Atlas Mtns and Marrakech April 1-2, 2019

Leaving Air Benhaddou we drive through the Atlas Mountains and over the Tichka Pass at 2260 meters.  Much road construction so it's pretty slow going.  We arrived in Marrakech and since we were running late due to the road construction we immediately set out on our last trip excursion:  We toured the Royal Palace of Bahia (first wife of a Morrocon king), actually fairly new, as it was built in 1866.  The we walked around the narrow streets of the medina and the shops before ending in the souk (bazaar), where we ate dinner.  This souk is the largest in Morocco and is quite the amazing place, huge numbers of people, eateries, shops, snake charmers (missed out on photo ops - but definitely a live cobra swaying to the music - I am told it's the movement of the instrument not the actual music that "hypnotizes" the cobra), etc.  The souk is visited by tourists for sure, but is heavily frequented and used by locals. - same with the medina shops, etc. On our last day in Marrakech we have a free day, but Donna is actually worse not better, so we lay low - I take a long walk to get cash to tip Chama tonight, and water while Donna relaxes in the hotel and then does a spa treatment in the hotel (a hamman treatment - mud exfoliant, a massage, etc.).  Susan, the other American - 47 does it with Donna and she reported later that she did t"ake a peek" - and "boy, Don you sure have a hot wife - if that's 65, bring it on".  I chimed in that a body pump guy when he found out Donna was 65, said "65 and smoking hot".  Donna won't like that I've included this on the BLOG, but since she'll never look at it I think I'm safe.  As we all know I think Donna is every bit as beautiful as the day I met her.  Ok enough about Donna.😀   We have our last dinner at a nice restaurant and most everyone either gets pasta, seafood or steak - ready to move on from tagine and cous cous for a while.  Some of the young Aussies did a cooking class on our free day and they reported that the tagine they made was outstanding - best of the trip.