 min with him, we arrive at the 12

next stop, where he has to get off. Without doubting,

Said, seems like the head of the family and is the

he asks us to come with him to stay at his home. Me

only other person besides Rashid that speaks french.

and Adrian look at each other, both contemplating

Said even speaks and understands a bit english. His

the possibility. Another 2 hours and we would arrive

french is actually very good, better than ours. thats

in Essaouira, but what did he really have there that

for sure.

was waiting for us. The sea and the sand weren't going anywhere. So we decided to do a leap of faith

To describe Rashid and his family in a material

and follow the stranger we just met 20 min ago.

sense it became obvious very soon, that they were poor. They lack the everyday luxuries that people in

We followed him to a car were his uncle was waiting

Europe take for granted. Things like a kitchen, a

for him to take him to his house, which was

flushing toilet or expensive furniture.

apparently another 15 min away with car. His uncle was a bit shocked when he realized that we were together with Rashid. But he didn't say a negative word. On the contrary he reached out his hand and welcomed us. He spoke no french or english, only

Rashid showed us around the different chambers all

first saw it, I had to take a step back. Especially

connected by a common

courtyard. The had a

when it got up to say hello or because it got exited.

room in a shed, that served as a fire place, were

It reminded me of a humongous dog. Rashid even

they cooked their food and bread with an actual

spoke to him in the same fashion we speak to our

fire.

dogs.

The family business consists of two ventures. A

We were invited to drink tea after the tour. They

small shop in front of their house where they have a

also cooked some fresh bread, just for us and

room for souvenirs and general utensils. Another

brought some of their home made olive oil to dip it

family member managed the kiosk next door.

in. The children soon started playing around us while we are talking with Said and Rashid,

Running water was far from developing here

exchanging cultural information.

anytime soon. They possessed a well, where they stored the water they themselves pump out the

Since right now it is the time of Ramadan, the

ground.

time when muslim believers don't eat, drink or smoke during the day. Said explained to us, that

The other venture, or better said, tradition of the

from sunrise (6 o'clock in the morning) until sunset

family was the cultivation and production of olive

(7 o'clock), they obstinate willingly form theses basic

oil. The other side of the house were they had

necessities.

planted olive trees. To press out the oil from the ripe olives, they employed a traditional Press.

I just thought to myself: 12 hours without food!!!!! What was even more striking is that they had no

Guess what pulled the old press. I wouldn't have

problem with cooking food and watching us eat the

guessed it, even after I saw it in the front porch,

food right in front of them while they have been

like a dog on a leash. The real life camel.

feasting for 8 hours already. I almost felt ashamed to eat the bread, but he explained that it was okay,

For anyone who has never seen this animal, I have

because it is not our culture and they were happy to

to say that it is huge. A standing camel is at least

have different guests.

twice as big as a normal horse and by far longer with its long throat and oversized head. When I

What an example of tolerance...

RICH OF HEART When the sun went down at seven we all gathered in

that they must spend a lot of time in front of the

the common/eating room for dinner. The were two

tube, especially at night. For me it is a bit sad to see

tables with 6 people each.

all the glamour of the screen reflecting and making their simpleness of life even more obvious.

During Ramadan, being the first thing they eat after 12 hours of fasting, they don't eat a heavy dinner

At 9 o'clock we gather again for the main meal of

like expected. Rather for them its sort of a breakfast.

the night. It is a simple meal of potatoes and

Light things like soup, bread, oil and dates are

chicken. We even get to eat it with our hands. No

served to get liquid and energy into their system.

forks or any other complications. Just dig in. Coffee

And of course they drink their mint tea.

was accompanying the meal. Both things are simply delicious. Home cocking with love.

After having finished our breakfast we all gathered 14

around the TV and started watching local shows

After the meal we are shown to our room where we

while chit chatting about light things. We could

are going to spend the night. Our beds are basically

literally see the satisfaction in their faces after the

carpets on the floor covered with a warm blanket.

meal. And they are sharing this satisfaction with us,

We say goodnight and let all the events from this

the tourists.

intense day go by, once more in our head, before we fall asleep.

In order to give them something back I have this idea. Why not entertain them a bit with the only

I remember particularly one conversation with

thing I sort of know how to do. [ To Juggle ]. Hard

Rashid. After showing us his property, half joking,

to believe that three simple balls in the air can bring

half apologizing, he says:

so many smiles and laughter.

