All change is good

And here is Krysia, who is wearing a handmade Jellaba from Moulay Idriss. She feels fantastic and as the Moroccan men passing the tailors shop said, she looks it too!

We left Meknes this morning on a high note in the warm sunshine. Time to move on and we do need to bath and deal with water etc. For all the perfumes we've bought ( musk, amber, jasmine and sandalwood ), we are starting to pong. So we drive north for only 25 kms or so and find a beautiful campsite in an olive grove. The village nearby starts a 5 day festival today! wouldn't you just know it? We've struck gold again!

But its to the campsite we go and settle in for the all important washing of clothes and bodies. Its hot in the sun today, great for drying and a short spot of sunbathing! The view from here is nothing short of stunning. Olive trees frame the lowland plains stretching out below us, for as far as the eyes can see. It is so fertile here in northern Morocco. Green green grass of , well not home but you get the idea.

We take a late afternoon motorbike ride through the hills to Moulay Idriss. Perched on a hillside, as pretty as any picture, this pilgrims destination is worth a 5th of the Hajj to Mecca! Buried here is the Saint and first Arab king ,Moulay Idriss El Akhbar who was the great grandson of the prophet Muhammed! We are not allowed access to the mausoleum as its Muslim only. So we sit at a nearby cafe and soak up the atmosphere. It is , for us, quite exhilarating to be here. We've happened upon it by chance and beam with our find.

A tiny doorway and a tailor catch our eyes as we explore the backstreets. He's charming and shows us his wares and techniques. Krysia falls for the Jellaba, which is made from heavy cotton and hand stitched at every seam. She is so happy with her purchase and wears the garment back at the campsite for the rest of the night.

We're too tired to go out tonight so settle in for a quiet evening. Did I say quiet? The sound of music from the local fete hums in the background. We smile, we are very fortunate to be here.

What will tomorrow bring?