Saturday, 30 July 2011

The road to Timbuctoo




If instead of going east from Ouazazate you go south down the Draa valley you enter the land of caravans, Beau Geste and the foreign legion.
The metalled road to Mohammed is only as old as the century and guidebooks lament its draw of the population from the old pise houses on the pistes of the palmeries to modern concrete homes with electricity and by the road but I know which I'd prefer particularly as cycling along the road would allow my children to get an education.
Initially the road leaves Ouazazate passing over the Anti-Atlas again the mountains getting progressively more barren and the contrast with the river and the palmeries more pronounced. Here the main tourist baits as at Tinehir are the carpets woven by the women and sold through cooperatives ( professional hitch-hikers invite you to their home to see the women weave and perhaps to sell you a carpet; all westerners want a carpet) but eventually it breaks through into the Draa valley proper and everything changes. The land is now bare stony desert except for the oases of which there are several and it is boxes of dates which are being sold to you by the small boys standing by the road. The valley is flat, crisscrossed by pistes and littered with Ksaurs; the river snakes through and the date palms line the river and protect the green palmeries. The effect is magical; probably more Arabian Nights than Arabia. 
Many of the Ksaur and Kasbahs have been turned into Hotel/Restaurants and it is from here that any reasonbly tall young man associated with the tourist industry or carpet trade will be dressed in full Toureg blue costume complete with curved dagger. The effect is probably most western women's  romantic ideal. Eventually you arrive at Zagora. This was an important centre for the French administration during the "protectorate" and the traditional departure point for camel caravans across the Sahara. The famous "Timbuctoo 52 days" sign has gone in the building of the new administrative offices, recognisable as such to a bureaucrat such as myself without any identifying signage but outside a large concrete replica sign has been erected, doubtless to facilitate the taking of snapshots by the growing number of tourists bussed in from Ouazazata and Marrakech.
Zagora has a twice weekly market and a growing number of hotels providing comfort, swimmng pools, and the true morrocan experience with romantic lighting and traditional musicians. It will also sell you a trip further into the desert.


Camels on the road to Zagora














Saturday, 23 July 2011

The Dades Valley




If you continue east from Ouazazate parallel to the Atlas you follow the Dades Valley, first through Skoura and then to el-Kalaa M'Gouna. This area is famous for its roses; a traditional industry founded on the Damascene rose reportedly  brought back by soldiers returning from fighting the crusaders. (Sometimes you just want the myths to be true). If you visit as we did in late May /early June, the harvest season you won't see a single rose on a bush. They are hand-picked in bud at the crack of dawn. But if you go to the market you will see the wholesalers with their scales weighing sacks of the dried buds from the locals and pouring them into huge piles. They will happily sell you a bag, probably at a huge markup but it is a wonderful  way to buy pot pourri. The roadside is littered with shops selling rose products; shampoos, soaps and potions of the most shocking pink hue, they must surely contain a colouring agent banned in the EU, and rosewater and essential for cooking , baking, and re-aromatising your potpourri.
If you continue you come to Boulme el Dades where the Kasbah is a comfortable Hotel but to Beloved 's despair appeared to be an entirely dry town, and then beyond that you come toTinerhir, a centre for local carpets and leading to the entrance to the gorge. Take off you shoes and wade through the cold , cold water such a welcome contrast to the blistering sun, the shadow of the walls providing welcome shade. It isn't the grand canyon but it is truly spectacular.



