We left Essaouira on a warm day. We passed argan trees and headed to wine country. We stopped at Domaine du Val d’Argan for a tasting. First we were introduced to their entire line of wines. It is today the only vineyard in Morocco to have obtained certification of conformity to European regulation CE 834/2007 which governs organic farming in Europe.

Then we were taken on a tour of the facility, which was like none that we had ever seen. The fermentation takes place in cement vats.

The aging then takes place in metal barrels.

They bottle and sell about 300,000 bottles a year, 90% within Morocco.

The owner of the place Charles Melia bought the original 12 acres in 1994 but now owns 129.

We passed the scraggly looking vineyards.

In addition to a tasting room and restaurant, they have accommodations of 5 overnight guest rooms.

We tasted 2 whites and 2 reds, which were not bad.

After the tasting we got back in the car for our long drive to the Ourika Valley. The final drive up to the hotel was on a narrow dirt road that winds up out of the valley into the High Atlas Mountains. We arrived in the late afternoon to Kasbah Bab Ourika.

As usual, the courtyard is lovely.

After a welcome drink we were shown to our room.

And once again, the bathroom is the best part.

As is the roomy private terrace with a view of the High Atlas Mountains.

We watched the sun set over the mountains then enjoyed dinner in the restaurant.

In the morning we were again struck with the beauty of the view from our terrace with the morning light on the mountains.

On our way to breakfast we noted how much later the olives ripen in the mountains than in the southern valleys. In Skoura they were already harvesting black olives. Here they are still not even yet ripe green ones.

After breakfast we met with our mountain guide Hassan. The dog from our hotel decided to join us on the hike.

Behind Eric and Hassan can be seen Jebel Toubkal  Mountain. At 4,167 m (13,671 ft), it is the highest peak in Morocco, the Atlas Mountains, in fact in the Arab world. It is usually great for skiing, although no snow yet this year, which we are told is unusual..

After leaving the hotel property, we hiked around and almost immediately entered the Toubkal National Park. Hassan pointed out all the interesting flora along the way and explained each ones usefulness to the locals. Agave not only makes tequila, but the fibers are silk-like and are woven into fine cloths.

Juniper leaves are dried and smoked to help one stop smoking cigarettes. The wood from the juniper bush is burned and the ashes are dissolved into water and the dark liquid spread around the rims of food and beverage bowls to repel insects. The ashes can also be used in hair dyes.

The juniper berries make gin.

We passed honey bee hives.

At this point in the park we were able to look back and see or hotel in the distance.

We also passed a football (soccer) field built by the government for the children. It is here in the park due to the lack of ground in the villages, where all available space is used for homes or gardens..

We took a minute to stop and enjoy the beauty of our surroundings.

Hassan explained the danger of erosion of the hills due to storms. The government has been planting pine trees along the rims to help bind the ground.

We passed a wild oleander and Hassan reiterated its poisonous properties, especially if boiled.

Wild mint grows along the irrigation channels.

We hiked out of the park and passed along the top of a family farm on the border. The vegetables are sold at the Monday market.

As we came around to the front of the farm,

we saw a prickly pear cactus, a rarity here because they are all dying of a fungal infection. Hassan explained that the family can keep this single one alive by regularly cleaning it and covering it with the black soap we have seen in all the souks, which will prevent the fungus from sticking. The cactus berry is not only a delicious fruit, but the oil from its seed is used in anti wrinkle facial products.

On the edge of the farm was a carob tree. There was a time when the carob seeds were used to weigh the carats of gold, carat from the arabic word qurat which means unit of weight with reference to the elongated seed bod of the carob, hence the nomenclature.

This tree is just starting to bud.

Along the border of the farm are a line of agave plants. They are often used as natural fences to keep sheep and goats from wandering onto the fields.

He also pointed out that the agave will shoot up a flower after about 10 years or so, but then the plant dies.

There are chickens roaming near most homes. This one was just strutting, begging for her picture to be taken.

Hassan explained all the new construction seen everywhere. Most families all live together. As the sons grow and marry, they just add new homes onto the existing ones.

Some of the new homes use the old method of dirt, straw, etc. But most now use concrete bricks for immediacy.

Unlike in the city, which has community hammams, here almost every home has its own hammam often with an external access for the firewood.

The hammams account for the smoke we see from our terrace rising to the sky from many areas.

We passed the school with the children outside playing. They are off this week. About every 6 weeks they get a 1 week break.

At this point Hassan, a previous science teacher, took a moment to lament the lack of funding for education and healthcare in the country. Since the 60s the population in Morocco has grown from 8 million to over 40 million. In that time, very few new schools have been built, yet many new soccer fields have been built. The students in the villages go to school in shifts, each child for only 3 hours a day. There can be as many as 50 students to a classroom. Where the teachers used to get a 2 hour lunch break, now they have a quick lunch break and work all day for no increase in pay. There is currently a teachers’ strike in Morocco. Across from the school is the kresh: preschool.

We asked about birthing babies. Most women have their first in a hospital because of the risk. But if no problems with the first, subsequent babies are born at home assisted by the village midwife.

Beside the school is the mosque.

As the government has brought running water to the homes, each home is charged for the use. In order to charge, the homes are numbered.

Before there were elected officials in each village, the villages were run by the wealthy chiefs who lived in kasbahs. This town’s abandoned kasbah was severely damaged by the Sept. 8 earthquake.

Walking through the village, we passed the local store.

This village also has an irrigation system, more sophisticated than the one we saw in the Skoura Valley.

There is a lever for changing the water’s direction, not stones and mud.

Hassan pointed out that the more luxurious looking homes we passed are all vacation homes for the more wealthy city dwellers from Marrakech.

One such fine home we passed was that of the owner of our hotel.

Very much like in the Skoura Valley, each family here has its own plots for farming. And similar to there, the plots are getting smaller with each new generation.

Hassan pointed out the many squash and pumpkin vines growing all around us. The large elongated squash, after taking out the marrow, used to be used as gourds for drinking and storing, but no more. Now it is simply cooked with Friday couscous.

The pumpkin vine is growing on the tree for support. The pumpkin is wrapped to prevent birds from poking holes into it.

Bitter oranges are grown for marmalade. Their skins can be used for orange dye. The blossoms are used for essences, scented products.

Sweet lemons are for juice but the bitter lemons are preserved for cooking in the tagines with olives.

He pointed out a quince tree.

A plum orchard

And an avocado tree.

The majority of the electricity is from solar panels.

We passed an abandoned wheat mill where the running water from the irrigation stream powered the wheel.

Alfalfa, feed for the animals, is grown in large fields.

There is a dog tied in the middle of the alfalfa field because his barking will scare away any wild boars that wander in from the park.

Sheep and a donkey graze nearby.

A Washington Palm is just for beauty; it bears no fruit. Have to wonder as to the significance in the naming of it…

Again, the irigation system is vast and impressive.

We passed fields of potatoes

and onions

The tomatoes are just about done for the season as the weather cools.

Finally we have arrived in the Amazigh family home. Amazigh is another name for Berber, which is what the tribes prefer. Berber was the name given to them by the Romans for “those who do not speak Latin.” Amazigh is the original for themselves in their native Berber language.

Stepping over the threshold, we are in the foyer of the home which contains the oven for baking the bread for guests.

There is a stable for the animals, which were out grazing during the day.

And a pen for the donkey, taking a mid day break.

This home, like most others in the village, has it’s own hammam, which I have come to understand is very much like a sauna.

The water is boiled over the fire, which is lit from the outside wall, then a little water is placed on the inside floor for steam. Inside the hammam one sits, relaxes, and scrubs oneself with the black soap.

Also in this foyer to the home is a room for the storage of food for the animals, mostly alflalfa both fresh and dried.

We then stepped through the door, past the bathroom facilities (all the homes in the village have running water and sewage lines), and into the inner courtyard.

Our lunch was cooking in the tagine atop the majamar.

Hassan showed us the kitchen with the everyday bread ovens that can also double to cook the large family Friday couscous.

He showed us the vessel into which they pour the milk, then swing it for about 30 minutes to separate the butter from the milk.

It is then simply hung on a peg for storage.

In addition to wood, butane is used for cooking. It is more expensive but more expedient to use.

The next room has the kitchen wares. We commented on the number of teapots!

And more cookware.

The rest of the rooms around the courtyard are for sleeping. We went up the steps to the level above. In the valley homes like this one have an open courtyard in the center. Hassan explained that up in the mountains, the courtyard would be closed and would be the stable for the animals, thus keeping the house warmer for the upstairs occupants.

And were invited into the guest room. Hassan explained that most Amazigh homes have a room used exclusively for entertaining guests.  Here the extended family gathers to celebrate the end of Ramadan.

Hassan the proceeded to explain the ritual of making and serving tea. We realized that despite having been in the country for over a month, and having been served tea countless times, no-one had yet explained all the steps involved in the process.

He showed us the ingredients: loose green tea from China, lumps of sugar, and herbs, whatever you like, most often mint in Morocco.

First one must wash hands before the ingredients are handled, as well as before eating meals.

Then a handful of tea is poured into the teapot which is next filled with about a cup of boiling water. The water is swished to open the tea leaves, then poured out and saved. Meanwhile, choose what herbs, today he chose lemon verbena, sage, and absinthe, place them in a glass, and pour hot water over to cleanse; let sit a few minutes. A second cup of water is poured into the teapot and swirled vigorously to clean the now opened tea leaves. This dirty water is poured out and thrown away. Now the teapot is filled with water, the first rinse put back in the pot, and the rinsed herbs, their rinse water having been thrown away, are all added back to the pot, which is placed on charcoals and boiled a few minutes. If sugar is to be added, which it always is for Moroccans; (they physically work hard and burn the calories), the sugar is placed in a glass and the boiling water added to it to dissolve the sugar in the glass. The dissolved sugar is then added to the pot. A glass is poured out, then replaced into the pot a few times to ensure that the ingredients in the pot are all mixed well. Finally, a small amount is poured into a glass and tasted. If deemed ready, a half glass is poured for each guest. The first round is always a half glass for 2 reasons: if the guest does not like the herbs used, only a half glass is wasted and, the first round of tea is too hot to hold the glass. The half glass allows for room in the upper half of the glass for fingers to pick up the glass.

