Erfoud, Day 2

This area is one of the centers of the fossil trade in the world. It was interesting to see many large and beautiful fossils, but disturbing to see them being carved into coffee tables, bathroom sinks, etc. It was presented to us as a positive thing, providing jobs for many rural people who desperately need them, but (from my reading) also exploitive of the workers and worrisome in terms of preserving a natural/cultural/scientific resource. Interesting, difficult trade-offs!

Then a visit to a family living in an old neighborhood in a small town. The mother was very welcoming, offering tea and freshly baked bread. We also met her youngest son (15 years old), who plans to become an engineer. The older sons are working as porters/laborers in the markets. Very interesting to see their house and learn a bit about their lives and ambitions. You can see their TV in the photo, and the cabinet with their most important possessions (behind Hassan pouring tea). They live in the one room! Makes me appreciate how very fortunate we are!

Lunch at a local restaurant in Risanni where we had Madfouna, a sort of stuffed pizza that is "the dish" for the area. The vegetable one was quite spicy, the meat one rather bland and the bread for both was yummy. There was a musician who played oud and also fiddle, (using his phone to play backup music). It was a normal violin, complete with fine tuners, but tuned to a different scale and played like a baby cello resting on his knee.

Then back to the hotel for a nap, swim and dinner--all welcome with the temperature at 99 degrees!