"You like animals? Do you want to feed the monkeys?" Abdillah asked us as we left the Sahara dunes and the camels behind.
"There are monkeys in Morocco?" Bill asked with surprise in his voice. "Are they native to Morocco?"
"Of course! We will stop for the monkeys, WaHah?"
"WaHah!"
I do not know if everyone knew that there were wild monkeys in Morocco. Camels, yes, but monkeys - that was a new one for me.
The drive from the dunes to Fez is rather long. It can take the day with a few stops along the way. We stopped at a kasbah or two, and then watched the landscape change into a forested landscape. There was a town that looked like a little European village with peaked roof houses and a little ski resort. You can even ski in Morocco, but for only about one month.
Along the way we stopped near the only private university in the country. In that town
there is a carving of a lion out of a large boulder. During WWII, German POWs were held in this town. One officer's tent was situated next to a very large boulder. When the war ended and the prisoners were released and the tents taken down, this carving was found.
But the best part of the trip was the monkeys. They were everywhere along a stretch of woods for several miles. Many people get out to feed the monkeys fruits, crackers, and nuts. They will eat anything and will take the cracker from your hand. We fed the monkeys for a long time and tried to photograph the mothers carrying their babies but they are very quick.