After tea, lunch was served. This is another Moroccan custom we have noted: tea is served first with nuts and cookies then lunch is served followed by fruits. The dessert seems to come before the meal.

After lunch we headed to the upper terrace for the views. In the distance another village can be seen on the hill. There are 49 villages in the Ourika Valley.

Also from above we can see the building going on next door. The family is adding a home for the eldest married brother.

There are more homes being built in the village also.

Also from up high we can see a row of poplar trees. Poplar trees are used for making furniture because of their flexibility. Their foliage is beautiful this time of year.

Down in the village we passed a home with a couple of large tents set up adjacent to the home. Hassan explained that means they are about to have a celebration. All celebrations are community wide events. Celebrations include weddings and circumcisions, the latter taking place after the baby is 40 days old but generally before 90.

As we left the village we passed several nurseries. One was for more poplars, another for cedar trees, also used for furniture and cabinetry. The trees will be transplanted around the area.

We then made the long hike up the hill back to our hotel. We had not noted prior but realized now, here also pines have been planted to stabilize the road from erosion.

We watched another sun set over the mountains, then another delicious dinner in the restaurant. The next day was one for more R&R. We took some time to enjoy the beautiful resort. While I shot photos on the ground including the lunch terrace

the pool

And the lending library/reading room

And the extensive gardens. They use rosemary as a border.

In addition to many olive, orange, and decorative trees, there are several rose gardens.

and many veggie and herb gardens.

Eric meanwhile sent up the drone to get views of the property from above. In this one the extense of the gardens can be appreciated.

This one particularly shows the gorges leading into the national park.

We spent a large portion of the day relaxing by the pool.

The next day we headed for our last stop: Marrakech. On the way we stopped at Le Paradis du Safran, an organic garden specializing in saffron. We had just missed the saffron harvest by a couple of weeks, but they had a couple of the flowers left to show us. The spice is derived from the stigma of the flower gently pulled off then dried. It takes a person 3 hours to collect the 200 flowers and remove theirs stigma to produce 1 gm of saffron, which is why it is the world’s most expensive spice.

The saffron field no longer had flowers, but the fields are expansive.

We wandered around the extensive gardens that had almost every fruit tree and herb imaginable.

One herb we did not know previously was this scented geranium, which has been included in teas and flavored waters we have been served while here.

The fruit trees also included ones we had not seen before like this kumquat tree.

And one we had never even heard of before called a pomelo.

When we had tea and snacks after touring the garden, we were actually served a pomelo which turned out to be much like a smaller, slightly sweeter grapefruit.

The grounds had pretty nice views of the High Atlas Mountains.

And some cute decor. These guys actually were triggered to play as we walked by.

They are also known for the “sensory garden.” We were encouraged to remove our shoes and walk through the different sensory stimuli. The peacocks and peahens took off before we walked through.

After the feet were stimulated, there was a series of baths, salts, rinses, and finally scented herbs to rub onto the feet before snacks were served.

We then drove up to the red city: Marrakech. As per the usual mo, we were met just outside the medina by a porter from the hotel. I realize, I have never included a pic of the little hand trucks the porters use to transport luggage through the streets of the medinas. Not all are a decorated as this one.

We were greeted at L’Hotel Marrakech, which is really a riad with its innocuous door.

The turn into the narrow entryway.

And the beautiful central garden.

We were shown up to our private terrace overlooking this courtyard.

And into our room styled in the 1930s French motif.

After we settled in, we wandered back out into the medina for Eric’s badly overdue haircut.

We had a lovely dinner by the fire in private in the dining room. I have probably not mentioned before, but this is the best time to be in Morocco. The weather is still gorgeous, and the tourism is at a low. In several of our accommodations, this one included, we have been the only guest for 1 or more days of our stay, such personal attention and privacy, luxurious.

After breakfast (included in every place we have stayed) Mohammed, our guide for the day, met us at the riad. Having been in the country at this point for over a month, we challenged him to find information and food we had not yet experienced. He rose to the challenge and succeeded on both counts!

First he took us out into the street of our neighborhood and explained that the larger medinas, like in this city, are divided into neighborhoods called derbs. The derbs are mostly residential, although now a lot of homes are being converted into riads and spas. Each derb has its own prayer hall for the daily prayers, but is not a mosque and does not have Friday prayers.

We are in derb Sidi Lhassen ou Ali. Sidi is a special title for a male, like “lord,” Lala for a female. Lhassen ou means “son of” like ben in Hebrew.

Many derbs also have shrines to saints that previously lived there.

Mohammed also explained that as plumbing was introduced into the medina, the pipes were laid, then the road built up over, which is why many doors and homes are now significantly lower than the street.

The houses are numbered from right to left, as Arabic is written. Shrines, prayer halls, and mosques are not numbered. He also explained why so many of the doors seem to have a smaller door within a larger frame. The smaller door is for people, the larger was to allow for the animals to enter. Nowadays most people in the medina do not keep large animals in their homes, (they have motorbikes) but keep the old doors because the smaller doors are cooler.

As families grew, if extra space was needed, the house could be built right over the alley.

Several derbs open into a larger space that is the center of the neighborhood of the medina. As explained previously, each neighborhood had its own mosque, hammam, bakery, water supply, and madrassa. Our neighborhood mosque with the accompanying water fountain have been converted into a museum.

The central area onto which all the derbs open is the area for shops and services like mechanics, tailors, electronics, food

and barbers

And nowadays, a laundromat

Our neighborhood 16th century madrassa now is also the local public school.

The neighborhood bakeries were once public. They are all now private businesses that charge a nominal fee if used by a private person. But mostly they bake enormous quantities of bread for the hotels.

This is the current neighborhood mosque.

The latrines were also once all public and centrally located.

This one is now in disrepair, but has the original area for washing clothes.

The toilets can be used for about 1 dirham (10 cents).

a close-up of the squat toilet. I only had to use one once in the month we’ve been here. No toilet paper but fortunately I had my own.

Then water is provided for washing after using the toilet.

The medinas are all undergoing restoration, which involves sealing and painting over the new cement bricks of the new buildings while keeping the original color for which the city is known..

Originally the groves and gardens that fed the city were immediately outside the medina walls. Today there are only token gardens in the urban sprawl that is Marrakech.

The hammam, still in use, can often be recognized because it has a large central dome under which people sit while in the sauna, for purification.

Recycling is huge here. Almost everything is recycled. While walking through our derb, we heard a man calling (in Arabic) for bread. He buys partially used or stale loaves and sells them to farmers as feed for animals. This donkey is pulling a recycling cart through the medina.

The next neighborhood we passed through was Laksour (palaces).

which is one of the oldest near the famous mosque: Koutoubia, which means book sellers. We got our first glimpse of the famous mosque.

As we neared, we could see the 12th century mosque and the nearby shrine.

Because of the Sept. 8 earthquake, the mosque is considered unstable and cannot be entered, which is why it is surrounded by barriers and the side and top are supported.

Originally in the space was an 11th century mosque, which was mostly destroyed but not removed; the ruins remain.

The Koutoubia Mosque was built in the Moorish/Andalusian style about the same time, by the same dynasty, as those in Sevilla and Rabat. They were based on the one in Cordoba (and the 11th century one which they destroyed). The columns are aligned to face the mihrab (prayer niche), which is facing mecca.

Beneath the old mosque is a large water cistern.

It is filled by water from the High Atlas mountains that comes through a system of channels.

The new mosque reservoirs are considered so special, they are considered a spiritual place and are named for special people.

Mohammed explained that the typical Muslim door style, the keyhole, with the upper horseshoe shape, dates back to the Romans who considered horseshoes to be good luck.

Like all mosques, there is a large public space adjacent, in this case a park.

The central round fountain, however, is more of a European, ie French, influence. The typical muslim garden is square, in 4 symmetrical quadrants.

Stork nests can be seen in the nearby cellphone towers.

Heading back toward the mosque

Mohammed pointed out the woman dressed all in white. He explained that she is in mourning. In a very strict family, she would not come out, unless in an emergency, for the duration of the mourning period, which is 4 months and 10 days. (If the death is a husband, in that time a pregnancy would be known.)

As we walked around the mosque, Mohammed explained that the minaret internally has ramps so a donkey could carry a man to the top to call for prayers. The external niches provided amplification of the sound in the days before electronic loudspeakers.

The braces around the minaret are to hold it together due to earthquake damage.

The post earthquake damage was dealt with quickly in Marrakech. The buildings across from the mosque have supports due to fears of crumbling, especially in the immediate post quake aftershocks. Marrakech is considered the “Image of Morocco,” so it was important that businesses reopen rapidly.

We left the mosque and crossed a huge busy intersection.

In the middle island is an old French canon.

Across the intersection is the road that leads to the Jemaa el-Fnaa, the largest, most important square in the Marrakech medina. At the entrance to the road is the horse carriage parking spot.

The horses are Bard horses, which are a cross between the Arabian and Andalusian breeds.

As we entered Jemaa el-Fnaa, we took a look back at the Koutoubia Mosque.

At the front of Jemaa el-Fnaa is the post office, still in use, and what was a bank, now a museum.

Mohammed had shown us a picture taken in the 1910s of this same location.

Jemaa el-Fnaa has been declared by UNESCO as a world heritage site due to the unique culture found here.

A lot of which can be explained in the museum. So before exploring the square, we decided to go into the museum inside the bank, already completely restored from the earthquake damage.

The inside space has the feel of an old bank.

Because Marrakech is well protected by the surrounding High Atlas Mountains, it was the central location for trade on the caravan trails between the ports, and their salt and goods from Europe, and from the East: gold, silver, rugs, produce. Jemaa el-Fnaa was the social center of Marrakech. In it could be found storytellers: Halqa.

Storytelling has always been an important tradition in Jemaa el-Fnaa, so much so that it has become a focus in theater and subsequently movies. There is an entire room in the museum featuring movies with scenes either made in or based on Jemaa el-Fnaa.

Other performers who frequented Jemaa el-Fnaa included the snake charmer.

And many musicians playing gnoua on the drum, the qaraba (castanets) and the guembri, the 3 string guitar.

The display below shows peoples who would have frequented Jemaa el-Fnaa including the seated scribe and the typically dressed tribal folks.

