Everything but the Naked Lunch - July 18-Aug 6 Everything but the Naked Lunch: July 18 - Aug 6

Arriving in Marrakech, we stayed for a couple of days, taking a cooking class and experiencing the Medina. Then we began our counterclockwise circuit of northern Morroco by driving south through the High Atlas Mountains, including the highest peak in N. Africa.

Once over the mountains we reached the dry Dades Valley and hiked through Todra Gorge with its lush palmeries. Next we drove further south into the Saharan Desert region, where we rode camels and camped in the dunes under the moon.

Tired of the oppressive heat of the desert, we quickly moved back north through the Ziz Valley and another section of the High Atlas Mountains. Settling for a night in the cooler, greener Middle Atlas Mountains in Azrou, we visited the cedar forests and walked through areas known for Barbary Apes (monkeys).

Driving north again we visited the ancient city of Fes, the Roman ruins of Volubilis and then reached the green Rif Mountains and the pretty little blue-alleyed town of Chefchaouen.

Our next leg took us back west and south along the Atlantic coast, skirting the cities of Rabat (the capital) and Casablanca. We spent a night in the beach town of El-Jadida, enjoying fresh seafood. Our final destination was Essaouira, a beautiful, touristy coastal town. We spent 5 days there, trying to rest up before our return to Marrakech and then home.

The Driving Moroccan Theme Song - Listen: Enur's Calabria. We heard it roughly 200 times while driving around Morocco.