- I know... that my family is poor. My response was:

I realized while we started watching TV again after

- But you and your family are rich of heart.

my little show, that they had the TV on whether or

Everybody treated us as part of them, as one of

not somebody was watching or not. It came to me

them. No money could buy such honesty.

SAYING GOODBYE The morning came and so did Rashid to wake us up. Since they have to eat before the sun rises, they need to wake up at 5 to eat and if they are lucky, they get to go back to sleep for a couple of hours. But Rashid didn't belong to the lucky group. Since his electric school starts early every morning and it isn't close, he needs to leave the house around 7 in the morning. We eat half a sleep and drink more tea while we get our stuff ready to leave. Once finished, we go down to the main street and wait for a Taxi to come by and take us to town where we can catch the bus towards Essaouira, our original destination. A grande taxi stops in front of us, while we start saying goodbye to everyone. It is a sad moment but yet a grateful one. We even exchange some small gifts like key chains. In town we get to the bus stop and wait for the bus to pass by, which he does eventually. Its not easy to find a way to say thank you to Rashid, for everything. We say our goodbyes with the promise to return one day again. Again on the bus, we slowly start realizing. Their hospitality has moved me profoundly. What I once thought was only possible in fairy tales became a reality with Rashid and his family. During that night I had full exposure to the true Moroccan way of life and we enjoyed their company as much as they did ours. Such giving, without asking for anything in return, has never happened to me before. And I am grateful.

DAY 2

The Tourist Life

NEGOTIATION LESSONS This time, the ride is sader than the previous day,

basically everyone, including us.

saluting people.

temperature is still a bit cold and there are rain

Like two stranded dogs we wonder around the

But there are also the tourists. Not too many... but

clouds everywhere.

streets towards the heart of the city, the medina.

enough for this town, that seems to tolerate them,

Like in Marrakech, its the old town, covered by

just for the sake of their money. The locals see you

walls that hosts most of the shops of Essaouria.

with no interest, unless they are on the mission to

and nobody speaks to us on the bus. The

It's actually raining when we arrive in Essaouira. We can see the pretty blue and white walled fishing port that is 400 km distance from Marrakech.

get as much money from you in anyway possible. It is a truly different world. It takes a while for the

Personally, I got a bit stressed after a while but not

atmosphere to grab hold of you. To us it came after

Adrian.

The water from the rain has made all the mud come

the third time passing through the shops. The locals

right person to have with me in this kind of

alive and take over most of the roads. It is messy,

seem to spend most of their time socializing and

situation.

especially for those wearing sandals. Which is

working in their own shop or walking around and

He is fond of negotiations and he is the

It is a one family apartment with Kitchen, Salon, Bathroom

We go for a walk to check out the beach and see a bit more of

and two Bedrooms. It even has a washing machine and a dish

the city. We get to see the port, which is full of Fishermen, the

washer. I really feel like I am somewhere in Europe. The

beach, which is full of soccer players and of course the cafe's,

contrast with yesterday could not have been much greater.

which during the day are full of tourists .

For me it was clear that we didn't want to afford a place like

Around 7 o'clock, just before the sun sets, we find Mehdi's shop

this. but Medhi wanted to rent this apartment at all cost. So

again. He greets us with a big smile and a table covered with

Adrian and Medhi went at it. The negotiated for about 30

food. I can see in his face, the eagerness to taste some of the

min, but in the end they agreed on 300 Dirham, which

food but he patiently waits for the siren of the mosque to give

amounts to 40 Francs. 20 bucks each for a place he normally

the go ahead. We have a simple but satisfying meal with a

rents for 200 Francs. I was impressed by Adi's performance.

new found friend.

He held his ground against a pro. Around 8 we head back to our apartment and soon Instead of being upset, I sense a smile of satisfaction in

afterwards Adrian lies down and falls asleep. He is a morning

Medhi's face. He invites us to pass by his shop around 7 for

person, while I am more active at night, which creates a bit

dinner and some tea.

of conflict some times, but I guess we complement each other that way.