We then went back to the square.

Outside in the square we immediately found a snake charmer.

There were also several men with monkeys on chain leashes. Animal rights activists are vocal against both of these animal abuses, but UNESCO protects them because they are part of the heritage. I did not want to give a monkey trainer money for a picture, so none included. We made our way through more streets filled with shops in the medina. A favorite shop was this one full of instruments.

Then Mohammed made good on his second challenge. He found us food we had not yet tried: mechoui. any vegetarians, be warned. The following is for serious carnivores only. Mechoui is is an entire young lamb roasted is an oven in the ground.

We ordered up 2 kg of lamb, bread, mixed spiced olives, french fries, and a couple of cokes, and lunch was served. We figured we had been in the country over a month and neither of us had gotten travelers’ sickness, so time to live daringly. Once our portion was chopped up, it was placed in a bucket and lowered back into the hole to be warmed.

While we were eating, he pulled out a whole lamb, and we were able to see how it is roasted tied to a stick. It is eaten with salt mixed with cumin, as seen on the table, so juicy and delicious. After lunch Mohammed walked us down an entire lane of street food representing choices from all over Africa and the Middle East.

One note, a very annoying aspect of walking around the medina in Marrakech is the large number of motorcycles that come racing by often dangerously.

We then headed to the section with the souks and souikas, which is the diminutive meaning small souk. Traditionally, the souk is where the artisans are actually making the products. Usually the artisans do not sell their own products, but sell them to merchants who then sell them in kissarias, which are galleries that display the objects made by the artisans. Today they are a bit mixed up. But there are still some souks for specific crafts like straw weaving

and dying wool and silk

all the possible wool colors

all the silk colors

scarves come in all the colors of the sahara

today’s color is red. The dyed wool is hanging outside drying.

The pigments for the dyes can be bought, as well as the dyed wool, usually from the same stall as spices.

And near the souks can be found shops that hold the tools necessitated by those artisans like this one for tailors’ supplies

In places, several souks will open into a square like this very colorful one.

This rug marketplace has stalls with all new rugs, some specializing in rugs from certain regions, and some stalls buy and sell used rugs.

There is an entire metal souk

The souk haddadine is all metal works with sparks flying. Some items being made are utilitarian, but this man is an artist.

This man is soldering pieces together.

And this one is a locksmith for locks large and small.

In the leather souk we saw artisans doing everything with leather imaginable: dying, cutting, gluing, and sewing.

This man is cutting soles for making shoes.

We were introduced to man bags. Because most men wear djellabas, they do not have pockets. So they carry a bag over their shoulder.

This artisan specializes in saddles.

For the leather souk there is not only a parts supply store,

there is also a nearby knife sharpener. The wheel he uses is made of sandstone and will be used until it is mud, then he will get a new wheel.

This is the leather kisseria, with the typical high wood ceiling to protect the goods.

As we walked around we went down a street that has been braced since the earthquake.

And also this minaret, tied around because of the large crack right up the middle.

In this neighborhood, there is also a mosque and school with accompanied madrassa. It also had a museum, but we were not in the mood for another museum. We felt like the souks and kisserias are enough like living museums.

As described in Essaouira, fondouks were historically where camels were brought with their wares and were mini self contained markets. Because Marrakech was the largest trading sight, there were many such fondouks. Mohammed showed us a picture of one from 1910.

Today they are being renovated and are boutique shops or coops. We saw several.

They are often named for people or places if not the types of wares they sell. The one below still has the original scales.

As we got closer to the big hotels, the shops and boutiques became more upscale and more expensive, as seen in the fondouks above. Mohammed explained that this area with the nicer, bigger hotels was called the hivernage district which means wintering in French. During the French protectorate period, they would come to Marrakech during the winter months but spend the hot summer ones either in the mountains or near the seaside. While walking, Mohammed gave us a brief recap of the French/Moroccan history. As stated previously, in the early part of the 20th century, the French decided that Morocco needed protection not only from warring European nations, but also internally from the warring tribes. But really they were using Morocco for its resources. They built the railway systems and roadways to enhance the trade routes. They put no money into the medinas or infrastructure for the small villages. When they left in the 1950s, Morocco was left a bit destitute. Marrakech was a very poor city for a couple of decades. It was the hippies and the “discovery” of the “Marrakech Express” that put the city back on the map with an influx of tourists and with them money.

We left this neighborhood to head back to ours. Along the way we passed a palace, not of the king but of his family, called Darel Basha.

We asked Mohammed about the uniforms of the different military posted out front. At every entrance of every palace there are guards, usually several. He said each represents a different branch: the red is the army, the camo the equivalent to the marines, the grey are non weapon carrying somewhat like the national guard, etc. He says at least one from each of the branches are required to protect the palace for national security because each has a different chain of command. There is also a navy and an airforce, neither of which are represented here.

That evening, having already dared the street food, we went back out and dared it again, but this time with Middle Eastern fare: falafels, shawarma, and hummus.

The next day we spent the morning and early afternoon back in the medina, wandering and shopping for presents to take home. Later in the afternoon we headed to a hammam/spa. We had been in the country for over a month and had yet to try a hammam. Kamal had insisted that we go at least once. For obvious reason, I have no pictures. But I will describe the experience in detail because it was like no other. Public hammams have men and women separated. But in this tourist hammam, since we booked together, we had a couples’ experience. After tea and flavored water to prehydrate us, we were taken to the changing robes. They discouraged bathing suits because they are too difficult to work around. Eric’s was paper briefs. I was given a paper thong that covered very little, nothing for the top. We had robes and slippers until we got into the hammam. Then we lay first face down on a wet heated mat. The washers are all women. We were each scrubbed thoroughly top to bottom, front and back, (every inch for me, Eric briefs area excluded), with the black soap which is made from olive oil base. The washers left for a time, and we then lay there quietly for a bit. Then they returned and using a loofah-like mit, they scrubbed us hard going over every area several times, exfoliating every cell of dead skin and then another layer, or so it seemed. It bordered on painful in spots. Then, using warm water, we were hosed down in a standing position. We were then told to lay down again and were covered in a red clay. Again we rested supine for a bit. When they returned this time, after hosing us down, they scrubbed us with a more foamy soap, shampooed our hair, then hosed us down completely. The whole process took about 45 minutes. We were then wrapped back into our robes with towels around our heads and led into a room with cushions on the floor and again served tea and flavored water, this time plus some cookies. After resting here for a bit, it was time for massages, which Eric had opted out of. My massage was pleasant with just the right amount of pressure for me. It was also the most complete massage I have ever experienced (I have never had my breasts included before). I particularly enjoyed the scalp massage.

After, Eric met me we walked back to Jemaa el-Fnaa. We had been told by both Kamal and Mohammed that the best time to go is early evening when it is packed with street performers. This being a Monday night off season, it was not as busy as we expected. But there were dancers, musicians, and acrobats in addition to the snake charmers and monkey trainers. The street leading into the square from the big hotel area was teeming with people.

And we were able to watch the sun setting behind the Koutoubia Mosque.

We then crossed the square and climbed the stairs for a rooftop dinner at Le Grand Bazar.

In the morning Kamal drove us to the Majorelle Garden and the attached Yves Saint-Laurent Museum. From their website:

The Jardin Majorelle, which extends over 9,000 m², is one of the most enchanting and mysterious gardens in Morocco. Created over the course of forty years, it is enclosed by outer walls, and consists of a labyrinth of crisscrossing alleyways on different levels and boldly-coloured buildings that blend both Art Deco and Moorish influences. The French painter Jacques Majorelle conceived of this large and luxuriant garden as a sanctuary and botanical ‘laboratory’. In 1922, he began planting it with exotic botanical specimens from the far corners of the world.

In 1980, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, who first arrived in Morocco in 1966, purchased the Jardin Majorelle to save it from destruction at the hands of hotel developers. The new owners decided to live in Jacques Majorelle’s villa, which they renamed the Villa Oasis. 

Upon entering the gardens we were immediately struck with the beauty of the many varieties of cactus, most of which were imported from Mexico and South America.

But what also stands out are the colors, specifically the Majorelle Blue, so named because of its use in this garden. Majorelle had noticed the colour in Moroccan tiles, in Berber burnhouses, and around the windows of buildings such as kasbahs, and native adobe homes. In Morocco it is known as the color of the sahara.

There is a koi pond.

and a memorial to the man YSL who passed away from brain cancer in 2008.

The garden has the tallest bamboo we have ever seen, and we saw a lot in SE Asia.

There are fountains throughout.

There were also a couple of cactus species that were unusual; neither of us had seen before.

There is a little building in which there is a shop supporting local artisans. It also has a room dedicated to all the “love” postcards that YSL designed yearly and sent to friends and family.

There is also a Berber Museum. From their website:

The Berber Museum, inaugurated in 2011 under the High Patronage of His Majesty Mohammed VI, King of Morocco, is housed in the former painting studio of the artist Jacques Majorelle.  It presents a panorama of the extraordinary creativity of the Berbers (Imazghen), the most ancient people of North Africa. More than 600 objects, collected from the Rif Mountains to the Sahara by Pierre Bergé and Yves Saint Laurent, attest to the richness and diversity of this vibrant culture, which is still very much alive today.

Pictures were not allowed inside the museum. There were artifacts, jewelry, and clothing of Berber tribes from throughout Morocco. We did not learn a whole lot more than we had visiting the villages throughout our trip. But it did make us feel grateful that we had truly visited all of the different cultures and learned so much during our journey.

The 2 pieces of trivia we did pick up, somehow missed prior, is that the Berber language is called tifinagh. I had previously taken a picture of the alphabet and will include it here

The other piece of information we picked up in the museum is about one of the symbols we had been seeing everywhere which looks like this

The specifics vary from tribe to tribe, but it is a triangle with the circle with a pin through it above. It classically was worn by a woman in a Southern tribe as a brooch to clasp her melhfa. If she wears one, she is single, two for married. The symbol itself is derived from a pagan one and is symbol of protection a little like the hand of God symbol used by all 3 Western religions.

We finished the Majorelle garden tour.

