Pretty relaxed day, all in all. Laundry of course to resolve after a breakfast befitting this rather luxurious hotel and spa. Decided not to bother with bike maintenance as it got a new chain only the other day, plus a bit of lubrication and not so many kilometres on it since.
Made my way into the Medina area about mid-morning. Mark elected to walk the 45 minutes or so, but I caught a taxi. I went through a Bedouin cooperative (taxi driver keen to gave me stop there …possibility of securing a finders’ fee?) and checked out the spices and oils… much the same as Ouarzazate I think, but I’m not a good judge on these things. Then wandered about the twisting alleyways in the Medina for close to two hours, mostly just watching the people and trying not to get run over by the careening motor bikes. Only a third or do if the shops open in the beginning but more and more raising the shutters as we passed the moon hour.
This was first day of Eid El-Fitr after all, so I guess a slow start to business. Lots of kids about (no school obviously) and increasingly, family groups. Many people dressed in what we might call Sunday best out and about.
Managed to connect with Mark with help of location sharing in respective gizmos, and then visited a mineral and rock shop. Mark got a nice geode (both halves) for his grandson; the proprietor was a little incensed that we didn’t also get an egg-shaped polished Selenium sample. It has so many health benefits that one hardly knows where to begin; but I’ll leave that subject to Gwyneth
Hit a patisserie for a truly good almandine tarte and nous nous. Taxi’d back to hotel in mid-afternoon to relax, my sightseeing and exploration over for the day.