High points of the trip included Volubilis, an ancient Roman city full of magnificent ruins and mosaics, and the film studios in Ouarzazate. Considered the “Hollywood” of Morocco, we toured the studio’s back lots and soundstages used for movies like Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator and The Mummy. Although it looked quite a bit different from the studios I worked at in Hollywood, we loved seeing the behind the scene makings of such well known movies. The mosques of Fez and Marrakesh filled our sights with vivid colors and intricate architectural details while their markets opened our eyes to quite extraordinary merchandise. Ken even used some of the Arabic our driver taught us to haggle with a shop owner. Needless to say, I was impressed!
Without a doubt, the highlight of this trip came during our time in the Sahara Desert. Lead by a Berber guide, the three of us took off across the sandy dunes; Ken and I on camel back and our guide, believe it or not, barefoot. After riding for a while, we found a perfect spot, high on one of the sand dunes, to spread a blanket and sit for a while. We took turns impressing each other by drawing various pictures in the sand. Every so often, a dung beetle made his way past us. I found them an intriguing subject for photos while Ken, like a little boy on a nature adventure, simply found them irresistible to play with. We stayed to take in the breathtaking views of the sunset as its last lights gave the dunes varying colors of rust, brown, and gold. Neither of us wanted to leave the desert, and we agreed that we would one day return to the Sahara for a longer visit.
I have posted a Morocco photo album that you can access by clicking on the photo album link at the top right.
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