We finally take a shower after 2 days and it feels like glory. Yesterday I didn't really care about running water but here in

Medhi comes by after closing his shop and we exchange some

this apartment a different mentality starts to surface. I almost

of our cultural background. We even do a little photo-shoot

feel like cooking and making this place my home, even if its

and enjoy each others company. Medhi, a gentle soul full with

only for a day.

joy. It is hard to say goodnight...

DAY 3

The Secret Surfer Spot

ALLAH BRING THE WAVES The next day came and so did our desire to continue

After 3 hours we arrived in Taghazout,but we didn't

our journey. This time our objective is a bit clearer.

find what we expected. For the first time we had set

SURFING. Mehdi suggested for us to go to the secret

our mind to something specific and thats the element

surfer spot further sourth, called Taghazout.

that is now missing. The Surfer shops were there. But not the waves.

So we got the first bus and hopped on it towards this little town, about 200 km away. The Sun had finally

What we are looking at is a sea as flat as it can get.

decided to take over the sky and shine with full

Having done some surf in the past I had to admit that

brightness. We were enjoying the warm temperature

there was no way we would be doing any surf today.

until we got into the bus and felt like every inch in our 28

body was starting to sweat. A sauna was a joke

After the initial shock do what is almost more

compared to this. Finally when the bus started moving

important than surfing, we look for a place to stay. As

we got a bit of fresh air, and my worries about

usual it doesn't take long that someone asks us if we

actually surviving this trip started fading.

are looking for a apartment. Having learned a bit more about their way of negotiating we tell the

The scenery started changing again. More trees

middleman that we want a place for 150 Dirham. So

starting popping up everywhere. A man explained

he takes us to see Salem.

that it was the Argan tree, from which the famous Argan Oil was produced.

Salem is a housekeeper of a house in Taghazout. Its not really a house, its like a very narrow building with three rooms inside, one on top of each other. He shows us the rooms he has for tourists. They don't look too hygienic to be honest, but one of them has a beautiful balcony overseeing the whole village with a view of the sea in the back. So now, after the tour the negotiations begin. Like last time Adrian leads the negotiations.

No more than 150 Dirham, thats our offer. Of

Salem also invites us for tea at his room. Its the

course Salem can't accpet that price. Its too low.

lowest of the three. He is actuall Berber he

And so they go at throwing numbers in the air

confesses to us. All the people in town, or most are

and giving reasons for why that is the fairest

berber.

price. Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa Since we don't back up from our initial offer an

west of the Nile Valley. They speak various Berber

agreement can't be found and we gather our stuff

languages, which doesn't resemble arabic at all.

to leave and find somewhere we they are willing to

Between fourteen and twenty-five million Berber

take 150 for both of us.

speakers live within this region, most densely in Algeria and Morocco. They are the mountain

About 50 meters further on the road, who do we

people as they call themselves. Some older berber

see behind us. Salem. He spoke with the owner and

people still come to Taghazout to fish in the

he said it was okay to stay. Surprisingly we had

traditional way.

gotten our way once again, without expecting it. Anyway Salem confessed to us while walking up the stairs that he had never given the apartment for so little

I ask Salem what happened to the waves and he

money. Its funny how Salem, and Medhi yesterday

answered to me:

too, suddenly change completely once the negotiations are over. As soon as they are done

- Allah bring the waves.

selling something they truly become open and

- You better do something else today.

friendly. Its the selling part, the business part, that

So I asked him:

we foreigners perceive as slimy and even

- So what else can you do in this town.

sometimes aggressive. I think their true nature is extremely kind, and hospital like Rashid and his family.

- Nothing, he says.

CHILLING THE DAY AWAY So we spent most of the Day just chilling at our balcony and exploring the little town of Taghazout. It became night soon and having had a disappointing day, we went to sleep soon. Hoping that tomorrow would bring new wind and with it the waves.

DAY 4

Same OLD TAGHAZOUT

Good Morning Taghazout

In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous. Aristotle Greek Philosopher (384 BC - 322 BC)

THE RUN We both woke up at around 5

wasn't long until One-Eyed Jack

Once the three of us got to the beach

sight after 3 meters distance.