And headed to the YSL Museum. There pictures were forbidden again. The museum had a lot of line sketches made by YSL through the years and lots of his haute couture prototypes made through his decades of designing. The garments are each like a true work of art. There was also a little theater with a short documentary about his life and career and showed a video of his retrospective show at the time of his retirement in 2002. The only picture allowed was that of the central courtyard. The turtle is a suspended statue.

After the museum we took Kamal out for a thank you lunch. As we drove there we passed the large hospital/university complex of Marrakech where he has been taking his mother every 4 months for chemo for her breast cancer. We asked him about the health system in Morocco. A toubib is a healer. His explanation sounds very similar to ours in the US: the very poor have a public system that is free but overcrowded, understaffed, long wait times, and often inaccessible. Those that can afford can buy private insurance. But he has to drive 8 hours for the nearest cancer center. He has to pay for rooms for him and his mother for the several days they need to be in town for her treatments. And the out-of-pockets costs for the medical care are still significant. Dental is never covered and is very expensive.

For our lunch Kamal chose the Amal Women’s Training Center Restaurant with the mission ”to provide a safe and loving space where strong, resilient women can rewrite their narratives and step into their power.” It trains underprivileged women to be chefs. The restaurant food is cooked by the students.

I particularly loved the quote on the wall.

Kamal is a beautiful person who made our trip through Morocco a beautiful experience.

After lunch he took us on a driving tour through the new sections of Marrakech with the golf courses, large hotels and resorts. Businesses included everything from McDonalds and Starbucks to Saint Laurent and other boutique shops, Moroccan as well as international. The avenues are wide and palm lined looking a little like Miami but with the High Atlas Mountains as the backdrop. He then took us back to the riad for the last time. In the morning we were to leave Morocco and start our journey back to NY. Our 15+ weeks of travel was nearing the end.

After a long day of travel, we arrived in Taroudant (aka Little Marrakesh), after dark, precluding any pictures of the outside. We were introduced to Marouane, who would be our guide the next day, then whisked to our suite.

We enjoyed a lovely dinner and a bottle of wine, our first in a while as no alcohol was available in the desert. Alcohol is against the muslim religion and is sold in Morocco only in large grocery stores in the large cities. It is often served in the French style hotels, of which this was one.

After a good night’s sleep, we set off for town in our horse drawn carriage.

We were told that the wife of the former Shah of Iran owns the adjoining property on one side and the king of Morocco himself the property on the other. The king’s property does not have one of his 25 palaces, just a vacation home for his family. We passed the “Grand Canyon” of Morocco, home to a dried up river bed.

We approached the original town of Taradount, which is entirely within the walls. There is building now across the riverbed for a new town. At 7 km, it is one of the longest walls in the world. The town dates back at least 1000 years and was on the caravan road to Marrakesh. In the 16th century it was briefly, about 20 years, the capital of Morocco under the Saadian dynasty. Originally there were 5 gates, babs, but currently there are 10.

Unfortunately, the wall suferred great damage during the earthquake on Sept. 8

In several sections there are workers making repairs.

We passed the Thursday Bab, so called because just inside is held the weekly Thursday market.

We passed what was one of the originals hotels, now falling into disrepair because of missing inheritors.

We passed into the medina and got out to walk around inside the kasbah within.

There is a triple entrance to the kasbah for security.

It bears the name of the founder Saabi dynasty.

Marouane showed us the tax collector building. The name: Lachour means 10 in Arabic because one of the pillars of Islam is that one should give away 10% of income every year.

He showed what was once the madrassa, quran school, but is now a town meeting room.

What once was the courtyard of the kasbah is now a private home with electricity, running water and sewage.

There are 2 souks within the medina. The Berber souk sells mostly goods needed to run the home. What I liked about this souk compared to those we have seen is this is really for the locals not tourists.

There are clothing and shoe stores.

a bakery

dates and nuts

all different grains

More different honeys than I knew existed.

and of course spices

We passed a wedding planner who is displaying the typical local wedding garb

and a modern day ammaria for carrying the bride to her new home

Then we crossed over to the Arab souk, which is more artisans, particularly jewelry. Marouane took us to a jeweler who is unique in that he combines both wood and silver. He layers cedar, ebony, and silver.

Then he files them smooth.

The finished products are beautiful.

Another merchant Marouane introduced us to was one selling rugs, who taught me all about rug weaving. We had been to so many shops before, but never had anyone taken the time to explain all the differences. For starters, rugs woven by men are usually on a horizontal loom and tend to be thinner, more flexible than those woven on vertical looms by women. Remember the vertical loom in the home of the nomads v the horizontal loom in the shop in Tangier. In addition to regular weaving, there are techniques involving embroidering directly into the weaving. This can be done on only one side or on both, making the rug reversible. And the fourth technique is that of tying knots into the weave on one side. These rugs are fluffy on one side and like other woven rugs on the other. The fluffy sides are placed up in the winter for warmth, then turned over in the summer. While turned over in the summer, the weave loosens making them easier to clean. Historically the different techniques have been used by different tribes. The rug below shows all 4 of the techniques on one rug.

He also showed me a wedding rug which is made by the bride-to-be for her husband to show her personality (presumably they have never met) and what she expects in the marriage. The kasbah in the center represents their future home with entrances on both sides representing the 2 families from which they come. The kasbah contains goats representing their future prosperity.

We had a nice long lunch with Marouane who taught us a lot about the culture in the south of Morocco and how it differs from the north. In the south, a woman is not allowed to spend the night away from her home, not even at the home of a girl friend. A woman cannot check into a hotel by herself. A couple can be dragged into the police station for standing too close or touching in public. Once in the police station, if the girl’s father insists for the sake of her honor, they can be forced to marry on the spot. Marouane, who is Berber, says this is because of the strictness of Islam but is not the custom of the Berbers. He told us a story of a couple from his Berber village that were dragged into the police station. Many of the village Berbers went to the police station and made a racket protesting until the couple was released.

After lunch, we rode the horse drawn carriage back to the hotel, where I was able to get a picture in the daylight.

There was a peacock in the garden.

The place was really lovely.

In the morning it was time to move on again. Kamal was particularly enjoying this part of the trip. Despite having worked for JBT for over 12 years, he had never been to Taroudant before, which he had enjoyed exploring while we were guided by Marouane the prior day. The drive now through Tiznit and to Mirleft were all also new to him. We stopped in the town of Tiznit which was in the process of undergoing an entirely new sidewalk construction, so the place was a bit torn up.

We made our way to the Blue Springs which was the source of a khattara system previously.

Beside the springs sits the Kasbah Aghenaj, built in 1810 strategically next to the water source. The kasbah is currently a cultural heritage museum, closed because it was Friday afternoon.

It had some beautifully carved doors.

Outside the kasbah was the mosque, which was filling for Friday afternoon prayers. The minaret had branches sticking out from it on all sides which Kamal said he had never seen before and could not even venture a guess as to their purpose.

One thing Kamal did point out was how colorful the melhfas worn by the women are. In the north, the women tend to wear djellabas and, if they want to cover their face, a scarf or hijab. Very few women in Morocco wear the burkas common in other muslim countries. The djellabas of the north are usually subdued colors. Here in the south the melhfas are a long piece of cloth wrapped around the body and include the head. Most are brightly colored and/or patterned.

As mentioned previously, Morocco has been suffering a serious drought. In fact, it had not rained a drop in the over 3 weeks since we had arrived. When we got in the car that morning, Kamal told us that the king had declared that the entire country should devote their Friday prayers for rain. We looked at the forecast, and indeed rain was in the forecast for the afternoon. As we headed to lunch in Tiznit, while the mosques were full, the skies opened up, and it poured. We enjoyed a slightly soggy lunch in a cafe called A l’Ombre du Figuier, which translates from French as “The shade of the Fig.”  We were mostly underneath. After lunch we continued our journey to Mirleft. We arrived in the late afternoon to a muddy entrance at our next hotel: Kasbah Tabelkoukt.

The hotel is run by a French woman who has created a beautiful garden setting overlooking a spectacular beach view, but alas, it was still raining.

The next day Kamal picked us up and we drove south along the coast. We stopped at Legzira Beach, which required a significant hike down.

As we walked along the beach, Kamal pointed out the huge water tanks on top of the buildings, which he said indicated that the beach community does not have water and sewer systems.

It was a cute beach town.

But the facilities were clearly separate and primitive.

The beach is known for its natural arches. Apparently there used to be more, but some have collapsed over time. Kamal was very excited to see them having only ever seen them on postcards prior.

We walked through, took lots of pictures, then walked back.

There are lots of different types of accomodations for the adventurous tourist.

Of note, there may not be running water, but there are cell towers and plenty of satellite dishes.

And then we made the long hike back to the car.

We got back in the car and drove further south to the town of Sidi Ifni, also new to Kamal. We explored together. It was market day. One side of the market is for all the types of home goods one could imagine. I was drawn to the stalls selling the colorful melhfas.

But the booths ranged from electronics to bedding

to fishing gear

On the other side of the market were all the fruits and veggies. I had never seen such quantities of bananas, and this was just one of many venders!

These stalls made our farmers’ markets at home look like children’s toy stores. Again, this one of many, many stands.

We bought some oranges, bananas, and pomegranates. With Kamal’s help, we decided to buy some nuts. He asked the man for 5 dh worth, 50 cents. The vendor used a weight to measure the amount and it was a real bargain.

Then it was back to the hotel for a gorgeous sunset from the terrace,

dinner, and sleep. The next day was pure R&R. We slept late, read, worked on this blog, and hiked down to our own beach for a long walk along it.

There were a bunch of guys playing soccer on the beach.

From down the beach, we were able to see our hotel on the cliff.

After climbing back up, this is the view of our hotel from the beach path.

Then we hung out by the pool for a bit.

While I worked on the blog, Eric sent up the drone for some aerial views of us

the gardens

and a view of the front of the hotel

Next door is a large building project. There is so much construction going on all around Mirleft. As the Moroccan economy has prospered, and the planet has warmed, many are looking for second homes near the beach to get out of the ridiculously high summer temperatures.

We enjoyed another sunset from our terrace.

And a final delicious dinner prepared by the French chef.

