Into The Country

We get up at eight in the morning to eat breakfast and pack for our journey to the country. Leea works with a man named Younes who is from Morocco and he has arranged for us to go and spend four days with his family in the country. His brother Hasham will be picking us up and driving us two hours east of Marrakech to the family home. I am excited for this opportunity, but a little nervous because I have no idea what to expect.

Hasham arrives around ten in the morning and he is a nice young man, probably in his thirties. He speaks several languages including English. We chat a bit as he drives us to the country. We arrive two hours later after driving through a number of towns and villages some with bustling outdoor markets by the side of the road. Between the towns and villages we see people walking great distances to get to or from the village. Some people are riding donkeys carrying goods to or from the market.

The house by Moroccan standards is a castle. Even by South Orange County standards it is impressive. It sits up on a hill at the end of a long drive way with a hundred olive trees between the house and the road. Surrounding the house is a substantial yard with green grass. There are two watch dogs. The house itself is easy four times the size of our humble abode. We approach it by some grand stairs that lead to a front portico. As we enter the house we see two sitting rooms on either side with benches lining the walls. One the benches are patterned cushions and pillows making them very comfortable for sitting or sleeping. We move on and there is another sitting room on the right with a television set. I have hopes there is wifi, but no, we are off the grid. Across from this sitting room is the kitchen area, and out the back door is another patio area.

So, that is the first floor. We are told that the second floor is ours and we can use any of the rooms, which include two large bedrooms, another sitting room like the ones downstairs with a TV, and another sitting room with large leather chairs and a couch. It looks like the boys room. There is also a bathroom.

The third floor is a walled roof top with a clothes line and plenty of room to sleep in warm weather. I am stunned, and then I learn this is the summer home. It is in the Berber region where Hasham and Younes's mothers family are from. We meet a great number of this family and get to know two of their aunts and the husband of one of the aunts, Hasan, quite well. We also grow fond of several of the younger members of the family.

Well we set down our bags and within minutes we are told the food is ready. I'm surprised, but I'm thinking a light snack, maybe a little salad. We sit down at the table in the sitting room nearest the kitchen and several female members of the family begin bringing in trays of food. There are salads, bread, and a large platter of couscous covered in vegetables and I learn later covering a large piece of meat. Then after all of that there is melon for desert. I am stuff, but the food is so tasty. I think we forget what really fresh food tastes like. The vegetables used in cooking here were in the ground this morning.
I'm ready for a siesta, so we decide to rest for a while and then go on an "excursion." A few hours later after a short rest we are on our way to a waterfall in Ozoud. With Hasan as our guide. We drive quite a way and finally come to the spot where we are to climb down to the bottom of the waterfall, and need I mention climb back up. It is a long way down, easily a mile. The waterfall is huge and beautiful. There are little stalls selling refreshments and souvenirs on the way down. At the bottom are a bunch of kids playing in the water, climbing cliffs around the water fall and adults watching or taking rides on pontoon rafts covered with flowers and dining room type chairs. The rafts take people to the base of the falls.

Hasan thinks we should ride on one of the flowered rafts so we do. We go the the other side of the body do what and climb up a cliff by some playful monkeys to a patio under a grape arbor where we have some mint tea. It was lovely and relaxing. Then we started the trek back up which included two refreshment breaks, one for water and one for orange juice. We get back to the house and are asked if we would like some coffee and tea. We think this sounds good. We did not know that coffee and tea are never served alone. They come with fresh prepared bread things that are somewhat like pita bread, but warm, soft and freshly made. These are served with honey, a very thick rich honey, olive oil, used instead of butter and Nutella. Nutella?! Leea loves Nutella.

It's like seven in the evening at this time, so I'm thinking this is dinner. I am so wrong. We sit on the porch relaxing, enjoying the breeze, doing absolutely nothing, and staring off into the mountains. I'm contemplating whether I can do this for four days, I think I'm going through Internet withdrawal. Then I realize it is just preparation for the journey. My revelry is interrupted by a question, what was that? Am I ready for dinner? Oh my God! No, but yes, I guess. Again we go to the sitting room and great platter of food are brought out with a different kind of salad, rolls and a tajine filled with vegetables and roast. And this is followed with melons. There is easily enough food at each meal for ten people and there are only four of us eating Hasan, Hasham, Leea and I. The women who cook eat in the kitchen after bringing out the food and before clearing the table. We are not allowed to help.

At this point I have visions of me being rolled on the Camino. lol There is nothing left to do at this point, but go to bed.