FIRST PHOTOS STRAIGHT FROM LMAGRIB

FYI: For those of you not in the know about Blogspot, if you click once on a picture it will be enlarged for you to see better. Unfortunately, I do have to reduce the size/quality of the images in order to post them, but I'm trying hard to publish them in the highest resolution possible. Bslama!



WE WENT DIRECTLY FROM THE AIRPORT TO PEACE CORPS HEADQUARTERS IN RABAT WHERE WE WERE INTRODUCED TO THE WHOLE MOROCCO STAFF AND THE COUNTRY DIRECTOR. WE ALSO GOT OUR FIRST TASTE OF REAL MOROCCAN TEA AND SNACKS. TRES BON!




HERE'S A SPECTACULAR VIEW FROM THE ROOF OF OUR HOTEL TOWARDS THE MOSQUE (THE MINERET IS THE TOWER IN THE PICTURE). WE SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME UP THERE PLAYING CARDS AND SHOOTIN' THE BREEZE.



WE ALSO GOT TO MEET THE US AMBASSADOR TO MOROCCO, WHICH WAS A GREAT HONOR. HE WAS VERY DOWN-TO-EARTH AND WILLING TO ANSWER ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS.



THIS IS CYBER CHELLAH, THE ONLY SPOT IN THE BUILDING THAT GOT FREE WI-FI (WEE-FEE IN MOROCCO). THE EUROPEAN GUESTS GOT A BIG KICK OUT OF ALL THE AMERICANS ON THEIR LAPTOPS!



HERE ARE SOME YD AND SBD VOLUNTEERS SAYING BSLAMA (GOODBYE) TO THE VERY KIND AND HELPFUL HOTEL STAFF ON THE MORNING OF OUR DEPARTURE TO OUR RESPECTIVE REGIONS (FEZ AND OUARZAZATE).



HERE IS THE BUS THAT WE TOOK OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOODS OF THE OUARZAZATE REGION (BY WAY OF MARRAKECH). IT WAS VERY COMFORTABLE, AND I'M VERY GLAD I WAS NOT THE ONE DRIVING IT FOR 9 HOURS!



WE HAD A BRIEF DRIVING TOUR OF MARRAKECH, BUT FROM WHAT WE COULD TELL IT IS A LOVELY PLACE TO VISIT.



A LOVELY VIEW OF THE HIGH ATLAS OUT THE BUS WINDOW. AT THEIR HIGHEST POINT THEY ARE JUST ABOUT AS TALL AS THE ROCKIES.



ANOTHER VIEW OF THE BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAINS! AH, THE CLOUD OF DRAMAMINE...



THIS IS ME WISHING I HAD NEVER TAKEN THE DRAMAMINE.



ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL ARTISAN STANDS ON THE ROAD TO OZ. REMEMBER, THESE ARE HANDMADE ITEMS. I HOPE TO BE WORKING WITH SOMEONE LIKE THIS SOON!



MORE HIGH ATLAS...REALLY LOVELY AND VERY DIVERSE IN THE TERRAIN.



WE WERE WELCOMED THAT EVENING ON THE ROOF OF OUR HOTEL WITH A BEAUTIFUL CRESCENT MOON. THIS SQUARE SEEMS TO BE THE CENTER OF ACTIVITY IN OUR TOWN.



THIS IS A VIEW FROM OUR BEDROOM. IT IS REALLY SO LOVELY, ESPECIALLY TO SIMPLY OBSERVE THE ACTIVITIES DOWN BELOW.

MORE TO COME!!!