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DAY 2 - OUARZAZATE TO TINGHIR INCLUDING OFF ROAD 4X4 DRIVING.

YESTERDAY WE LEFT MARRAKECH AND HEADED OVER THE HIGH ATLAS
MOUNTAINS, DISCOVERED AN AMAZING HISTORICAL KASBAH AND A
WELL KNOWN HERITAGE SITE THAT HAS HOUSED A NUMBER OF
FAMOUS MOVIES INCLUDING STAR WARS.

TODAY WE WERE GOING TO EXPERIENCE SOMETHING EQUALLY
AMAZING AND DIVERSE.....

JUST OUT OF OUARZAZATE WAS THIS HUGE LAKE.

WE FELT THAT THIS COULD BE OUR LAST SIGHTING FOR A WHILE
OF LUSH TROPICAL SCENERY....

WHEREAS JUST UP THE ROAD WE STOPPED BRIEFLY TO VIEW VAST
UNTOUCHED COUNTRYSIDE.

WE TURNED OFF TOWARDS SKOURA AND HABIB STOPPED TO
SHOW US THIS GRAND KASBAH THAT HOSTED THE MOVIE
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA.

KASBAH AMRIDIL

THIS KASBAH WAS BUILT IN THE 17TH CENTURY BY THE NASSIRI.
IT IS INTERESTING TO LEARN THAT THE NASSIRI FAMILY STILL LIVES
HERE. THEY HAVE CREATED A MUSEUM WITH TOOLS THAT WERE
USED CENTURIES AGO.

THEY STILL CARRY OUT DAILY LIFE HERE WITH THE OLD OLIVE OIL
PRESS, BREAD OVENS AND HAPPY GOATS MEANDERING AROUND
IN THE COURTYARD.

OFF ROAD 4X4 DRIVING

IT WAS NOT LONG AFTER THIS THAT WE VENTURED OFF ROAD.
HABIB TURNED UP THE AIR-CON, PUT SOME LOCAL MUSIC ON....
AND WE HIT THE ROCKY DIRT TRACK TOWARDS BOUTAGHRAR.

MEETING BERBER NOMADS

THIS WAS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR DESERT TRIP.
MEETING REAL BERBER NOMADS.

IT WAS A REAL HUMBLING EXPERIENCE AND A PRIGILEGE.
THIS IS HOW THEY LIVE, IN HOLLOWED OUT CAVES AS WELL AS
THE TENT ABOVE.

THIS WAS A TOTAL SURPRISE. HABIB PULLED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF
NOWHERE AND ASKED US IF WE WANTED TO MEET SOME NOMADS.

WHAT?..... MEET REAL NOMADS? WOW!!
WELL YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO ASK ME TWICE!!

AFTER SOME PLEASANTRIES, HABIB OBVIOUSLY KNEW THE FAMILY...
WE WERE ASKED TO JOIN THEM FOR SOME TEA.
IT WAS A TRULY AWESOME EXPERIENCE!

THE FAMILY WERE GRANDPA, MUM, 2 BOYS, 1 GIRL AND A BABY.
DAD WAS OUT HERDING THE ANIMALS.

WE SAT DOWN ON RUGS INSIDE THE CAVE AND SHARED MINT TEA,
SMILES AND GOOS AND GAAS OVER THE BABY
I TELL YOU.... THIS WAS A ONCE IN A LIFE TIME EXPERIENCE!!!

I GAVE TWO OF THE BEAD BRACELETS THAT GILLIAN FROM
VIRTUALTOURIST GAVE ME IN PARIS TO THE LITTLE GIRL WHO WAS
REALLY EXCITED AND HAPPY WITH HER NEW PRESENT.

WE REALLY WISHED THAT WE HAD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT
HAVING SOME COLOURING PENCILS AND COLOURING BOOKS WITH US.
SO THAT IS A TIP FOR YOU IF YOU PLAN TO DO THE SAME TRIP.

VALLEY OF THE ROSES

COMING INTO BOUTAGHRAR (Valley of the Roses) WAS A
PLEASANT SURPRISE. IT WAS LIKE AN OASES COMPARED TO WHERE
WE HAD JUST BEEN

WE STOPPED AT SOME SMALL GIFT SHOPS WHERE THEY WERE
SELLING MOROCCAN ROSE OIL.

HUBBY AND I WERE MORE INTERESTED IN TAKING SOME PHOTOS
ACROSS THE ROAD OF THE LOCALS ENJOYING THE RIVER AND
GOING ABOUT THEIR DAILY ACIVITIES.

