There were two main reasons to spend time in Azrou, the first was because Jeff had always wanted to walk through a cedar forest & that's exactly what they have in Azrou....
...and in that cedar forest there lives wild Macaque monkeys(the second reason!) & as I am particularly fond of primates, there was no hesitation whatsoever, that we should just spend the morning walking through the forest!!
The cedar's were magnificent, some estimated to be as old as 800 years. Alongside them grow green oak, juniper & Hawthorn.
It was blissfully quiet, there were no other tourists, it was, in a sense a walking meditation breathing in fresh, cedar scented air!
The monkeys were wary of us & we tried to respect their space. We saw a whole family group of them go scuttling off up hill, with a couple of youngsters climbing & swinging their way through the cedar trees. They moved so quickly that it was near on impossible to catch them with the camera! I couldn't get over how golden their fur was. It was a fabulous walk! I just wish it was easier for me to do it again!!
Back in Azrou we passed the township's main feature...the rock! In the Amizagh language Azrou means 'The Rock'. This is a significant monument because in days gone past, business transactions & markets were carried out at the base of this rock & the location had the same power as a court of law.
We were in Azrou to have lunch in the home of one of the Journey Beyond Travel team. They are the company with whom we are doing this trip & we had enjoyed enthusiastic email interaction over the past few months of preparation. They had a surprise for me...knowing it was my 50th birthday trip, they'd arranged a gorgeous cake. It was huge! I was so glad there were a few people to share it with!! It was a thoroughly enjoyable lunch talking travel & 'Morocco' with our hosts!
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