Monday, April 7, 2025

A day of travel. Didi arrived at the airport close to midnight and I went to bed after 01:00. Those of you who know me, will also know that that’s not a good time to go to bed for this bald dutchman. And today we drove to Marrakesh. Officially a 4,5 hour drive, but for us, including stops it was closer to a six hour drive.

But we did see a lot of the country side. Not in the last place because our route planner was set to avoid toll roads. It takes me a while before I realize that the roads we pass are of a very simple quality.

But the experience is wonderful. We pass beautiful farmer fields. The colors are amazing - partiallly because of weeds - with bright orange surrounded by yellow is like a Van Gogh painting.

Along the road we stop at a fruit stall and buy some of the sweetest and juiciest oranges I have ever tasted. The old and grizzled man only speaks arabic (or Tamazight - I can’t distinguish between them) - but he refuses to let us pay the full price.

I see large wheat fields. Some look good, some have too many weeds. It’s hard to compare with Canada, where the fields are so much more organized. But I can see Morocco is a significant wheat producer.

Farther south the land is drier, and when the first foothills become visible, the conditions are desert like. 

There are a number of small olive orchards, and in quite a few places I notice attempts of forestation with small olive trees.

Around five o’clock we arrive at our appartment. It’s in a neighborhood of similar straight upright buildings with flat roofs. I have some uncomfortable associations with images from the war in Syria. In Homs tanks entered a neighborhood of potential resistance to Assad. The tank simply aims at the middle floors of a similar building, and fires. No care whatsoever about who lives there or how the survivors will spend the night. Why is the arab world always ruled by despots?

But I shower and the thoughts melt away. Later we find a little restaurant where we have a pleasant meal. Our first choice turned out to be closed permanently, but a local man points us to this one. Excellent.

Hopefully I’ll sleep well tonight. I have some catching up to do.