MY HALF-MARATHON. It wasn't intentional, but the week following the Marrakech Marathon I ended up doing my own 22k walk out in the country. One of the women who is on the board of the neddy wanted me to come and visit, and since the neddy was closed due to a school holiday, I took the opportunity of gorgeous weather to walk out and see her. I had recently walked there with my counterpart, and knew it was about 7k on a very rocky, hilly road. Here are some views of my walk. It is interesting how one side of the road/land is very barren, and the other, great soil for their wheat.



Here is her house.

Naima had tea ready for me when I arrived, and we visited a bit. She speaks a bit of English, and would like to know more. Next was lunch. Many people here have tomato and onion and/or cucumber salad. The vegetables are finely chopped, not only by hand, but in the hand, quickly and deftly. A very interesting activity to observe. We also had lamb and prune tagine, which was a special treat, and very good. She proposed we walk to the river, so we set out with her 5-yr old niece in hand, and after we walked a bit, I could see it was probably about 4k there.


I suggested that was a bit far, considering the walk I had ahead of me to return home. She assured me there would be a transit (an old van used to transport people, etc.). We chatted with some women washing clothes, and here is also a photo of their ponj (sofa-like furniture) covers drying on the bushes. She seemed to have thoughts of crossing over the river when I suggested it was time to head back, and of course, no transit.




The little girl was quite tired by the walk and not exactly a happy camper by the time we got half-way back to their house. I declined the offer of afternoon tea, drank a bunch of water, and walked back, quite tired myself at the end of the day.

But I loved being outside, and it IS beautiful countryside, and was quite content to be here this day, instead of frigid Montana!