Breakfast in the Sahara Desert
Breakfast in the Sahara
Over recent post on this site, I have shared photos taken on our visit to Morocco several years ago now. As an aside, I am enjoying looking at the photos taken on that trip and selecting appropriate shots to share here. There is nothing like a few trips down memory lane.
In my most recent posts, I have written about our camel ride into the Sahara Desert and our stay overnight in a Berber tent right out in the desert. We returned, again riding camels, to the hotel shown in today’s photos in time for a late breakfast. This just happened to be on Christmas Day; it is a celebration of this important day that we will never forget. It was so different, for we normally would attend church, followed by a family get-together for lunch and/or dinner.
Just like all of our meals in Morocco, this was delicious. They certainly know how to put on a good feast for tourists in the places we stayed. Along the way, we also had some great meals in restaurants and other food outlets, especially for lunch. While I occasionally ordered the types of food we enjoy here in Australia, I was also adventurous and ordered more Moroccan style food. Tasting the local foods is one of the delights of travelling overseas, and visiting a totally different culture is inspiring. Even though I am not normally very adventurous when eating out here in Australia, I was determined to be different when touring. I really enjoyed this aspect of our time in Morocco – and then in Spain, but more of that in later posts.
Breakfast in the Sahara
Christmas Eve in the Sahara
Camels waiting for us in the Sahara
On Christmas Day last year I wrote here about our Christmas in the the Sahara desert a few years ago. We were on a guided tour of Morocco – you can read about our adventures in recent posts (go to the Archives or use the cloud on the side bar). Our tour dates happened to bring us into the Sahara on Christmas Eve.
Once we had left our bus – including our luggage – we saw a group of camels waiting patiently to take us into the desert. I had seen the amazing colours of the Sahara in photos, but until you experience it with your own eyes at sunset, you don’t fully appreciate the depth of the colours. Some of the tour group dressed up for the occasion, including my wife and daughter (see photo below).
As we set off into the desert I realised how difficult it is to take photos while travelling on a camel. I think this was my first ever ride on a camel. The camel constantly lurches forward and then back. It is an animal which does not make a very good platform for photography. I am pleased I managed to get a few reasonable shots during the hour long journey.
In the coming days I will show more photos of this part of our journey, including our camp site in the desert.
Some of our tour group get into the spirit of riding camels
My daughter on her camel in the Sahara
Off into the “unknown” parts of the Sahara
Merry Christmas
Christmas morning in the Sahara Desert 2011
I would like to wish all of my readers a really Merry Christmas.
Over recent weeks I have shared photos of our trip in Morocco in December 2011. I have also written about our experiences on that holiday with some reflections on what we experienced. Christmas that year was extraordinarily different for us. At home in Australia we usually go to church on Christmas Day and occasionally on Christmas Eve as well. Then on Christmas Day lunch is a gathering of family and sometimes friends.
In a Muslim country like Morocco this festival is not celebrated by many. Just to make things really different, we rode on camels just before sunset into the Sahara Desert (see photos below). We had a wonderful meal around a camp-fire (it was freezing cold in the desert at night). All we had by way of celebration was a few biscuits and chocolate. The music and singing around the camp-fire certainly made up for the lack of normal Christmas activities we may have enjoyed at home. The lamb tagine the guides cooked for us was also delicious.
As the frosty air crept in around us we retreated to our Berber tents to sleep. During the night we felt lucky when one of the local cats decided to creep in and cuddle up on our bed. Next morning – Christmas Day – we were awoken before dawn to climb the sand-hill near our tents. This was so we could witness the sunrise over the desert sands.
Early morning sun on the Sahara Desert sand
Early morning sun on the Sahara Desert sand
Sun rise over the Sahara Desert, with Algeria in the distance
Our camp site in the Sahara Desert
Christmas Greetings
Ama Dablam, Nepal
Christmas greetings to all of my regular readers.
I really appreciate those of you who are my regular readers. This site started from humble beginnings – but with grand plans. It took a little while to gain momentum but over the last year the number of readers has grown dramatically. I thank all of you who come back over and over; you all make it worthwhile.
Over the last year my posts here have been somewhat sporadic. I have been extremely busy completing my Masters degree. Now that it is finished I can devote more time to this and my other blogs, Trevor’s Birding and Trevor’s Writing. 2011 can only be bigger and better, with more wonderful photos and experiences to share.
How about leaving your own Christmas greetings in the comments section?
I’d be really pleased if you did.
Manly Beach, Sydney
Australian Pelican, Mallacoota, Victoria
Christmas Greetings
Laughing Kookaburras
Christmas greetings to all of my loyal readers. I hope that you have a wonderful day.
May you also have a great New Year and I look forward to sharing more photos and accounts of my travels in the coming year.
Eden, south coast of New South Wales