Just a short magic carpet ride over the Sahara desert brings us to Casablanca, Morocco. This doesn't feel like anywhere we've been in Africa. The native people of Northern Africa aren't black; they are Berbers and have light skin. Some Berbers even have blond hair and blue eyes! Today Casablanca is a mix of Berbers; Arabs, who came in the 7th century; blacks, brought across the Sahara as slaves; and Europeans.

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Jasmine and I spent the morning wandering through the market; shopping for fruits, breads, and cheeses for Monica's 26th birthday breakfast. The stands were bright and beautifully lain out, bursting with a wide variety of fresh and yummy foods. Fresh figs, dates, a variety of nuts, cheeses, apples, plums, bananas, oranges, peaches, pears, and dozens of other ripe fruits.

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While I was buying food, Jasmine had gone to the flower market and made a huge bouquet of exotic flowers for Monica's birthday. We hurried back to the hotel through the morning bustle, and set up a breakfast fit for a queen, all while Monica was still asleep. What a magical morning!