While on the African continent, we wanted to make it out to a desert. But instead of the long drive out and back again with two kids, we decided to opt for something "close enough." La Pause was recommended to us - 45 minutes outside of Marrakesh and it touts "no electricity!" as one of it's draws. That's about as "roughin it" as I was willing to go and two days there was going to be my max.
La Pause, like most locations in Morocco, is designed to keep you cool. And, more to the point, designed for you to enjoy warm-weather related activities - camel rides, horse rides, ultimate Frisbee. Meals are served in the open air, and who really needs hot water when it's so hot out??? Well, if you happen to be guests there during the two and a half days of the year that they experience a cold-spell and a rainy-spell together, it turns out hot water would be nice. And so would heat. But what a great chance to play endless rounds of Rummy 500 (which became Rummy 1000 and then Rummy 1500) with your kids, chase a lot of animals, read by candlelight, and dream about the hot baths that you are not taking.
A word or two about riding a camel. I am going to argue that about 15 minutes is all you really need. I went past the 15 minute mark and payed for it dearly by way of two big bruises on my bum. Toward minute 30 I had to lean heavily forward onto Clio to try to get the weight off my ass and around minute 45 I found it helped with the pain if I scrunched up my face and winced. I was very, very close to jumping off the damn thing and walking the rest of the way back but I was six feet up in the air and I had visions of a broken ankle. You will be relieved to hear I did not embarrass you and jump off a moving camel. The ride mercifully ended.
We were greeted at La Pause with mint tea (as you are in most locations in Morocco). The kids never got into it, but Michael and I loved it, especially since our days were cold and overcast and decidedly un-desert-like. I lost track of how much mint tea we drank.
And then we decided to "explore the questions of the desert" a little bit before lunch. Like: "Exactly how close can you get to a camel?"
For lunch, another amazing chicken tagine meal.
After lunch, we played a few more hands of Rummy and then the kids started to fight so we went off to explore again. This time in the opposite direction. (Killing time until the next meal, basically).
Despite the weather, La Pause was glorious. Morocco was glorious. I'm thinking it might actually be one of my favorite places on Earth.