Sunset from Boulme el Dades Kasbah


Dades Valley


Dades Valley


Dades Gorge


Dades Gorge


Dades Gorge


Dades Gorge


Dades Gorge



Dades Gorge


Tuesday, 19 July 2011

Ait Benhaddou





32km north of Ouazazate on the other great pass through the Atlas is Ait Benhaddou. We have never yet crossed the Tizi n'Tichka as we either go direct across the Atlas from Taroudant or are travelling west through Ouazazate but we did visit Ait Benhaddou. Like Taroudant walls it is now a World Heritage site. It has been a location for numerous films, Jesus of Nazareth, Orson Welles' Sodom and Gomorrah and most memorably Laurence of Arabia and Gladiator.
You approach the kasbah now a deluxe hotel, arrive early before the coaches. There are a couple of cafes and a post office and a row of tourist shops down a lane towards the river bed. There is then quite a long walk across the wadi bottom which in January was muddy and had water in the centre and then a steep ascent up the village. People gather with donkeys to help you cross and save the trudge up. The coach tours seem to include this in the price. It is impressive but to my mind not wildly more so than some other sites although the scale is perhaps more.







Monday, 11 July 2011

Ouazazate

If instead of going south you go east into the antiatlas you come to a magic land. First you pass through Talaouine where saffron is grown, so this is the place to buy it, not Marrakech or even Taroudant. You then pass through the mountains spectacular views and numerous "fossil" stalls some selling fossils and some concrete casts, some selling amesthyst and some selling dyed quartz. Eventually you get to  Ouazazate and this is where the magic starts because Ouazazate is the centre of the moroccan film industry. You can visit the studio- 8 euros- and will be given a guided tour of various props from Gladiator and other films and then you can drive out in the desert to various sets mostly from Kingdom of Heaven; spooky but fascinating.


Dead charioteers from Gladiator, Ouazazate Studios


Buddhist Shrine from Kudron, Ouazazate Studios


Throne from Asterix film, Ouazazate Studios


Ghouls from The Mummy, Ouazazate Studios


Barge from Asterix, Ouazazate Studios


Catapult, Ouazazate Studios


Imperial Lion from Kudron, Ouazazate Studios


Back of set, ouazazate studios


Set for Kingdom of Heaven, Ouzazate


Set of Kingdom of Heaven, Ouazazate


Set of Kingdom of Heaven, Ouazazate


The marketplace, Kingdom of Heaven, Ouazazate


Kingdom of Heaven Set, Ouazazate


War Machine, Ouazazate Studios


Ouazazate Studios


Battering Ram, Ouazazate Studios


Siege engine, Ouazazate


Market,Kingdom of Heaven, Ouazazate


Market Square, Kingdom of Heaven, Ouazazate


Projection Tower, Kingdom of Heaven, Ouazazate


Tuesday, 5 July 2011

Kerkous





The circuit goes on from Tafroute to Tiznit, a town just inland from the coast. From there one can take the main coast road down to Sidi Ifni (see earlier post) or back up past the Souss-Massa to Agadir and hence back to Taroudant. Tiznit has a walled medina and a newtown outside with modern hotels. The french used it as an administrative centre, but Tiznit's main claim to fame is the stunning enamelled silver jewellry made only there for which it has been famous for centuries. Ladies it's a must.
The circuit is too long for one day and you must stay for at least one overnight. This can be Tiznit or one of its nearby beach resorts of Mirfleht or Aglou, or Tafroute, but my preference is Kerdous
Kerdous is a renovated kasbah turned hotel on the col where the road ascends from Tiznit (or alternatively if coming from Tafroute above the steep descent the road being much steeper and spectacular on the ocean side of the range).It has wonderful panoramic views and the guidebooks suggest you stop for tea to view them. The hotel has painted doors and old furniture and a pleasant little swimming pool on a terrace. It will do you the usual moroccan food although you must give 2 hours notice for a tajine; much to the fury of the frenchwoman who was offered only grills for dinner whilst I tucked into the tajine I'd ordered at lunch but the real atraction is sunset.
I think it's the perfect Kodak moment.



Hotel Kerdous


Sunset over the Anti-Atlas at Kerdous


View over Anti-Atlas at Kerdous


View over Anti-Atlas at Kerdous


Sunset at Kerdous

Sunset at Kerdous


Sunset at Kerdous


Sunset at Kerdous


Sunset at Kerdous