Aït Benhaddou, a ruined ksar (fortified town) just north of Ouarzazate, was one of the highlights of our trip. You can see it from far down the road, a cluster of mud-brick houses ringing the tallest hill for miles.

It was overcast, cold and windy as we descended the Atlas Mountains and pulled off the rutted track into a gravel parking lot. We had to traverse a modern settlement with a few houses and a gauntlet of trinket shops before we got to the dry bed of the Oued Ounila.

The road to Aït Benhaddou

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Marrakesh’s medina, or old city, is not a place for introverts. In the maze of alleys, the crush of people moving in every direction is constant. Motorbikes zip past, loaded with shopping. There are people shouting, horns honking, music playing, and the smell of smoke from tiny food stalls. Meet a shopkeeper’s gaze and he’ll greet you like an old friend. “Please, come in, take a look!” We made a few trips into the souks in our three days in Marrakesh, but I could only stay so long before I was overwhelmed.

Quiet Souk
One of the quieter corners of the tourist souks.

Into the Souks
Stepping aside to let motorbikes through.

Mosque in the Souks
Outside the tourist areas, a window into of everyday life in the medina.

Student Protest
Students marching, apparently protesting something.

Snake Charmer

Travel is sometimes uncomfortable. This experience, on our first evening in Marrakesh, was one of those. It had nothing to do with the snakes. I have no beef with snakes.

Jemaa el Fna is a nice place to stroll, get a glass of orange juice, or visit a cafe, but the performers are downright predatory. These guys saw my camera, steered us over and thrust a snake into Michelle’s hands. Like any logical person, I asked, “What’s this going to cost?” He answered, “Donation, whatever you want!” Mm hrm.

I was onboard, at first. I knew I wanted this picture before I even got to Morocco, and I knew it was going to cost some money, but I was unprepared for the audacity of this snake handler and his friend: “Give us each 400 dirhams,” he said. That’s about $42. Each.

I may have actually laughed out loud. “Absolutely not!” I said. Are people really paying eighty dollars to play with a snake? He pressed. I stayed firm. Finally I gave them 200 dirhams (about $20) and walked quickly away.

It was like this everywhere. As soon as I turned my lens towards some musician or mystic or monkey-owner, his partner would sidle up and demand an outrageous amount of money. It didn’t take long for me to get fed up. I know they’re trying to make a living, but I’m not paying anyone $20 for a few quick snaps of a maltreated ape. Fuck that. Uncomfortable.

Jemaa el Fna

This is the Jemaa el Fna, the public square at the heart of Marrakesh, Morocco. Michelle and I spent ten days in Morocco in October. I’m still processing my photos but there are sure to be a few more updates.

Well, it’s been way too long since I posted again. Just coming down off a busy summer wherein the company moved offices and I launched a major new site. Took lots of pictures, but I’m several months backlogged. Cooler weather’s coming soon, and I hope to get mostly caught up before our big trip to Morocco in October.

Anyway, today was the big American Eclipse of 2017 (not to be confused with the even darker American Eclipse of 2016), so here are a few pictures from temporarily-not-sunny downtown Toledo.

Eclipse 2017

Eclipse 2017

Eclipse 2017

Eclipse 2017