Azrou

Hi Friends,

I hope you are all well! I am enjoying some backpacker-style travels this last week in Morocco.

Yesterday I did my first solitary travel in North Africa. Praise God, everything went very well! I left Kevin and Keely's at 8:45 or so to go to the bus agency, and arrived there by 9:30 and successfully purchased my ticket for my 10:00 bus. The bus showed up at about 10:45 and I began the (supposedly) 5 1/2 hour journey. At about 6pm I arrived in Azrou, and was able to find my friend pretty easily (or she found me).

Last night Michelle, Anthony (a friend of Michelle's through another traveler, who has been traveling for 2 1/2 years), and I went to a resturant and had some tajine -- traditional Moroccan food for dinner. It was really good, steamed veggies and meat, with bread and a salad. We took our time and went back to our hotel.

Today we had a leisurely breakfast at a cafe of coffee and pasteries, and then took a walk around town. It has been bad weather today, but is still wonderful to be in the mountains, in this very sweet town. We had an excellent lunch (I'll post a picture when I can get a computer to accept my card) of chicken and sides... yumm. Meat isn't always eaten as a main dish here, so it was good to get a solid helping of protein.

This afternoon has been very rainy, and cold. In Marrakesh last weekend I lost my rain jacket, so for the last half-day I have been trying to get warm... to no avail so far (although I think I've had 3 or 4 hot drinks). I think we'll have soup for dinner, and then I think I'll crawl under the bed covers. Hopefully that'll work!

Tomorrow the plan is to go to a cedar forrest and see some apes! Then Sunday I think Michelle and I will go to a really pretty town I've been wanted to see since being in Morocco. I'll keep you posted!

Laura