Hamdullah yet again...

Bon jour! Right now I am in a small town called Rissani killing time before I head out to Merzouga that is located on the edge of an erg, a set of sand dunes of the Sahara. I would have been here much earlier (instead of 11:30 am local time, it should have been at 6:00 am!) but I overslept on the bus and ended up an hour and a half west of here in a town called Tazzarine. Boy! Nothing like a lost foreigner just as the sun is coming up to draw a crowd! Since I was between two places that I wanted to visit, I couldn't decide what to do. However, several of the bus workers - all worried about and for me - decided that I needed to go back to my original destination of Rissani instead of Zamora. One of them, Atman (spelling?) insisted on feeding me breakfast while waiting for the next bus. Hamdullah!!

I know that I have mentioned the kindness and generosity of the people here in Morocco. I don't think that I can emphasize that enough. As you move away from the imperial cities of Fès and Meknès, it becomes even more apparent. For instance, the bus from Meknès to Rissani was overly packed. I ended up in this non-seat actually. It worked and I could sit and was really, for me, no problem. However, it didn't sit well with one of the bus workers. He made one of the several teenagers on board give his seat up for me. I didn't understand the exchange but it was apparent that the teen wasn't happy about it and wasn't too happy with the lecture he obviously got as well. Women are treated with much respect. Obviously, if one were to conduct themselves otherwise, reciprocal treatment will be given as I have also seen. Another reason for my commenting on this is because such respect that I have been shown is a bit surprising. I thought that I would be given much more of a hard time and be hassled. It really hasn't happened at all! Despite the warnings that I have read about in other travel postings, etc. I have been fortunate to not experience any of that. My experience thus far has been very much to the contrary! I am well taken care of without any expectations of payment or "favors". Let's hope that I continue to be blessed with such good fortune for the rest of my trip!

P.S. The bus ride from Meknès to Rissani, before I fell asleep, was pretty fascinating as it brought me from lush, green hillsides through the Middle Atlas Mountains where there was lots of snow, down to the wind-swept valleys and desert gorges. Gorgeous!