ouarzazate (war-zah-zat)

there was a moroccan holiday last week so we were able to take a long weekend trip to oarzazate (best known lately for the city where babel was filmed.) it was the best vacation we have had in a long time. we got to have down time as a family and hang out with some great friends. the guys got to spend the day on dirt bikes and quads while the girls got to spend good time together watching the kids and eating lunch at the habbous. we went and toured a studio where they have film movies and then to kasbah where they filmed gladiator, which is one of my favorite movies so i was really excited. the day would not have been complete without some shopping in local stores with some friendly moroccan hospitality. in one of the shops we were served tea and had a djembe jam session where even beckett participated.

a five hour drive turned into eight, but we couldn't complain because we had the most beautiful view. about 3 hours of the drive was through the mountains so you can imagine our conversation...diana: slow down! slow down! scott: diana, we aren't going to die.




view of ouarzazate from the balcony at our hotel


too cold to swim but ella gets a little wet.


sweet face.


after dinner music provided by andy and a local.


the castle in the kingdom of heaven. now i am motivated to see the movie.


ella on the cleopatra set.


a door from the set of moses.


family pic on the set of gladiator.





happy b.



kasbah - where some of gladiator was filmed. it is the part where maximus first becomes a gladiator...where they have training and the first arena fights.




ella's muscles.


hold on tight!


all ready to go! only in morocco will they let a 3 year old go on a quad with no safety gear. ella was laughing the whole hour on the quad and cried when she had to get off.


stopping in the mountains on the way home to see some snow. ella shows me her "cold face."


this is how ella spends her time in the car.


this is how b spends his time in the car...playing with a marker.