O'clock in the morning with a thick

decides to join us. Jack is a street

it came down to running. We strolled

and dense fog, covering the entire

dog, one of many, from Taghazout

on the beach for about 30 min in the

town and sea.

that felt like following us to see what

never ending coast line. Being the

I don't like jogging, but this I

we were up to.

first person that day we were feeling

enjoyed deaply. Seeing Adi running

Not being able to buy or eat

like we where completely alone in

after seagulls with Jack on his side. I

breakfast anywhere, we decided to

our own World. And it was a

truly regret not having a camera

go jog on the beach for a while. It

beautiful one. The fog covering our

with me.

TIRED OF BEING TIRED Both of us still had the desiree to do some Surf.

has been filled with Hash. Not much to tell.

But Allah had decided to let the waves rest

there seemed to be much more peace here than

another day. So here we where in Taghazout,

At one point we decided that enough is enough

anywhere down there. Besides the fog was still

the Secret Surfer Spot, only in reality it wasn't

and that it was time to do something,

down there covering the entire ocean.

so secret anymore. Now it had become a

anything.... It was time to move.

tourist attraction for all the alternative tourists

So an idea came to us.

coming for surf adventure or to smoke lots of

And so we moved.... In the direction towards

hash.

the mountains to the south. The land of the

Why not discover where this road will take us.

So since there wasn't much surf, there was a

Berber, the mountain people.

The road across the mountains.

compensation with smoking. Our day so far

It was just an evening strolll, but on that path

CHANGE OF PLANS We would give up our hope of surf and

We only had two more days left, because we

co ncent r a t e o n a new A dv ent ur e.

have to be in Marrakech to catch the flight.

Tomorrow we would take the same road as

And we have seen that the distances here are

we did today and cross the mountain path

not too close.

to the other side. Our plan is a bit crazy. We want to pass the There wasn't much up there, but there was

mountain road which isn't even on our map

the promise of a true culture and a new

and see if we can come down on the other

excitement.

end.

DAY 5

Crossing the Impossible

HITCHING A RIDE Our plan was to continue the path that we took yesterday, right into the heart of the mountains and get back on the road at the other side, the N8. From there we would get a bus towards Marrakech. It sounded easy enough. Just a hike through the mountains.. It couldn't be more than 40 kilometers.

Lucky us, we caught a ride almost from the beginning. The pick up truck with some workers going towards the mountains, stopped and we asked if we could ride with them. A quick nod with the head and seconds later we were on the roof with a big smile headed towards our destination. UP THE HILL. Al lucky as we thought we were, 2 km later they had arrived at their destination, a construction site. A bit disappointed over the short ride, but happy to be a bit closer to our destination. So we marched, and we marched....

But from the start we where seeing that the conditions where against us. Adrian woke up with stomach complains and my freaking bag weigh too much. We had no true map of the future terrain and we could carry only so much food, not forgetting water. But we knew that people lived on this road and our true hope was to hitchhike some parts on the distance on any form of transportation. Yesterday we had seen people on the roof of most cars and minibuses. It is tradition here that if you can, you take someone with you to the next possible stop. It was really a nice tradition and we had the desiree also to ride on of those roofs.

The scenery was dry and hot. There were no people on the road or even close to the houses. We would see some form of small villages on the road but completely deserted. Other than some cars going in the opposite direction, there was almost no movement from any human life form. But there was mountains becoming bigger and bigger every step. After about 15 km. and 3 hours later we decided to change leave the road and venture over a mountain directly. Bad Idea. This idea killed us both. Not only did we both carry too much luggage but it was insanely hot everywhere too. We soon realized that at this rate we would be dehydrated in a question of hours. On top of the mountain we both just lay down in the shadow of a tree and fell asleep.

NO WAY THROUGH After waking up and gaining some strength we decided to continue our way back to the original road. No more expeditions. We had to learn the hard way. After 3 hours of further walking in this infernal heat we decided to make a stop at a major crossroad. The road split into two smaller roads that both led to different villages but did not seem to continue. Our situation was getting worse and worse. After trying to come up with a solution, Adrian decided to go scout while I stayed behind and guarded our back bags. 43

For an hour I waited for his return and he hid not come back with good news. The road ended further west and only very small roads continued to other houses. It was already 5 and we were still nowhere. A decision had to be made. We could sleep out here and risk tomorrow an even worse day than today, without food and water, or head back to Taghazout, back to where we came from, back to civilization. With a car passing by that moment headed towards Taghazout made our choice a lot easier. So there we where, finally hitchhiking again, only in the wrong direction. Again another dream we had to abandon, but not without pride of our own persistence and suffering today.

