January 1
Here we are again in the van. We woke up at 7:00, and I pulled on many layers of clothing and went out of the hotel, across a courtyard slippery with ice, into the cafe for breakfast, which consisted of bread, pastry, hard boiled eggs, and the BEST expresso ever.
The scenery is changing drastically from lush green countryside with rocks and mountains to terra-cotta-colored mountains and flatter fields. We just stopped for a photo opportunity at a mountain view; below, there was a clearing a small pen made of rocks for nomads who bring sheep and goats in the winter. We have also passed men selling honey on the side of the road, and the honey is in coke bottles. There was a nomad's market we stopped at, and it was behind a wall and full of chickens, blankets, clothes, snacks (including baggies of popcorn), fruits, vegetables, and hardware (flashlights, lighters, batteries...). I made the mistake of getting my photograph taken with some boys, and they attacked me for durhams after the photograph. Lunch was at a little cafe with individually prepared tajines for each of us. We passed through the spiritual and marble capital of the country, Ar'Foud, and stopped at a marble factory where they make items from fossils quarried in the desert--these fossils were formed after the sahara became the sahara (i.e., after the ocean dried up).
January 2: Merzouga
We arrived in Merzouga yesterday evening, had tea, and piled on more layers. It was really cold. Here is what I wore:
leggings, jeans, 2 pairs of socks, tank top, 2 thermal shirts, cotton sweater, fleece jacket, wool jacket, hat, gloves, two scarves.
The place we stopped for tea was a hotel beautifully laid out with stone floors covered in brightly colored carpets, and our camels were waiting for us at the edge of the yard (which was sand, not grass). I was the first one on, and it was a jolt when my camel stood up--he sort of unfolded from front to back, all the while making horrible grunting noises. I named him Pip, but he did not like me. Each volunteer mounted their camel, and a few Berber guides led us through the desert. We were supposed to get there at sunset, but it was now dark, but the ride was astonishingly beautiful. The sky was black but so full of stars, and I could not see the landscape except for suggestions of dunes. The camel walked with a swaying rhythm, which was neither comfortable nor uncomfortable.
The camp was about 1.5 hours in, all set up with tents with pallets and blankets, a bathroom with running water, and a dining tent set up with low tables and brightly colored cushions on the floor. Lights were scattered around the campsite, but not so many that they interfered with that huge sky full of stars. For supper, we had roast nuts, tea, rice, tajine, bread, and tangerines. Five of us are vegetarians, and we sat at our own table, and at first all we got was rice, and we were afraid that the rice was all there was, so we scarfed down the rice like savages, and without even plates (we never even got plates). It was embarrasing because the server came in a few minutes later with our tajine and looked at our table like we were really weird or something, having scarfed down the rice that should have actuallygone with the tajine. Howeve,r it was a good dinner, even without plates (we used napkins, to very bad effect).
During dinner, I talked a bit with Hamza, our guide, who had some amazing video on his phone of other tourists he's taken out hiking. He is so interesting, and a wonderful guide. He actually went to my tent and brought me my blanket to use during dinner because it was so cold.
After dinner was the entertainment: the Berber guides set up a campfire for us, and they brought out drums and clackers and a tambourine, and they sang and played their instruments for us. We all sang and dance and I had a turn with both the clackers and the drums, and sometimes we danced around the fire. It was the warmest place in the camp, and beautiful, too, with the glow from the fire on everyone's faces and "Salam Wa-aylaykum" being sung.
Sleeping was a little uncomfortable due to the cold, but I snuggled up under all my covers from head to foot (keeping all items of clothing, including shoes, on). It was definitely worth it, as this was the most amazing way to spend the first day of the new year.
This morning, we got to ride the camels at dawn back to the hotel, and as the sun rose over the dunes, it cast dark shadows against the dunes as well as pure, golden light. The ride did not thaw me out, but it was BEAUTIFUL. I highly recommend spending the sunrise in the desert at least once in a lifetime. We broke fast at the hotel--they had a good spread for us. Then, back in the van, paast the fossil souvenir place, through all the towns we'd passed through already, stopping at our hotel in Zaida for lunch (cold rice and salad, bread, omelet, french fries), and stopping also at a monkey preserve. The monkeys were already fed by tourists, so they didn't come out of the trees or pay us any attention, but they were cute (fat).
So, this was a great weekend. "Great" is not the right word. Amazing, surreal, fun, et cetera. I saw beautiful landscapes, ate terrific food, bonded with the NICEST volunteers/friends, rode a camel, danced and sang with Berber nomads in the desert, visited a nomad's market, and et cetera.
Back to volunteer placement on Monday, where I get to play with kids for three hours.
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