A Front Row Seat for the Arab Spring
A trip to Morocco turns out to be a front-row seat for watching the winds of democracy sweep through a North African desert kingdom. And my francophile friends find that the demonstrations they see are a mix of the current impatience for change that permeates North Africa combined with that very French institution: the local protest.
Dramatic as it is to see history in the making, the occasional street demonstration is just a small part of their trip. There is, of course, Morocco's geographic beauty--the Atlas Mountains and the Dades and Todra Gorges. Then there's medieval Morocco, exemplified by the exotic mazes of the medinas.
While you might think that you travel for scenery or culture--and certainly, that's part of any great trip--what really makes a good trip memorable are the people you meet, and my friends talk to all of the people of Morocco they met--from their camel tenders to soldiers--about their country and their lives today. Their journal is coming!
Of course, when you go to North Africa, the Sahara's call is irresistible. Our intrepid duo opts for the ultimate desert experience--a luxury tented camp deep in the dunes. Travel in by 4x4, camelrides at sunset, Berber music and dancing around the campfire. For added atmosphere: a midnight sandstorm. The next day: dawn over the dunes.
To see what they saw, click on the photo of the man in the dunes.
A trip to Morocco turns out to be a front-row seat for watching the winds of democracy sweep through a North African desert kingdom. And my francophile friends find that the demonstrations they see are a mix of the current impatience for change that permeates North Africa combined with that very French institution: the local protest.
Dramatic as it is to see history in the making, the occasional street demonstration is just a small part of their trip. There is, of course, Morocco's geographic beauty--the Atlas Mountains and the Dades and Todra Gorges. Then there's medieval Morocco, exemplified by the exotic mazes of the medinas.
While you might think that you travel for scenery or culture--and certainly, that's part of any great trip--what really makes a good trip memorable are the people you meet, and my friends talk to all of the people of Morocco they met--from their camel tenders to soldiers--about their country and their lives today. Their journal is coming!
Of course, when you go to North Africa, the Sahara's call is irresistible. Our intrepid duo opts for the ultimate desert experience--a luxury tented camp deep in the dunes. Travel in by 4x4, camelrides at sunset, Berber music and dancing around the campfire. For added atmosphere: a midnight sandstorm. The next day: dawn over the dunes.
To see what they saw, click on the photo of the man in the dunes.