DRUGS, SEX & ROCK 'N' ROLL We arrived once more in Taghazout, very tired and

Not feeling quite yet like sleeping I went to explore this

very hungry. But we both had one thing clear. Tonight

tourist city by night. But what I found were not

we don't sleep here. We had said our goodbyes to this

tourists ,but a city full of sophisticated locals. Apparently

town and the idea of surfing, and there was no way we

this city not only serves as vacation spot for europeans

would wake up to the same scenery once more.

but also for the rest of Morocco. The richer class comes from the other big cities to spend their time in this city.

So we used the only form of transportation after dark 44

that was still available to us. Le Grand Taxi. For 100

Just walking around like all the others without being

Dirham we where on our way to the south, towards

really noticed, gave me a strange satisfaction. I could

Agadir. The biggest tourist City in the South.

walk around and simply observe the people around without catching their attention.

There we found a cheap hotel with two beds and a clean bathroom. After fearing for our survival just a few

From the beach you could observe a big hill at the end

hours earlier, this felt like heaven. Its funny how

of the bay with huge lit up letters. I asked a local:

suffering will make you appreciate simple things much more. The warm shower felt like glory.

- "What do the Words stand for?" while pointing at the glowing letters. -"Rock, Sex & Rock 'n' Roll" he answered with a

Adrian felt so comfortable in his new found slice of

huge grin.

heaven, the bed, that he fell asleep after 15 min. I got

-"Really?"

out of the shower and there I see him snoring already.

- "No. It says God, King and Country." The first one was definitely funnier I thought to myself.

DAY 6

A Piece of Paradise

THE BEAUTY OF AGADIR

We awoke in a new city and a diverse one at that too. Adrian was feeling a bit better with his stomach and a new plan had to be decided. Where did we want to go now and more importantly how? The buses had served their purpose until now but they were not letting us be as flexible as we wanted.

First thing was first. We were hungry and breakfast was waiting. One of the things that caught my attention in Agadir was that they were not desperate for money, like Taghazout. Business was tourism and apparently business was good. Prizes were written and there was less negotiation than other places.

After the delicious cafe, fresh orange juice and toasted bread we went for a stroll through the city. Agadir was blessed with a wonderful beach strip that was one of the main attraction, if not the main one.

Full of cafeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, eating places and majestic 5 star hotels. The place seemed always crowded. When I say crowded, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean in a negative way at all. The place seemed alive and with a bright sun shimmering on the sea, it seemed like a wonderful city to live in.

GETTING SOME WHEELS After arguing for a while what we

a family business, he was obliged to

should do for our last two days we

be there himself and drive the car

decided that renting a car would be

back to Agadir. I don’t think

the best option. Especially because

anybody in Switzerland would go

Adrian wanted still wanted to

through so much hassle just to get 50

explore the mountain regions and we

euros profit at the end of the day.

ha d t o be i n Ma r r a k ech by tomorrow.

So now that we were equiped with a car, I decided I wanted to see one

So this presented to us a small

final beach spot further south before

dilemma. Or better said it was a

heading up into the mountains.

dilemma for the car rental. We

Already being 4 O’Clock we still had

wanted to rent it from Agadir and

another 3 hours of sunlight and

return it at Marrakech Airport, two

Adrian wanted to use them to get

days from now. You have to

some road behind us, but not me.

remember that Marrakech was 400 km away Agadir.

I was still in search of the perfect beach and I had the promise of my

The big rental offices had no

travel guide that the best beach in all

problem with this proposition, but

of Morocco was only 30 km further

they were asking for a much larger

south. So I pressured Adi to follow

amount than Mom & Pop Rental

my instincts and

Places. In the end we took the offer

During the first 10 km we saw about

of a Gentleman for 1000 Dirham.

10 police patrols checking speed

More or less 100 euros. The catch

limits. That’s 1 police patrol every 1

for him was that he had to be in

km. Ironically we were not stopped

Marrakech in two days personally,

even once.

for us to return the car. Since it was

off we were.

