0275. The Emerald Hills of Sidi Kacem (Mor 108--new)

Sidi Kacem is a fairly large, modern city with its downtown built on the lower slopes of some beautiful emerald hills.  At least, they're emerald during this time a year.  I get off the grand taxi and follow a nice, shady boulevard up the gentle slope.  At the top is the provincial capital building with a large, tree lined plaza in front.  Small groups of high school students hang out here and there...

Perfect.

It takes a while for these shy folks to join me--but they finally do and are very pleasant company.  They fill me in a bit on education and job prospects here in Sidi Kacem.  A lot has changed here since the large oil refinery situated right in the middle of town, shut down...

Finally, they head off for lunch, and I head off to the east edge of town to take some photos of the hills.

As I follow the road along the edge of town, I see a path through the fields beckoning me--and a little village beyond... so I head on towards the hill... I pass what looks like a very, very poor neighborhood nestle in the slopes... but the path continues up the hill so I must keep going.  I take a couple of great clips with views of the city and of the cliffs behind. 

No cars coming up this way--just an occasional boy on a donkey.   I look behind me and see a pretty nasty looking cloud coming straight my direction.  Common sense tells me that if I hurry, I'll be able to make it back into town in time.  But the Other Voice tells me that this path leads to somewhere--and I must find out where--or perish in the undertaking...

So I scurry up to the top of the hill--taking shortcuts up the rocky cliffs wherever I can...