Overall, we had a very relaxing day. The next morning we headed up the coast, still all new terrain for Kamal. We drove through the bustling beach town Agadir which looked a bit like Miami. We passed a McDonald’s. There are also KFCs and Pizza Huts scattered throughout Morocco. Kamal told us he once had a Pakistani-American muslim client who liked to stop at McDonald’s in Morocco because the meat here is halal which it is not in the US. This piqued our curiosity to compare McDonald’s here to home. So we stopped for lunch.

Both the exterior and interior look very similar.

The big difference is here once ordered using the touch screen, there is table service delivery. We each ordered something different. There were no pickles on any of the burgers and the cheese was white not yellow. The sauce was also a bit different. But overall, very much the same as at home. Kamal had only ever eaten in a McDonald’s once many years ago. He was particularly fond of the fries. At nearby tables was a group of boy scouts, very cute.

Back on the road we passed what I had been waiting for: goats in the argan trees!

We made it to Essaouira late in the day and checked into Riad Chbanate.

with the most gorgeous bathroom.

And had yet another delicious dinner cozy by the fire.

One thing I have not mentioned yet; on the table in addition to salt and pepper (sometimes instead of pepper) is cumin and always to be pinched between the fingers, not shakers.

In the morning we met Hassan, our Essaouira guide. As we started walking through the just waking up medina, he gave us some history. Essaouira was originally settled by Portuguese in the 15th century. They named the city Mogador derived from the Phoenician word Migdol which means small fortress. At that time it was the end of the caravan trading route that extended all the way to Timbuktu, Mali. It was an important port for goods coming in from Europe and also a source of salt. In 1740 then sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah hired a French architect to plan and build a walled city. Essaouira is Arabic for planned city, which was a first in Morocco. The medina has wider and straighter streets than any medina we have yet seen. Within the walls is a large cross of streets, a nod to the Christians by the French architect.

Hassan showed us the large squares which is where the traders would bring the goods for trading: silver, artisanal products, and produce. (Of note, slaves were taken from Africa and traded to the West, but slavery is against the muslim religion, so the slaves were taken to ports further south, not through Morocco.)

The camels were held in a central pen. Seller stalls were set up. The rooms seen on the periphery were for the traders to sleep. Hassan noted that the reason for the stone cobbled streets is that grains were considered too precious to be wasted by crushing. The grains would fall into the spaces between the stones. Overnight the birds would eat the grains, cleaning the streets.

The doors to the shops in the medina are blue. The fisherman believed that by painting the boats blue they would be camouflaged from the fish thus increasing their catch. The leftover paint was used to brighten the doors.

In this city, even the taxis are blue.

In the 18th century, at the city’s height, the population was nearly 50% Jewish. The Arabic word for Jew is mellah, which is also the Arabic word for salt. Before gold, silver, and ultimately coins, salt was the currency of the world. To call someone meleah in Arabic is a huge compliment, not only beautiful and charming but also a good person. The Jews were referred to as mellah because they were the original traders. The Jewish quarter in every medina is the mellah.

The Jews started leaving Essaouira in 1920 when under the French Protectorate, and partly due to the large size of the 20th century ships, the major trading port was moved from Essaouira to Casablanca. The port was not deep enough for the newer bigger ships. The exodus of Jews from Essaouira was furthered in 1958 when most returned to Israel. There are only 3 jewish families currently living in Essaouira.

Jewish doors often have the 6 pointed star of David. They often also contain the Essaouira Jewish star, aka the Mogador rose with its 6 petals.

In 2020 the site of the synagogue was opened as a museum called Bayt Dakira, which means house of memories.

It has a silver filigree mezuzah, a craft for which the Jews of Essaouira were known.

King Mohammad V was present for the opening in January 2020, his first visit to Essaouira.

He is proud of the historically harmonious cohabitation of the Jews and Muslims in Essaouira.

Inside the museum are several 300 year old torahs.

The ketubahs, Jewish marriage licenses, at the time were often decorated with gold.

The museum display also includes a shofar, blown in services on Rosh Hashanah and at the end of Yom Kippur, Teffilin, Tallit and a Yad, hand to follow the torah reading without touching the torah.

Hassan pointed out that the wedding garb is in purple, the color of royalty for the Romans. Essaouira was the furthest south the Romans came for trade, and it was the purple dye found here that drew them.

The purple is from the snail of the murex which is removed from the shell, dried, then crushed. The murex shells are found on the little islands directly off the coast of Essaouira, which are referred to as the Purple Islands of Mogador.

The Jews are credited for bringing the first tea into Morocco from India via Manchester, England into Essaouira. In addition to creating silver filigree, the Jews also created wooden inlay boxes from thuya trees, the most precious trees in North Africa. We would visit these shops later.

The current synagogue is attached to the museum, although they rarely have a minyan, the minimum 10 men needed for services.

After leaving the mellah, we headed to the lascala, which is a fortification on the water.

When building the fort, the Moroccans traded gold and ostrich feathers for cannons from all over Europe; they are all a bit different.

This one from the Netherlands has 2-headed handles. The dolphins, faced up, representing water, life, and peace are on the inner, Essaouira side. The dragons, faced down, symbolizing fire, death, and war are on the outer, enemy side.

From the fortress we have a view back at the town.

There is also a view out to the Purple Islands of Mogador. During migration, the very rare Eleanora’s Falcons from Madagascar can be found on these islands.

We next visited an antique shop that had many interesting items including this dowry rug made of silk by a mother from a wealthy mountain home for her daughter.

Furthering our rug making education, this map shows the different dyes used by different tribes by region in Morocco.

We walked beyond the fortress and through Hassan Square, named for the prior king. Hassan told us that for several days every June the Gnaoua Musical Festival is held here drawing over 200,000 musicians and visitors. The city has around 80,000 inhabitants. The music is said to have originated from the sounds of the “beat” of the camels’ hooves on the sand, now the drums, and the clanking of the slaves’ shackles, recreated by the castanets. The music is said to have therapeutic effects.

Then we headed out to the fishing pier. The tower seen below with its four corners was built by the Portuguese in the 15th century designed to resemble the Belem Tower in Lisbon. The tower was used in a scene from Game of Thrones. Several areas in town were used in GOT. Also, several other movies have been shot in Essaouira. Orson Welles shot so much of Othello in Essaouira that at the Cannes Film Festival he listed the movie as a Moroccan one. When Othello won the Palm D’Or, Morocco won its only movie gold.

Fishing is still the number one source of income to the town followed by artisanal works then tourism. The boats are made from the strong oak trees of the Atlas Mountains, and the flexible eucalyptus trees. The boats never go out with less than 3 men in them so if there is an accident with one, there is a witness and no accusations of foul play. The smaller boats have very long fishing lines with multiple hooks for the larger fish. The larger boats use fishing nets for the smaller fish. In the market the sellers never clean the fish. That is the job of another, of which the sellers would never deprive him.

The gate that welcomes those arriving by sea is called the Gate of Tolerance. It was built in 1740 but the date says 1184, from the Muslim calendar.

The Gate of Tolerance has symbols of all three Western Religions. Sea shells, the symbol of the Christian Pilgrimage to Santiago

The Jewish star of David within the Jewish Magoda rose

And the Muslim moons representing their lunar calendar

Hassan then took us to an art gallery representing over 70 artists’ works.

The building is in a 300 year old home with few renovations. It still has the original weight scales hanging from the beams.

He then took us to the silver artisans, originally made up of both Jews and Muslims.

This shop is known to have the first women apprentices, a fact that made the king so proud, he visited the shop when in Essaouira in 2020.

One of the artisans showed us how to tell that the silver is real and not an alloy. He use a black lava rock and scrapes it with the metal.

Then he applies the acid. The silver scraped area remains white; the non-silver area turns back to black.

He also explained that the colors used in the enamal filling between the silver filagree are the same colors as the Berber flag, which represents all of the Berber tribes: blue for those by the ocean, green for those in the mountains, and yellow for the desert dwellers. The symbol of the free man is in red to represent the blood of those spilled to achieve/maintain freedom.

Finally Hassan took us to the wood artisans.

As said above, they use the wood of thuya tree. A chisel is used to create spaces for the inlays. Lemon wood is used for yellow, acacia for black, and abalone shell for the mother of pearl.

Saw dust from shaving the wood is used as filler.

Here is a piece near completion.

The shellac is created from the resin of mimosa trees made from the secretions of insects feeding on the barks of the trees.

The finished products are stunningly beautiful.

On our way back to our hotel we passed women making amlou, a mixture of crushed almonds, honey, and argan oil. Had to try some: delicious.

After a bit of a rest, we headed back out for a late lunch, early dinner at La Clé De Voûte, a French/Moroccan restaurant with interestingly different food, oh so good.

After dinner we took a stroll to the beach. Essaouira is known for its temperate climate. It is also know for the waves and surf and is a destination for water sports enthusiasts.

Essaouira is also know as the windy city. It is home to many wind turbines. The day was a bit cloudy, but with careful looking, they can be discerned in the distance.

As the day drew to a close, so did our time on the coast of Morocco. On to the mountains.

Today we were in for a long car ride to the edge of the Sahara Desert. Leaving Ifrane there were Barbary apes along the side of the road.

We drove through Midelt, the apple capital of Morocco with a green apple statue on one end of town, a red one on the other. Unfortunately due to the drought, the trees were sad looking.

The we passed the Ziz Gorge and got our first glimpse of date trees.

Dates grow in large bunches.

The gorge was spectacular.

The valley is extremely fertile. The locals build homes in villages using the plentiful clay. Their villages blend right into the landscape.

We met Tata, who will be our guide in the Sahara for the next couple of days, at his parents’ home. His family has lived in Ziz for over 300 years. He explained that a family can build as many homes on their property as they have room for. Dates are the main source of income for the locals, and the only produce exported. The villagers farm in cooperatives for their own consumption. He showed us fava beans:

alfalfa:

carrots and turnips:

He and his son showed us many of the 40 varieties of dates grown here in Ziz Valley, home to over 3 million date trees.

Tata also lamented that their date industry has 3 threats: drought, desertification,

and a blight that has recently moved in.

We were then treated to snacks, of course with dates, in his home garden surrounded by fig trees, grape vines, and herbs.

We then made our final leg of the day to Erfoud, which has a date festival every October. Our hotel for the night was La Rose du Desert.

We had tea and snacks by the swimming pool.

