Location: Marrakech, Morocco
Al was skipper, but as he stayed back on the boat, I will write about the day’s events.
The day began with a hectic docking in Safi. The marina we are staying at is commercial and not really sailboat-friendly. We had to maneuver around several other boats and had quite a bit of trouble communicating with the Moroccans on the dock to catch our dock lines. Then came the customs officials. Luckily, we have Victoria to translate for us. I don’t know what we would do without her! Soon after our banana bread breakfast, we were on a bus for a 2.5-hour ride through the Moroccan countryside to Marrakech. Marrakech is a drastic change from the rural villages in Morocco. It is a thriving African metropolis full of marketplaces and European influence. We toured the main palace and roamed through the streets, taking in the rich scents of herbs and spices. A highlight of the tour was a stop at the apothecary, where we purchased remedies for seasickness and stress, as well as teas and oils as gifts for our families. It was nice to be in a country for a change that had a currency valued less than $US. After a stroll through the night market, we enjoyed a traditional dinner and slept on the bus all the way back to Safi.