Last night, we landed in Casablanca. My first impression of Morocco wasn't great: We spent an hour in a barely air-conditioned airport in the immigration line. The heat was stifling, the line long and slow, and the people quite rude by American standards. They crushed against us and cut in line if we gave them even the smallest opening. At one point, an entire herd of hijabis (women wearing head coverings) stampeded ahead of us! I quickly learned that I had to be a bouncer for our family, blocking people with my body to give us room to breath.
Our stay at the Four Seasons hotel was much better. Air conditioning is still a phrase they use loosely here, but the rooms were posh and spacious. We really had a good time the next morning at the pool, which was beautifully designed and decorated. The service was also first class. After getting an espresso, I asked for whatever morning beverage Moroccans like to drink and had my first pot of achay, Moroccan tea, with mint (manaa). It was an instant favorite.
So much more to tell, so little time to tell it. The main adventure today was driving three hours through the desert from Casablanca to our villa in Marrakech. Just like the night before, hot suffering (the van's air conditioner was sketchy at best and had to be shut off all together when the engine started overheating in the 110+ midday heat) was followed by a posh reward: Our villa is the height of luxury with a full pool, more than enough room for the 11 of us and two women to do all the cooking and cleaning. Best of all, they served us a delicious Moroccan-style chicken dinner that we got to enjoy together as one big, happy family.
Tomorrow's adventure is camel riding.
The back of the villa and our pool
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