This morning we arose before sunrise, to be driven out of Marrakesh to go on a hot air balloon flight.

T_24_0827

Shortly after we arrived the handlers were out inflating the balloons.

T_24_0838 As the sun rose, the balloons launched one by one, and began to rise in the stillness of the dawn.

T_24_0841 T_24_0845 T_24_0860 Here are some photos that I made from our balloon.

T_24_0879 T_24_0852 T_24_0849 T_24_0859 After we landed, the pursuit vehicles picked us up and returned us to the launch site, where we had breakfast.

We then returned to our riad, packed our bags into the bus, and headed west

T_24_0900Argan Oil Cooperative En route we stopped at an Argon Oil Cooperative.

Here these women were cleaning the argon nuts from their shells.

T_24_0902Argan Oil Cooperative

T_24_0905Argan Oil Cooperative These young ladies worked in the coop's retail store where they sold a variety of argon oil products.

T_24_0911 Late that afternoon we arrived in Essaouira, on the Atlantic coast.