Tulane School of Architecture Field Studies in Historic Preservation Morocco PRST 644-01 (3 credits)

27 December 2009 08 January 2010 Eugene D. Cizek, Ph.D., FAIA, and Mark W. Thomas III, MPS
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10 Day 11 Day 12 Day 13 27 December 28 December 29 December 30 December 31 December 01 January 02 January 03 January 04 January 05 January 06 January 07 January 08 January Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Travel day Casablanca Mekns Fs Fs Erfoud Merzouga Ouarzazate Marrakech Marrakech Marrakech Marrakech Travel day New York to Madrid, then to Casablanca Arrive in Casablanca; afternoon city tour Travel to Rabat, then on to Mekns Travel to Volubilis, Moulay Idriss, and Fs Full day in Fs, New Year celebration p.m. Travel over Middle Atlas mountains to Erfoud Travel into the Sahara, camp at Merzouga On to Tineghir, Dads Valley, and Ouarzazate Visit kasbahs, At Ben Haddou, and Marrakech Full day in Marrakech Side trip to Ourika Valley, Atlas mountain villages Optional side trip to Essaouira, or free day in Marrakech Casablanca to Madrid, then to New York

HIGHLIGHTS OF TRAVEL PROGRAM Tours of historic cities of Rabat, Mekns, Volubilis, Fs and Marrakech; discover the extremely varied landscape from the Atlantic Coast to the Middle Atlas and Central High Atlas Mountains; from desert scenery to verdant valleys, villages and small towns in the High Atlas Mountains; experience the highest sand dunes in Morocco and an overnight in camp; visit the At Ben Haddou Kasbah and the great Kasbahs of Ouarzazate. Learn about UNESCO World Heritage Sites in this fascinating North African Nation, with a wide perspective on western and non-western architectural traditions. Day 1 27 December Travel day New York to Madrid, then to Casablanca 28 December Casablanca Group transfer to hotel, lunch, followed by p.m. sightseeing in Casablanca. Dinner and overnight. (L,D) 29 December Casablanca Rabat Mekns Sightseeing in Rabat, including the Mohamed V mausoleum and the Hassan Tower, the exteriors of the Royal Palace and the Chellah Gardens. Continuation to Mekns for sightseeing including the Granaries and the Moulay Ismael stables and the magnificent Bab Mansour. Dinner and overnight. (B,L,D) 30 December Mekns Volubilis Fs Morning sightseeing in Mekns and on to Volubilis for a visit of the Roman ruins and Moulay Idriss before continuation to Fs for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D) 31 December Fs Full day sightseeing in Fs, including the exteriors of the Royal Palace and the medina (old city); its various quarters for tanneries, dyers, leatherwork, brass, gold & silver etc. and the Medersa Bou Inanya. New Years dinner and overnight. (B,L,D) 01 January Fs Midelt Erfoud Early departure for full day transfer over the Middle Atlas mountains with its cedar forests and through the ski station of Ifrane, again over the Central High Atlas mountains and down to the plains of the pre desert countryside through the vast palm groves of the Ziz Valley. Dinner and overnight.(B,D) 02 January Merzouga Continuation into the desert landscape in 4x4 vehicles; exploration of the highest sand dunes in North Africa (up to 150 m) in Merzouga and continuation to camp for dinner and overnight. (B,D)

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03 January Merzouga Erfoud Todgha Gorges Tineghir Ouarzazate Experience the sunrise over the dunes on camel back and return to Merzouga and Erfoud, continuation in coach through a stone desert to the superb Todgha Gorges followed by a visit to the Tineghir palm grove. Along the Route of a Thousand Kasbahs in the lush and verdant Dads Valley to Ouarzazate, a former Foreign Legion stronghold. Dinner and overnight. (B,L,D) 04 January Ouarzazate At Ben Haddou - Marrakech Visit of the kasbahs of Taourirt and Tifoultout and the village of At Ben Haddou and its famous Kasbah, a UNESCO world heritage site and a location for many film productions. Leaving the pre-desert landscape for the magnificent scenery of the High Atlas mountains over the pass of Tizi nTichka at 2 200m, descending on the north side on to the Haouz Plain and the Pearl of the South, Marrakech. Dinner and overnight hotel. (B,L,D) 05 January Marrakech Full day visit of historic Marrakech including the Koutoubia, Dar Si Sad, Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs, Medersa Ben Youssef, the Majorelle Garden and, time permitting, the Menara. Overnight hotel. (B) 06 January Marrakech Ourika Valley Marrakech Excursion to the beautiful Ourika Valley in the foothills of the High Atlas Mountains, with a walk through the villages. Lunch at a local restaurant and return to Marrakech. En route visit to the Terre des Jeunes centre, an association helping disadvantaged youths to stay in school and to help them find work. Traditional Moroccan dinner with a folklore show and (B,L,D) 07 January Marrakech Day at leisure. Farewell dinner and overnight. (B,D)

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Optional (at no additional cost) Full day excursion to Essaouira on the Atlantic Coast, a former corsair stronghold, designed by a French prisoner; the harbour fortifications bear strong resemblances to some French coast fortifications of the same period. Visit the charming medina with its woodwork specialities and have lunch in the harbour, the fish being grilled before you. Visit a womens cooperative making Argan oil en route back to Marrakech. Farewell dinner and overnight. Day 13 08 January Travel day Group transfer to Casablanca Mohamed V airport, Casablanca to Madrid, then to New York