Quazarate

Breakfast was good but early. We had to get up for 7am. Moroccan breakfast was very nice. Yoghurt with sultanas, dates, figs, apricots and I had some french bread.

We set off at 8am and had a long journey in a small bus. It was a bit packed. The journey went over the Atlas Mountains to here.

We stopped three times in total. A couple of walks and a lunch. Saw a few birds, a squirrel and a rotting dead dog!

It was interesting seeing the houses built into the hillside. All are a pink colour built with the local stone. I understand many of the old ones are basically cob - but not painted like the ones in our village. Some houses have render and are painted red and yellow.

You get given mint tea everywhere. It’s very sweet. The orange juice is very nice.

As we dropped down the side of the mountain into the desert area I caught sight of the big solar panel column. The one where there are mirrors focusing the beams on the tip of the column making it light up. Looked really good as well as eco friendly.

Trouble was what they were doing to river amongst the roadworks was not very eco friendly. Sad to see it so altered with piles of earth and concrete.

In many places we saw people washing their clothes in the river and hanging them out to dry on bushes, walls, trees and in the ground.

The party we are with all seem very nice.

Time for a gin methinks.

The gins were poured without measures so you end up with a large one!

Before the evening meal John went through the bird list with the Spanish people. He was going to go through it with us but didn’t have time - but we had already sorted it.

The evening meal they asked in Spanish if there was anyone vegetarian. We had already sorted it before dinner so we thought it was in hand. When it came to being given the dinner they sighed at Rob and gave him pasta with tomato sauce and cheese. Dinner itself was veg soup followed by a small moussaka, main was turkey strips cauliflower and tomato. Pudding was a kiwi tart with some sort of custard base.