Dinner was an abundance of Moroccan salads and chicken tagine with preserved lemon. Then it was time to rearrange our clothes to take just backpacks into the desert.

In the morning, before leaving Erfoud, the fossil capital of Morocco, we visited the fossil museum and shop. There is a quarry about 25 km south of Erfoud from which fossils and minerals are extracted.

Our tour started with an explanation that the theory is that all of the land was initially one giant land mass. This entire area was under a sea until about 225 million years ago.

The fossils found in this area include: orthoceras, an ancient mollusk that lived more than 350 million years ago. It had a shell with separate compartments which could be used as a ballast.

And ammonites which are cephalopods that lived in the jurassic and cretaceous periods 140-250 million years ago.

And crinoīdes, an echinoderm commonly known as sea lilies or feather stars.

And stromatolites which created by a bacteria that is microscopic and the first organism to be able to carry out photosynthesis.

And finally, trilobites, which are one of the most important early animals studied; they were the fist to have eyes.

There are also starfish found in this quarry.

Common minerals include gypsum.

and sand rose.

He explained how the fossils are found in the rocks, often discernable by their shape or a crack in the rock.

The they are sliced open and polished.

They can then be incorporated with marble or minerals to form decorative items

useful items like sinks

and tables

The shop is chock full of so many items we did not know where to look next. There were serving dishes of all shapes and sizes.

and tons of crystals and minerals.

We could have spent hours in there, but alas, it was time to move on. We next drove through Rissani.

Rissani is the spiritual capital of the current kingdom being the birthplace, and now resting place, of the first king of this dynasty. Rissani is the ancient capital of Tafilalet; its location as a crossroads between north and south on the caravan trading lines of gold, silver, and produce headed west to Marrakech and salt headed east gave the city a certain importance in previous times.

As we continued our drive we passed a road sign not likely to be seen at home.

We saw a group of dromedaries in a pen. Kamal would not let us call them camels (even though even some locals do) explaining that camels have 2 humps. Dromedaries have only one hump and are slightly taller and slightly faster than camels. A dromedary can drink 30 gallons of water in 15 minutes. The hump is both fat and water which can be broken down to sustain the dromedary for 3-4 days in the desert without food or water. There are about 15 million dromedaries in all of Africa (camels are mostly in Asia). No dromedaries currently live in the wild. They are all owned and used now mostly for tourists, at least locally.

We drove into Merzouga and got our first glimpse of the Sahara Desert. The layer of black rock on top of the sand is volcanic. The “mountains” in the distance are actually sand dunes.

We drove to Tata’s home. He invited us in for lunch.

When we washed for lunch we were amused to see that he has a fossil sink in the bathroom.

He showed us the ingredients that would be included in our meal.

While his sitser started cooking (and I was madly taking notes) Tata completed the tea ritual.

The star of the meal was to be a local specialty: mefouza. His sister began with making the dough.

She also began cooking three different veggie sides: eggplant covered in a marinated tomato sauce, peas with herbs and spices, and peppers. Tata’s son is her helper.

All three are cooked on charcoal in a clay cooker, a majamar, right inside the home.

She then rolled out the dough and started the assembly. First the spiced ground meat topped with boiled then baked almonds.

Next sliced hard boiled eggs.

Then covered with a second layer of dough which is pressed on the edges into the first.

Finally, it is baked in the oven out in the courtyard.

What a beautiful courtyard Tata has, full of date trees from Ziz Valley as well as herbs in his garden.

We sat down and enjoyed our best meal yet in Morocco, and that is saying a lot because we have loved the food!

After lunch we hopped into the 4WD vehicle that was to take us into the desert to our camp.

And we were shown to our tent, complete with shower, sink, and toilet.

Even in the desert we were welcomed with tea, almonds and cookies.

And dusk approached we were introduced to our dromedaries for a ride out onto the dunes.

From the top of the dunes we had a great view of the High Atlas Mountains to the east.

And a beautiful sunset over the sand dunes to the west.

The sand changes color as the sunlight recedes.

As we re entered camp a bit chilled, we were happy to see the campfire lit.

After dinner there was music and dancing by the campfire.

The families dancing with us were from Mount Vernon, NY and Norwalk, CT, small world.

In the morning we took a short walk east to watch the sun come up. We fist passed this beautiful desert flowering bush.

The sun came up over the High Atlas Mountains.

After breakfast we followed Tata through the desert. We passed irrigation fields of newly planted olive trees. Tata explained that there is a river that runs beneath the desert only 7-10 m deep. One can tell where the river is by looking at the plants. Many wells have been dug in recent years to access that water.

We could see lots of other camps in the distance as we walked. Tata told us that so many camps were springing up so fast that the government had come in to regulate them now.

We reached our destination which was the home of nomads. Tata explained that historically nomads made their living by breeding and raising animals and selling them at market to support their needs. When the grass ran out in an area, they would move to near another town. But today the nomads continue to breed and raise animals, but a lot of their income is from tourism (like our dromedary guide of the previous evening) and from farming. They are able to stay in place and afford to buy feed for the animals.

We were introduced to Hamid and his mother Zahara and were, of course, served tea. Hamid was recently married. His wife is continuing her studies remotely from here. Yes, there is cell service and wifi, albeit not fast, here in the desert. This doll is a representation of a nomad bride.

I have not yet mentioned cats, which are ubiquitous in Morocco, loved by everyone. They roam the streets of every city we have visited. We have been told that they are fed and cared for but almost never allowed inside. In the cities they keep the rodent populations low. I was surprised to see a cat in the desert, however. I was told that they are brought to the camps to kill the snakes and scorpions; well that’s a good thing! Scorpions in Morocco are not poisonous, but their bite still hurts a lot.

After tea we strolled out to the date grove.

Hamid told us that solar panels are used to power the pumps for the wells.

This well was dug by hand in about a week and is about 7 meters deep.

Solar energy is also used to run the irrigation systems.

This old well is covered because it had a butane powered generator which is no longer used.

In addition to irrigation for the date trees, there are several other crops grown for veggies and herbs for the family.

A big cash crop is henna, which is particular to the desert soil.

Once harvested, the henna plants are taken into this henna factory and hang in cool, dry rooms.

Hamid then explained that the leaves are separated from the seeds. The seeds are re-planted.

The dried leaves are then separated from the stems and made ready for shipping. Ultimately the leaves will be ground into a powder which will be the base of the henna product.

On the way back to Hamid’s home we passed this structure. Tata told us that there had been a flash flood not too long ago. The wall of this building was damaged by all the water. As the outer layer is peeled away, the mud brick base of the construction is revealed.

Because it was so windy, Hamid decided to serve us lunch inside his home rather than the tent. His mother and wife had prepared a meal of couscous, veggies, and chicken. In the corner of this room are all the rugs and blankets used for sleep. There is no heat in a nomad home. The walls are such thick mud and the windows so small it is cool in the summer and somewhat warm in the winter.

On the other side of the room is the battery storage for the solar power for electricity after the sun goes down.

The roof is made up of wood beams covered in bamboo and palm fronds which are covered by a layer of plastic then a layer of mud on top of that. After rain, which is rare, the roof almost always needs some repair work.

After lunch we retraced our steps though the desert to our camp, about an hour hike. We rested up before dinner, more music, and another night in the desert.

In the morning we were up and out early because we had a very long drive ahead of us. We left Merzouga, drove back though Erfoud, and headed west. We passed by an ancient khattara which is a series of wells and underground tunnels used in the atlas desert region for irrigation. These are all dry and unused currently.

We next drove to the very fertile Todgha Valley through which flows the Todgha River.

On the other side of the valley from where we were driving is the town of Tinghir, which is where Kamal lives with his family.

He explained to us that every family has a plot of land in the valley that they can farm. Because many families have outgrown their plots of land and the young no longer necessarily want to farm, a lot of the younger Moroccans work in Europe, send money home all year, then come home for the summer holiday. The area is also known for silver mines, which add to the affluence.

He then drove us up to the Todgha Gorge.

We then drove to a friend’s restaurant for lunch.

After lunch we drove through Dades valley, another very fertile spot full of almond trees and the fig capital of Morocco.

Then we drove past Kelaa Mgouna, Morocco’s rose capital known for its annual Rose festival in the Spring culminating with the crowning of Miss Rose. The town produces many roses and rose-scented products. Even the taxis in town are pink rose colored. At last we arrived in Skoura and drove out to our next hotel, Le Jardins de Skoura.

As one would expect from a hotel called Le Jardin, the gardens are gorgeous.

And they grow a lot of their own veggies and herbs.

The restaurant was quite cozy with a fire lit every night and the table set with scattered flowers.

In the morning we met Abdo who was to be our Skoura Valley guide. He told us that the Skoura Oasis, aka the Skoura Palmeraie, is a 25 km² man made oasis because it is derived from irrigation systems shared by the families living here to water their land. Initially the land was divided into plots for each family. But with each new generation the plots gets divided and re-divided then passed with marriages between families. So now any individual may own several plots of varying sizes throughout the area. Most of the plots have become too small to sustain a family. So similar to the Todgha Valley, young people are being forced into the cities and even Europe to help their families financially. The irrigation system is ancient and complex. Each family gets 12 hours of water every 2 weeks. They have to divert the water to their various fields by moving mud and rocks to force the water to flow in the desired direction. Below is a length of irrigation not currently in use to show how rocks are placed to divert the stream.

And below is water flowing through a particular pipe.

In the picture below rocks and mud prevent the water from flowing into the pipe on the right.

In order to preserve the water allotted to them, the families form mini plots within their larger plot to assure the entire plot gets adequate water and to hold the water in place. Below is a recently irrigated field showing how the mini plots are formed to hold the water.

When the plants first come in, the mini plots can still be seen. Below is a relatively young field of alfalfa, which is a very common plant used for feeding livestock.

As the alfalfa matures and fills in, the irrigation wells become less distinct.

The life here is agrarian and families are interdependent. It happened to be olive harvesting while we were walking around. Families all join in the harvest and neighbors join each other with laughing, music, and sharing the meal breaks. They do not like to be photoed, so we were respectful. But almost every family offered us to stop and share their second breakfast with them. Moroccan farmers eat 5 meals a day: first breakfast is 7:30 before work, second around 10:30, lunch about 1:30, dinner after work is done, and supper after evening prayer. The olive harvest involves dropping plastic tarps around the base of the olive trees and raking the tree with poles to drop the olives. I did take a picture of the equipment. In the picture below the harvesting pole is hard to see but it is lying horizontally in front of the tree on the left.

