Touring with Youssef - part 2

Youssef was promptly ready at 10am to take us on our day adventure. First we drove to the town of Safrou.

Sefrou is located about 35 km (22 mi) southeast of Fez. The town, much smaller than its tourist-filled counterparts, smaller, and perhaps more charming than towns visited by a majority of travelers. Sefrou, which stands at an altitude of nearly 1000 meters (3000 ft), has streets lined with trees and a cool breeze that tends to blow even in the summer (not the day we visited). The town is historical because it was a major stopping point for traders making their way from the Mediterranean to the Sahara Desert. And, the town was a melting pot of culture as Jewish Berber Moroccans and Algerians had been settling there since the 13th century. And, because so many people passed through this town that sits at the base of the Middle Atlas Mountains, business flourished.

 

First we visited yet another frien of Youssef. An 85 year old moroccan lady who lives basically in a cave, she lives here by herself and says her husband died a couple of years ago at the age of 113! She was lovely and very gracious serving us moroccan tea.

Showing us how she carries a full bucket of water on her head

Her home

 

We had an opportunity to watch the local ladies do there laundry - no machines here, they put the laundry in buckets of water and then stomp the laundry with their feet.

We visited beautiful waterfall and swimming hole in this area - I believe this water is used to provide electricity for safrou.

We drove to the middle Atlas Mountains and visited on of the few lakes in this area - hard to believe this is morocco, it looks like a scene from Canada.

Young boys were canoing and kayaking

Beautifully dressed horses - they are hoping to attract tourist for a ride!

We would have preferred to ride the donkey!

 

Youssef resting at our lunch spot in the middle Atlas Mountains

 

Another interesting place we visited was Ifrane, a ski town. It’s called Little Switzerland and the photos below show why is got this name. It looks like a small Swiss village. Mischliffen is nearby and is known as the Moroccan Aspen. This ski resort rivals the ski resorts in the Alps. There is also a private moroccan university located here but with an annual cost of 10,000 euro most Moroccans do not have an opportunity to attend

Views in mountain area

We went to a park where we had a chance to feed the monkeys

Not the morocco I expected???

A souk we stopped at on the way home - lots of great looking fruits and vegetables

Youssef invited us to share a meal with him again this night at 7:30 - off to the cafe again

Delicious couscous tangine - everyone shares out of the one dish

Mag wanted to taste the food at the next table - moroccans love to share food!

After dinner the men again smoked cigarettes with the wacky stuff! Then it was time for us to say goodbye to Youssef - in case you are wondering we gave Youssef equivalent of 100 euro each to thank him for the most fabulous couple of days - he was very appreciative and asked me to look him up on Facebook so we can keep in contact!

Tommorrow off to Rabat our last stop in morocco.

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