Walking tour of Azrou

Monday, our first full day in Azrou began with orientation to the community and some brief language lessons. Mohamed is a very helpful teacher and today Aicha joined us as well. She is our other guide and native to Azrou, which we could tell as we took our walking tour through town and she knew everyone!

Azrou means “the rock” and in the middle of the city of 46,000 there is a large rock mound, not quite a mountain, but definitely prominent. https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=12jIstEgtvhfHuObYIM4zX0IhFKQk_Qd7

Our tour took us to a primary school, named after Fatima Al Fihriya, a famous Arab woman who founded University Kairaouine which began Mosque in 857 AD in Fez. It is the oldest university in Morocco and much of the Arab world. This school in Azrou was named after her.https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1SHXoyFh588b1H_jfvxTGmGjyKRxFtU-9https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1hG1biv-sCv3vlsWs5VJ6aY_pZ440nHAP

Even though school isn’t in session, we loved seeing the space. Throughout the courtyard painted in primary colors, there were fruit trees, fountains of cool mountain water and times tables painted on the walls. The classrooms were all on the perimeter. It was a cheerful learning environment and we can only imagine the children there during the school year. 

We also walked through the small Medina in Azrou. Tomorrow, we are excited to see the souk, or weekly market. 

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