Black olives come from the same trees as green olives, just harvested later. The green olive gives the higher quality oil but much less quantity. Because of the drought and the diminished crop, the olives being harvested here are all black because they chose quantity over quality this year.

Other common fruits grown in the region include figs, apricots, and pomegranates.

The apricot season is the shortest, lasting only 7-10 days, usually in March. The locals call anything that is joyful but very short, like a wedding festival, “like the season of apricots.”

Almond trees are also found growing in this valley.

Underneath the almond tree above are fava bean plants. Fava beans are a staple in the local diet. They can be dried and eaten in soups and tagine stews all winter for hearty meals. The plants in the shade of the tree will grow leaves but will not flower and grow beans. Something that does not thrive or do well is referred to locally “as the fava plant in the shade of the tree.”

And of course date trees are plentiful. One tree can produce thousands of dates.

The date tree grows 1-2 levels of branches a year. So one can tell the approximate age of the tree by the number of rows. The dead branches are removed each year and used as firewood or for roofing material. The stumps left behind are used for climbing. Date trees come in male and female. Only the females produce fruit, so of course are preferred. The farmers do not keep enough male trees for fertilization to happen naturally by wind. So in the spring, the farmers climb the male trees, collect the pollen, then climb the female trees to fertilize the seeds.

One cannot tell from a seed if the new plant will be male or female. Also, planting a seed would take years to get to an age of producing fruit. So to propagate new trees, the farmers remove daughter offshoots from the mother tree, then plant them in a new spot with lots of water. This is also done in the spring.

Oleanders are a common wild flower. The flower is beautiful, but both the leaf and the flowers are somewhat toxic. The locals say that someone who is beautiful on the outside, but not such a nice person, is “like an oleander.”

Birch trees are not very common, but are used to make furniture. They are one of the few deciduous trees locally that provide a bit of fall foliage.

The plant doing most poorly is the cactus. There is a fungus that has affected the cacti, killing them in droves. The cost of the fruit of the cactus seen below has gone up 10 fold in just the last 2 years.

The locals build their homes the same way they have for hundreds of years and similar to what we had seen in Ziz Valley and the nomads. They use local mud mixed with straw. Then it is either placed into flat molds and left to dry in the sun for a few days or arranged over layers of bricks.

For a more solid wall, clay is used for blocks, which would be too heavy to move, so the clay is tamped down into vertical molds. Once set, the molds are then moved to the next section.

The 3 slats at the bottom leave behind holes in the wall which allow air flow which helps the wall dry faster. In the restoration walls we saw in the north, particularly city walls, not home walls, those hole were left because it is felt that they allow expansion and contraction in freezing weather. But here in the south or in homes, the holes are filled in with mud to ensure better insulation.

Split palms make for good ceiling beams and door frames. The split wood is soaked in salt water for 2-3 weeks to prevent future termites. Roofs here are built basically the same as those of the nomads described above.

As one can imagine, none of this holds in heavy rains, but there is little of that here. If one is in a better financial situation, a layer of “glue” can be coated on the outside of the home, which is protective of rain. This is often dyed.

The windows all have the grates for air and privacy. Like in the north, they were originally of wood, but most here have been replaced with metal grates as in the above picture.

Electricity arrived in the Skoura Valley in 2000. It is such a new occurrence that when the locals offer guests to turn on a light they say, “would you like me to turn on the electricity?” Most of it is now solar powered.

This is the first area in Morocco we have visited that was affected by the Sept. 8 earthquake. Abo described his own experience of feeling his home shaking. Only a few homes were completely destroyed. Below is a kasbah that was mostly destroyed.

Kasbah in the south has a different meaning than in the north. In the north a Kasbah is a fortified palace or home of a king or sultan, depending on the kingdom, but basically a mini city. In the south, a Kasbah is a fortified home of any important family or dignitary. It is basically a very large home with 4 towers and it must be 4 stories high, otherwise it is just a dar. This area is called the “Road of a Thousand Kasbahs.” Many of the Kasbahs are now guest houses. But many are in disrepair. In order for a Kasbah to be sold, renovated, or basically anything but neglected, ALL of the family members must sign the appropriate papers. But because the families are large and now generations have passed, some of the kasbahs have been inherited by over 100 individuals who may either disagree as to the disposition of the kasbah or in some cases family members cannot be found or reached.

After walking around the valley all morning, we stopped in to visit a potter who makes ceramics in the same way as his father and the 3 generations preceding him. He obtains his own clay from the local hills and transports it back on his donkey. He then breaks up the pieces by pounding with a heavy log.

He uses a sieve to get a pile of fine dust.

He then mixes the dust with water.

He kneads it very much like dough for bread. Then he spins his wheel manually using his feet. The wheel he uses is an old tire wheel because it is much lighter than the one use by previous generations. His young daughter is his helper.

While he shaped the clay, Abdo served the tea brought out by his wife. No visit to any Moroccan home is without tea.

The item he made today is a majmar: coal pot for cooking tagine on top.

The finished item will sit in the sun for a couple of days. Sunday he will light the fire in the oven to fire all the products. The heaviest items are placed first into the bottom of the oven.

He uses dried herb plants from the area for a very hot fire.

Then he is ready for the market on Monday.

Upon leaving the potter’s home, we passed a mosque. The Skoura Valley is divided into several regions, each with their own mosque and elementary school.

The Imam’s home is right next to the mosque. The Imam’s home is identified by the dome shaped roof.

The elementary school is brightly painted making it a cheery environment for the children who walk or ride bikes to and from in groups – up to 5 km each way for secondary school – and go home for a 2 hour lunch break in the middle of the day.

We passed an area with a view of the High Atlas Mountains. Abdo told us that usually they have snow on them by this time of year, but it has been unusually warm this year. It has only snowed in the Skoura Valley once in his lifetime of nearly 30 years; it was in 2018.

The last thing Abdo showed us on our way back to our hotel was a system of wells for irrigation used in ancient times before the current system. They looked very much like the khattaras we had seen outside Erfoud but on a smaller scale.

We enjoyed another relaxing evening and dinner by the fire before heading out the next day. In the morning before leaving the Valley of the Kasbahs, we payed a visit to Kasbah Amridil, which made an appearance in 1962 in the film Lawrence of Arabia. 

Kasbah Amridil was originally founded in the 17th century as a ksar: a fortified village. In the 19th century a prominent family from the ksar was chosen for the privilege of building a kasbah. The same family still lives in one section but has opened the remaining sections as a museum showcasing the traditional architecture of the building and local traditional artifacts. The ksar has fallen into disrepair. A guide of the museum first showed us some of the artifacts in the entryway. An olive press

and the wheat mill

and a butter churn

We then entered through the main door. Because a kasbah is a fortified structure, the walls are very thick, especially at ground level. All kasbahs walls are somewhat pyramid in shape, narrowing to the top. The thicker walls are needed for security more at ground level, but also for the stability of the structure and also have the added effect of having better insulation nearer the ground and more air flow at the upper levels. The ground floor walls are a minimum of 50 cm thick.

This original door also has a double deadbolt and keys.

The first level of the kasbah is for the animals with a stall right in the center open to the sky for air flow (odor reduction) with a post to tie the animals onto. The surrounding rooms are used for smaller animals, to store feed for the animals and wood for the stoves.

The stairs to the upper family rooms are purposely uneven so an enemy that might breach the door would stumble and make noise on the ascent. Originally there were no handrails. They were added later for tourists.

Above the stable is the kitchen.

The round oven in the corner, similar to the one in Tata’s home, is used for guests or special occasions because it is inefficient with the use of wood/heat. The everyday ovens can make several loaves of bread at once by placing the dough against the heated side walls creating a saddle shaped loaf.

A double boiler steamer is used for couscous.

Fridays in Morocco are couscous days when the family gathers after mosque to eat a large meal of couscous and steamed veggies, and meat if they can afford. Everyone eats off the same platter from his/her section. This is a tradition that has survived for centuries.

The tagine is cooked on a majmar similar to that made by the potter in the village the day before, although this one is metal. It is amazing how little has changed in the kitchens of the villagers in several centuries.

The poles in the center of the kitchen are for hanging meat for smoking. The smoke not only preserves the meat, it has the added effect of protecting the wood ceiling from termites.

The dining room is the long room off the kitchen. The family sit on rugs on the floor.

In this dining room some artifacts are displayed including this for hanging milk to make cheese.

and this juicer

And this item for washing hands before the meal. Water is poured over the hands into the bucket below. We have actually been offered similar washers in homes we have visited.

Also on display here are the quran school tools. When learning the quran, the child writes out the verse on a wood tablet then memorizes it. Once memorized, he must be able to recite it to the instructor. If successful, he then washes the tablet clean and moves on to the next verse. If unsuccessful, the bottoms of his feet are slapped with palm fronds, and he must go back and try again.

The ink for the tablet was made from burning sheeps wool to cinder then adding water. The pen was a small piece of bamboo.

The upper courtyard above the kitchen was used for the madrasa, the quranic school.

In each of the for tower corners on both of the upper levels were the family bedrooms. Typical Muslim families are multigenerational living together. In addition, polygamy historically was not unusual. Today in Morocco, polygamy is legal up to 4 wives. But the rules are that the first wife must give permission and all of the families must be treated equally with regards to home, finances, etc.; they do not all live together anymore. With these restrictions, polygamy now is less than 0.5% of all families; the first wife usually today only gives permission if she is unable to have children.

Most kasbahs by definition have 4 towers. This one is unusual in that it has a fifth tower

within which is a latrine for the women only; the men go outside.

