A snake charmer dancing with a cobra in Jemma el-Fnaa Marrakech. These charmers are clannish and the skills are passed down from generation to generation. This man showed us his arm which had been bitten by a puff adder, and I can assure you the wound was genuine. The arm bore the scars of a long fasciotomy and showed the severe withering and muscle wasting typical of these cytotoxic viper venoms.

I found these Moroccan lanterns hauntingly beautiful at night in the otherworldly marketplaces. This lady shows great character as she displays her wares. That glare makes me wonder if I have been cursed every time I look at the photo.

The Middle of nowhere in the high Atlas Mountains. This traveling local and his donkey were amazing to see plodding across the mountains with his eyes fixed on the opposite horizon. Where did he come from? There is literally nothing behind him...

This square is hidden just off, literally, a hole in the wall in one of the endless chaotic alleyways of the Souks. It shows signs of leather working and the age and character of the city.

Kasbah Tamadot, Sir Richard Branson's Moroccan retreat in the Atlas Mountains. It's setting is breathtaking, and the inside of the compound is just as stunning.

The chaos of Jemma el-Fnaa and smoke from the plethora of grilled meats swirl behind this lantern merchant. She seems at once a part of the scene, and yet serenely isolated from the energy behind her. It was one of those great photographic moments when we make eye contact just as the shot is taken.

The Royal Mansour where we stayed. Every inch of this hotel is a work of art within a work of art. Every ceiling, floor, wall, door, walkway was patterned with some intricate mosaic or carving. The gardens were ancient, and the orange trees were blooming, fragrant, and dripping with globes of bright oranges in front of walls of bougainvilleas.

A happy merchant flashed me a smile in the Jewish Quarter.

This man loves his baby camel. Who doesn't love a baby camel?

Jemma el-Fnaa at night from Le Grand Balcon du Cafe Glacier

A local wearing a djellaba and carrying a colorful shopping bag walks through the alleyways of the Souks. The cutout behind him is a fountain from which the local people come to draw water or wash.

This good look'n dude liked his pic so much he asked me to email it to him lol.

Me and the kids on camels in the Agafay desert with the Atlas mountains in the background. An unusual rain the week before we arrived caused some beautiful and rare greenery in the desert.

This fascinating man is selling rocks of Antimony; note the large grey rocks in the foreground and the brass balance scales behind him. The element Antimony is used for mascara.

A Cobra Charmer in Jemma el-Fnaa at sunset just after maghrib prayer call. People who handle cobras for a living take their prayers particularly seriously.

This is a leather tannery, and it is not for the fain of heart. It is off the tourist beaten path. The area is strewn with animal hides in various states of processing, with chunks of hair and debris all around. We were given what was called by the local who showed us around a "Moroccan Gas Mask" which amounted to a fist full of mint leaves to make the smell bearable.
The magic formula is 7 days in lye, 1 day in pigeon poop, 7 days in a wheat solution, and 30 days in a dye vat for color, and voila! your handbag is ready...

Locals having breakfast

Eating is a big part of the night market and the cooking stands are EXTREMELY aggressive about fishing people in for dinner. This sheep head was tempting...

A man headed to the village you see in the background in the high Atlas Mountains.

A shepherd in the high Atlas mountains. They say people look like their pets; this man and his sheep are giving me the same distrustful glare...

A harder side of Morocco, I made a donation after the photo.

This kid had skills.

My kids picked up a soccer game with these guys in the mountain village you see in the background; it was great fun for all. The field, as you see, is desert sand and rock. These kids are tough!

This guy's smile is infectious.

The view from inside Richard Branson's Kasbah Tamadot.

Our dinner host, all night long singing his entire english repertoire for us...
"Thats the way, A-ha A-ah, we like it, A-ha A-ha"

The pot to the left was calling this kettle black ;)

I shot this cobra with a 35mm lens, so... Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear...
I should not have worn my Disney mouse ears to this venue, the snake is looking at me like lunch.

making chess sets

near the kings palace walls