BOUMALNE DADES

LUNCH AT HOTEL LA KASBAH DE DADES EX CHEMS WAS NICE
AND RELAXED. THE VERANDAH OVERLOOKED THE VALLEY
BELOW. HABIB, EVER THE ATTENTATIVE HOST LEFT US TO ENJOY
OUR SURROUNDINGS.

ACROSS THE ROAD WAS A BIG NOTICE BOARD WITH AN
AWESOME PAINTING. FROM THE VERANDAH, WE COULD LOOK
OUT AT THE VALLEY BELOW SURROUNDED WITH MAGNIFICANT
MOUNTAINS.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN WE STOPPED BRIEFLY TO ADMIRE THE
SCENERY. SOME LOCAL CHILDREN CAME UP THE HILL FROM
NOWHERE AND PRESENTED US WITH THEIR HOME MADE GIFT
OF A CAMEL MADE OUT OF STRAW. OF COURSE WE PAID THEM
HANSOMELY FOR OUR NEW PRESENT

ON THE WAY TO THE STUNNING DADES GORGES, WE STOPPED
BRIEFLY TO ADMIRE THE MOUNTAIN LANDSCAPE.
HABIB EXPLAINED THAT THE MOUNTAINS WHERE WE SAW WRITING
MEANT GOD, KING, NATION.

DADES GORGES

WHAT A VIEW!!

HABIB KNEW JUST THE PLACE TO STOP BEFORE WE TRAVERSED
THE STEEP WINDY ROAD DOWN TOWARDS TINGHIR, OUR REST
STOP FOR THE NIGHT.

WE STOPPED AT CAFE TIMZZILLITE FOR A COOL DRINK AND A
VIEW TO DIE FOR!

TINGHIR

HABIB COULD NOT HAVE PICKED A BETTER PLACE FOR US TO
STAY THAN RIAD DAR AYOUR IN TINGHIR.

BUT.... FIRST OF ALL..... HERE IS A CARPET STORY

AFTER WE HAD SETTLED IN, WE HAD A BIT OF TIME TO KILL BEFORE
DINNER.

HABIB INTRODUCED US TO A LOCAL WHO OFFERED TO TAKE US FOR
A WALK AROUND. SURE.... WHY NOT.

IT WAS NICE WALKING ALONG THE RIVER BANK AND THEN UP THE
HILL FOR A LOVELY VIEW OVER TOWN.
THERE WAS A WEDDING HAPPENING AND THE MUSIC WAS LOUD.
A LONE DONKEY WAS HAVING HIS LATE AFTERNOON SNACK

RAZOUK TOOK US THROUGH THE SMALL ALLEYWAYS OF TINGHIR
AND TO HIS HUMBLE HOME.

WE FELT REALLY PRIVILEGED TO SIT WITH RAZOUK AND HIS SISTER
AND ENJOY SOME MINT TEA. BUT THERE WAS A CATCH.....

IT WAS NOT UNTIL RAZOUK BOUGHT OUT SOME CARPETS THAT WE
REALISED WHAT WAS GOING ON. HIS SISTER SHOWED US HOW SHE
MAKES THE CARPETS.... SPINNING THE WOOL AND CAMEL HAIR ETC.

I HAD AVOIDED BUYING A CARPET BEFORE NOW.....
AFTER ALL... HOW WAS I GOING TO SHIP A CARPET FROM MOROCCO
ALL THE WAY TO AUSTRALIA?

BUT, WE COULD NOT REFUSE. HOW COULD ONE REFUSE SUCH
AMAZING HOSPITALITY?...

SO WE BOUGHT THIS LITTLE CARPET WHICH HOLDS PRIME PLACE ON
OUR LOUNGE WALL WE HAD IT SHIPPED FROM MARAKECH HOME
AND THE SHIPPING PRICE ALONE COST MORE THAN THE CARPET!!

SO TIP..... YES, IT IS WELL WORTH IT TO BUY AN AUTHENTIC CARPET
FROM A SMALL VILLAGE IN MOROCCO.... BUT EXPECT TO PAY A
SMALL FORTUNE FOR IT

RIAD DAR AYOUR - TINGHIR

I LOVED IT HERE! THE STAFF WERE SO NICE. THEY MADE US FEEL
EXTREMELY WELCOME.

WE HAD A MAGNIFICANT VIEW FROM THE LITTLE VERANDAH OFF
OUR ROOM. DINNER WAS FUN I EVEN HAD A DANCE WITH THE
STAFF. WE BOTH ENJOYED IT

I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS PLACE TOTALLY IF YOU PLAN TO STAY
IN TINGHIR.

~~~oOo~~~

NEXT UP -

SLEEPING OUT UNDER THE STARS IN THE SAHARA DESERT!

THIS, PLUS MUCH MORE!.............. TO BE CONTINUED ON DAY 3...