A SLICE OF PARADISE

The Souss Massa National Park opened in 1991 and is probably the most important birdwatching site in Morocco. It extends along the banks of the River Massa which spills into the Atlantic just south of the Village of Sidi Rbat. What makes the Souss Massa National Park especially beautiful is its diverse habitat that ranges from endless beaches and cultivated fields to intimidating sand dunes, rocky cliffs and dense Argania forests. From the moment we came close we noticed that this was a special place. Greener than anything we had seen until now and with a mysterious lake just in front of the ocean.

I had found what I was looking for, a beach that did take my breath away and I just wished we had come here earlier. We even found waves big enough to surf here. Everything seemed perfect, except our timing. We rested there for an hour and let Nature do the talking... But the point of departure was as always inevitable.

ON OUR WAY HOME

The road was long and distant. We knew this from the start but you simply can't discover a country from the same hotel window. To travel, is to see. Besides, our journey wasn't quite over yet. One last Adventure before getting to Marrakech and head back home. The mission, how else, cross the mountains but this time with our own car. A local had suggested a small route through the mountains . We decided to take it....

But when the night came that day, we decided to make a stop in the next big town, which was Taroudant. With its majestic gold, pink and orange tinted circuit of high walls, Taroudant is half citadel and half oasis. It is a town of great charm and grace. The ruddy, clay houses, minarets and groves of oranges and pomegranates seem to drowse beneath the gaze of the frosted High Atlas to the north and the Anti-Atlas to the south. It is the last big city before the mountains. With a populati on of 70000 people i t had people

everywhere. I was especially surprised to see people on bicycles. Literally everyone was on bicycles. It looked like an arab Amsterdam. While buying some cigarettes, the owner didn't have the brand I wanted, so he offered me his bicycle to go to the next Tobacco shop about 200 m further ahead. So I did. Just like that. One more on a bicycle. The town was really electrified and full of life. And for the first time there where no tourists to be found anywhere. It was special to be special once again. Some kids making music on the street invited us to join their music session. Everybody was singing, and

even though we didn't understand nor know the lyrics, they kept on banging on the drums and giving us smiles. All we could do is clap with them and return the warm smiles. That night we started getting sadder. At least I know I did. It was coming to an end and tomorrow would be the last in this mystical and open country. I fell asleep that day recalling the good moments we have experienced here in Morocco. Every day seemed more like a week, filled with events and people that will stay in my memories.

DAY 7

The Mountain People

FIVE STAR BREAKFAST

The next morning we woke up to another

and brought us coffee and orange juice. They

We even had to pay with the credit card

beautiful day. The sun was shining and we

even asked us if we wanted any eggs and

because we didn't have that much cash with

decided to take a chance in a five star hotel.

bacon. Bread will do just fine, we replied.

us. Our little deception proved to be our most

Breakfast was being served to all the people

We started eating, but not very relaxed to be

expensive meal by far of the entire trip.

inside the resort, no questions asked. So we

honest always waiting for someone to point

Serves us right but still we had a smile on our

figured it must be an all inclusive hotel and

at us with doubt. At the end of our breakfast,

faces.

since we looked like tourists, why not take

we stood up heading to the lobby thinking

advantage of the situation.

that deception had worked until..... a waiter

With our bellies full we headed towards our

caught up to us and brought us a bill of 200

original destination. Marrakech was only 4

We simply sat down at one of the tables and

Dirham. We just looked at each other and

hours away and we still had to pass through

waited to be served. And the the waiters came

smiled. We were busted.

the mountain roads.

OUR LAST INVITATION The r oa d pr ov ed to be a

They were clearly people from

challenge, full of curves right in

the mountain. A man with his

the heart of the mountains. With

wife and his mother. We took

the heat of the day and the

them with us for a few kilometers

scenery becoming more and more

until they asked us to stop. The

dry we stepped on the gas

Husband, named Mohammed,

admiring the beauty around us.

decided to invite us to his home a bit further down the side road.

Again we would pass by small 60

buses with passengers even on the

Again Adrian and me decided to

roof. Since we had been given the

take up the offer and drive them

joy of hitchhiking with the locals

to their house. The side road

we figured that the least we could

turned out to be everything else

do is return the favor.

of a smooth ride. The further we got the more worried I was being

After about 2 hours following the

able to get back to the main

endless curves up the road a

road. Driving in first gear,

family waiting by the side road

bouncing up and down like a

made us a gesture to stop for

tennis ball our car somehow

them. And so we did. When they

managed to survive the rural

realized that the car was driven

road.

by foreigners they seemed a bit hesitant to get into the car, but

But the bumpy ride proved to be

with a smile or two they decided

worthwhile once again...

to take the chance with us.

