Morocco 7

Just journeyed to the high atlas mountains with some Americans and Moroccans, the first thing we did after getting off the bus was to go down to a creek. We collected rocks, dipped out feet in, took pictures and walked along the shore. The shore was made up entirely in little rocks of all colors and the water was clear and chilly. After walking a little ways down we came to a donkey bridge used to carry heavy loads over the water and a small village with people washing their cloths and bathing in the stream. There was one little boy that watched us as we walked by and seemed really curious. The next day we passed by him again sitting in the same place as the day before. I wonder what little kids do when their parents are farming and they live in a small village on the slopes of a mountain. Do most sit in one place day by day and watch the time go by? That night we decided to sleep outside where it was cool and beautiful, there was a roof for girls and a roof for boys to sleep on. We brought out our big mattresses from the rooms and brought them to the roof. It was amazing sleeping under the stars and listening to the owls, stream, and frogs, I would have liked to lay there for ever. The next day we went on a hike over a mountain. We used the paths used by locals and passed through several villages as we climbed. The terrain was very dusty and rocky with little to no ground covering. It was beautiful and lifeless at the same time. That night a local burber man talked to us about their culture and lifestyle. We were informed that everyone is to marry at age 18 to someone arranged to them and that school is optional. School is hard to get to because there aren't many around and it can take several hours to walk to. They got electricity 6 years ago and all live in little clay and rock buildings. They fence in their animals with cacti or other plants and grow all sorts of delicious fruits. Most people living in the mountains there are nomads, they live in the mountains in the summer and live in the Sahara desert in the winter. Also that night, my roommate and I got to talk to one of the Moroccans about his religious views. He is a nonmuslim with much more westernize views than most in the area which made an interesting conversation while looking up at the stars. Hearing religious views here have been mostly similar, most are strong Muslims with some slightly different views, but they are very similar overall so it was nice to see a completely different view for once.