LET IT BEGIN - Saturday morning we checked out of our hotel at 9:30, and were off to a hammam. Hot water (tourture), steam (suffocation), tense full body scrub, shower by force: separated by sex, we did not view each others stylish underwear...albeit the men were arguably better accommodated with paper boxers - instead of thongs.
Having now become close friends, we skipped further introductions and went straight for lunch, after which we took a short drive for a garden tour at Jardin _______, by French ___________.
Then a few pitstops before the Atlas mountains: wine, liquor, and clothes for Pam (luggage arrival pending). It turned out our brief shopping spree timed out with Athena's delayed arrival, and soon we were all off to the snowy Atlas Mountains of northern Africa.
Arriving by dark, we trekked stylishly in heals and sandals down a narrow mountain road into the village of our residence to Douar Samra: our stay for the next two nights. Avoiding mud (and animal scat) along the way, the temperature change at 1800m did not go unnoticed. Our mule transport had all the large luggage down in four trips!
Arriving in our wood-fired-candle-lit abode, we sat to relax and voted to remain sitting for dinner, deciding room viewing could wait. Eating by candle light (yet having limited wi-fi) was a relaxing and forgiving experience (this village received electricity around year 2000). Electricity is slightly over-rated, but most of us sure do rely upon it in this century.
A night of wine and stories into early morning hours, bottle 8 of 12 empty, we scattered and hid under our blankets in fire heated rooms, making peace with the 0°c air.