The hole style latrine begs me to make an aside here about bathroom facilities in Morocco. We had been warned before arriving that squat toilets, which are basically shaped like a shower stall with a hole in the center, are the norm and toilet paper is often unavailable. Kamal has gone out of his way to find tourist friendly bathrooms along the way. But we were surprised that even when seat toilets are available, squat toilets are often also available at the same location. Kamal explained to us (when one spends as much time in the car together as we have with Kamal, no subject seems off limits) that before entering the mosque for prayers, a Muslim must perform ablutions, ie cleansing. There is usually a fountain or at the very least a bucket outside the mosque. First the face is washed, then the hands, then the feet. For obvious reasons, one does not wash one’s genitals standing outside the mosque. But it is assumed that the genitals have been cleansed. Beside every squat toilet is either a water spray, or a spigot, or again, at the very least, a water bucket. Kamal explained that Muslims find it easier to clean the genitals with more room to move squatting than sitting. The lack of toilet paper is because water is used instead. Most carry a towel to dry themselves.

Back to the kasbah. On this upper level, the walls are much thinner in places.

The original windows are quite small and slanted downward making it difficult to fire in but easy to spy on an approaching enemy.

The upper courtyard also has a drainage system that whisks rainwater away to prevent erosion, but also to be stored.

The decor on the top of the kasbah shows that it was a muslim family. If it were a Jewish family, and there were many in the region, the decor would have been a simple triangle.

From this upper courtyard, the ruined ksar can be seen. In it would have lived all of those who would have served this prominent family.

Outside the kasbah is this very old tamarisk tree. The wood from the tamarisk tree is very strong and good for doors and ceiling beams. The seeds are used for hair dye. The tree grows well in salty and alkaline soils.

Then we hopped back in the car and headed toward Zagora on the edge of the desert. Leaving Skoura Valley we passed the Nour Power Station. At 510 MW, and costing $9 billion to build, it is the world’s largest concentrated solar power plant. We had just a glimpse from the road.

The first town we passed through was Ouarzazate. Upon entering town we drove by the Taourirt Kasbah, which means “up on the hill” in Arabic. Originally built in the 17th century, it was renovated by the Glaoui family in the 20th century. They were the “Kings of the Atlas” during the French Protectorate period.

Historically the route we are traveling on was the Sahara caravan trading route. Ouarzazate was a major stop because it is where the Dades and Draâ Rivers cross. But today Ouarzazate, which means quiet in Arabic, is know as the Hollywood of Morocco, “Mollywood.” We passed a film school on the outskirts of town. There is a clean modern airport. And there are several large movie studios in town.

Next we drove to Ait Ben Haddou Ksar. This ksar is a traditional pre-Saharan habitat. The houses crowd together within the defensive walls, which are reinforced by corner towers. Ait-Ben-Haddou is a striking example of the architecture of southern Morocco. First we stopped for a scenic pic from afar.

Then we parked and hiked to the ksar.

And then climbed to the top. Unfortunately the top crumbled in the Sept. 8 earthquake and has yet to be restored.

But there are panoramic views from the top.

Once back in the car we continued along the Draa River Valley.

This area is typically lush with Date Palms, but the drought has been severe and affected this area particularly harshly.

At last we arrived in Zagora and checked into the Azalai Desert Lodge.

Alas, we were there one short night, then headed on toward the desert. Kamal left us in the hands of local desert driver Hussein. He took us first to the town of Amerzou where local guide Abdo showed us around the Kasbah, which here is more like those in the north, a mini walled city. Inside he showed us the ancient synagogue. The hole in the wall was where the torah was kept.

The door to the home below also speaks to the community of jews that once lived here.

What was most interesting in this tiny town was the hidden huge cooperative that sells all kinds of artisanal wares.

When we first entered there were men repairing old doors.

The coop guide (yes, our driver left us with a city guide who in turn left us with a coop guide; lots of people to tip) explained to us that before leaving for Israel in the 50s, the Jews taught the locals some of thier crafts including not only woodwork, but also silversmithing. Today the coop is a combination of restored antiques and newly crafted items. Many of the antiques are Jewish themed.

This samovar is in the style of those from Russia.

There were so many rooms in this coop! Like this one full of jewelry.

And this one filled with rugs woven by local women.

The next town we stopped in was Tamegroute, which is famous for the green pottery. But first we were shown, by yet a new guide Ashit, the Zaouïa Naciria. Since its creation, Zaouia Naciria has played a pioneering role in the different fields of science and thought, in addition to its religious and social mission. It was the place where scholars and students converged in search of knowledge in view of the precious documents and works with which it abounds, which made it an important Sufi and science center in the Draâ region and a crossroads for commercial caravans.

The library holds and preserves over 4000 manuscripts. Founded by Ahmed Naciri in the 17th century, the collection includes valuable secular works of medicine, history, and theology in addition to illuminated qurans, written on gazelle skin. There are works of astrology, astronomy, mathematics, and pharmacopeia, some of which date back to the 13th century.  The oldest Quran is from Cordoba in 1075. The calligraphy and colored illustrations are beautiful. Unfortunately, pictures were not allowed inside.

We then visited the medina, which in Tamegroute is mostly underground to keep cool in the hot summers. It has both plumbing and sewage.

Just outside the medina is a cooperative of potters. The one we were introduced to was spinning his wheel with his feet below ground to keep cool.

He took us to where they were feeding the large ovens filled with pottery. He showed us the different clays that they use: both the traditional red clay, and the grey clay seen in the picture below.

The grey clay is a mixture of among other things, magnesium, copper, and selenium and sometimes mixed with flour without salt. Depending on the heat of the fire, the finished products will come out either blue, green, or green with glaze with increasing temperatures, respectively. It is the selenium that gives the shine. They are most known for their green shiny pottery.

But they sell everything in their store.

This town, like all on our route of the last few days, was a major stop on the caravan trail. They have signs pointing the way to Timbuktu claiming it is only a 52 day ride, on a camel of course.

We then met back up with Hussein who had a picnic lunch ready for us. Then it was another hour through two more tiny towns before the road ended. Then another two hours off road through the desert before we reached our camp in Erg Chigaga.

This was as remote a place either of us had ever been. Our home for the next two nights was an eco dome.

Ours was a luxury eco dome compared to those in the sister camp over the dunes; we had a bathroom attached.

Our camp included four eco domes and a dining room. The kitchen was in the sister camp. Neither camp has a well, being too far out into the dunes. Water is brought in using large containers that are hooked up to the domes using tubing. They have dug their own septic fields.

After settling in we were called to meet the camels (actually dromedaries, but even the locals call them camels). Our camel driver took us out to the higher dunes to watch the sun set.

After watching the sun set in the west, we turned around and watched the moon rise in the east.

We arrived back in time to enjoy dusk in camp then clean up before dinner.

After dinner a bonfire was lit as the air chilled quickly.

Our host in the camp was Hamid, seen above. He and Hussein slept in the sister camp. As there were no other guests, we were alone in camp at night.

After breakfast we set out for our serious camel ride, 1.5 hours through the desert, this time with packs on the camels to carry the provisions. Along the way we passed gazelles, but they were too quick and I was bouncing too much to get a picture.

Interestingly, the desert ecology changed a couple of times from pure dunes, to a dry looking brush to a rocky surface until we reached our destination which was full of acacia trees. There we met with a group of nomadic camel herders. We set up under a large acacia tree for a picnic.

Of course the teapot made the trip.

The nomads showed us how to bake bread right in the hot sand and ashes.

Kebabs were added to the hot coals.

Once the bread was finished and all the sand and ashes scraped off, it was surprisingly yummy. It had an herb and spice filling.

Meanwhile the dromedaries were making very loud funny sounding rumblings coming from deep in their throats and accompanied by a significant amount of saliva production. Hamid explained that these are mating calls. All of the dromedaries used for tourists are male; the females are kept for breeding only.

After lunch we were given the choice of a camel ride back to camp or having the 4WD truck come for us. Our tushies had chafed enough for one day on the ride out, so we chose the latter. Hussein came for us (Hamid and Hussein had cell service in the desert; we did not) and took us to the home of some of their nomad buddies.

The nomad camp has its own well, stable for animals, eating/sleeping tent, and kitchen. They invited us in.

Immediately upon our arrival the mother and sister disappeared. The father had passed away. The 3 brothers and a neighbor friend played host. Of course tea was prepared by the youngest and ritually served by the eldest.

Visible behind the tea making brother is the upright loom, which is used by the mother and daughter to weave rugs.

Time for an aside about the culture. Women do all the “home” work: cooking, laundry, taking care of the children, and weaving. The men do all the work “outside” the home like tending animals, trading goods at market, etc. Women are not to be seen, even at home if guests arrive. But one of the experiences most positive about visiting this family was the genuine warmth and affection exhibited between the men. When Hussein and Hamid arrived with us the were vigorously embraced. And when we gathered around for tea, the men actually snuggled together on the rugs laughing and genuinely enjoying each others’ company.

Before leaving we took a peak inside the kitchen.

Nearby was the local school for the nomad children.

They had gone home for the day, so we were able to take a look inside the classroom.

The school has its own well and a playground outside.

Once back at our camp we had some time to laze around before sunset, so Eric sent up his drone to take some aerial views of the sister camps.

And the extensiveness of the dunes.

The resident cat paid us a visit.

As the day came to a close we hiked the dunes to again watch the sun set, so very peaceful.

We were treated to yet another delicious dinner – seems like all we do is eat – and another quiet bonfire to counter the nighttime desert chill before snuggling into bed.

We left immediately after breakfast; we had a long drive ahead. We were met by Hussein who told us he had visited friends during the night and his car had broken down. So very early a new car had been dispatched to pick us up. Along the way we stopped to see a natural spring bubbling up out of seemingly nowhere here in the middle of the desert, which makes it understandable that there can be so many wells here closer to the edge of the desert. There are tadpoles and frogs in the spring water. There were also several nomad camps around.

At this point we were a little less than halfway into our 2 hour ride out of the desert, we had just passed the cell tower, when a bolt came off the suspension holding the driver side rear wheel onto the axle.

A third car was called. While waiting, the driver and Hussein managed to find the bolt and reconnect the suspension, but without the nut to hold the bolt in place, we still could not drive away.

Over 2 hours later, car number 3 arrived. On our final leg out of the desert we passed oryxes.

Kamal was anxiously awaiting our arrival in the very first town on the edge of the desert. We still had about 6 hours of driving to our next destination, one he had never been to before. We had planned to stop along the way to see saffron growing, but time was not on our side so we drove through the day and into the night away from the Sahara Desert for the last time.