What we found was a couple of houses in the heart of the mountains, completely isolated from civ iliza tion. Alm ost everything they owned was built by themselves, including the house, made out of Adobe. Mohammed was Berber, just like his family and the rest of the people in the small village. They were the true Mountain people. We had finally found them.

They invited us to rest in their living room while they started preparing the home made bread. The whole atmosphere reminded me of our first day at Rashid's Home. At Rashid's house we didn't k now a ny thing a bout Morocco, but after being here for 1 week we understood the difference between tourist oriented Moroccans and the authentic natives. And let me

tell you it could not get anymore authentic than this. The sad part was that this time we a lm ost could not communicate with Mohammed, because he spoke very little French. He was also illiterate, meaning he could not write or read. Their skills were in every way practical, it was the only way the could survive out here.

I ha v e to s a y tha t the atmosphere was incredibly peaceful. No car sounds, no people screaming, only the wind whispering into your ear. It would have been a perfect spot to stay for a couple of days and let our mind rest after all we had been through in the last days. Simply disconnect with reality and share their simple way of life.

They brought us bread with some honey and of course mint tea. When the food arrived we even felt bad to eat it since it looked like they were struggling to survive. We ate silently while they were observing us, content to have guests As much as we liked it here we knew we didn't belong here and we didn't really have time to fully enjoy it since we had to head back to Marrakech. While saying goodbye I came to realize their gesture of unselfishness.

People with almost nothing were willing to give it all to strangers. I don't know exactly why they did. Out of respect, custom or simply good will... I do not know, but what I do know is that this deed proved to me once again the true nature of Moroccan society, which in so many ways is superior to our so ca lled civ ilized sta nda rds in Europe. We have it all and we cannot share and here they have nothing and are willing to give it all. Ironic....

SAYING GOODBYE

TO THE MOUNTAINS

MORE The road was long on our way back.

Another thing we both noticed as we

Marrakech kept approaching closer and

So many positive experiences.

We kept passing by small villages,

approached Marrakech is the lack of

closer until its famous tower became

observing the locals. One thing, that

women we had seen during our entire

visible. Being back at the same spot we

really caught my attention was the

trip. Of course we had seen females with

had been only 7 days ago felt very

extroversive the children were. None of

their headscarves or simply walking like

strange. It felt so much more than 7

Normaly one is always happy to go

them ever showed any fear to approach

european teen agers through the street,

days. More like 7 weeks.

back home, but I wasn't. I could stay

us or interact with us. Always with a

but none in cafes, especially the smaller

smi le or laughter. They radi ated

towns. We had met the wives of our past

I wonder if it is because we had such a

more. More of the country, more of

happiness and were willing to share it.

encounters but never a young woman.

good time here.

their nature, more of their people.

Just thinking about it made me sad.

here for so much longer and explore

THE INEVITABLE The next day came and so did our flight

feasting starts all over again. On our

him and therefore asked us to contribute

We were leaving the Kingdom of

back to Switzerland. Of course we had

way, we just contemplated the sunrise

another 100 dirham for compensation.

Morocco. Just like every other tourist.

to return the car first at the airport. So

for one last time.

We agreed and said our goodbyes. Who

But I promised myself something on that

can blame him.

flight.

was there where he said he would be. He

After getting our tickets We got our

To come back one day...

Looking around it shows people are

probably was just as surprised to see us

flight tickets and before we knew it we

awake.

there too. He had realized how much

were back in the air. Only this time in

this little business of his had actually cost

the other direction.

we had our last drive through moroccan streets. At 6 in the morning.

To our great surprise our car rental guy

Others are probably eating

breakfast inside (or dinner)

before the

!"#$#%&

7 DAYS IN MOROCCO 68

Thank "The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances:

You if there is any reaction, both are transformed." Carl Jung Swiss psychologist (1875 - 1961)

Digital Photography Digital Photography

Christian Kaufmann