Yesterdays' hike and Hammam visit have taken their tool, everyone is slow to rise this morning, eventually though, everyone makes it to breakfast. Kate again orders an omelet to supplement the usual pastry and following breakfast we're back out on the road. We make a quick stop in town for supplies before our long journey along the foothills of the High Atlas Mountains. With blue skies overhead, the terrain becomes more rugged today with buttes making appearances, but still vegetation is scarce. The road is mostly flat through wide passes but we cross several large hills and small mountains. By late morning we have cleared the Dades region and soon pass Lake Ouarzazate, a vast body of water surrounded by scrub with mountains looming in the distance. Traveling a short distance further we arrive at Ouarzazate, the capitol of this region, and Abdul quickly finds a parking spot. There are several kasbahs within walking distance but we're interested in lunch. Crossing the street we enter a clay building and climb some stairs to an open air dining area that overlooks a good portion of the city. Over lunch we discuss forgoing the planned stop at Atlas movie studios to have more time to explore Aït Benhaddou and everyone agrees to skip the studio tour. After lunch we're back in the van and on the road.
As we cross the vast, barren landscape I start to notice a warmth in my belly. I think everyone fears this moment when they travel, especially in a very different culture. I ask Mohamed if we can make a stop in the next village and he asks if I need to stop here. Quickly considering the full extend of having to deal with my current situation in what is essentially the middle of a scrub desert, open for miles with light traffic passing in both directions, I tell Mohammend I need more private facilities. With thick sweat on my brow we arrive in a village and Mohamed interprets with an inn's proprietor and I quickly find relief just in the nick of time. Feeling very relieved I return to the van and we continue our journey.
Diverting from the main roadway, we near Aït Benhaddou and Abdul parks on a bluff overlooking the ancient Kasbah in the distance. Mohamed announces we can watch the "Snake Man". Several people sell knick-knacks and a man in full Berber garb sits to the side with a snake. I believe he wants 10 dirham for his photograph with a snake and Benhaddou in the background. We then load back into the vehicle and make the home stretch. We pull through a gate into a small compound where Abdul parks, then we gather our luggage and move to the hotel lobby for the room key lottery. The hotel's thick clay walls keep the air cool inside and we each grab our keys and inspect our rooms. Our comfortable room overlooks the Kasbah and we quickly settle in before rejoining the group for a tour. Our host and guide, "Action", explains his nickname is from his being an extra in the many films made here. He further explains "Jewel of the Nile", "Gladiator", "Lawrence of Arabia", "Last Temptation Of Christ", "Jesus of Nazareth" and "Kundun" to name a few, were all filmed here.
Exiting the hotel's back door, we find ourselves on a cobbled street as our guide, Action leads us onward. As we walk down the street we pass many stalls selling rugs, lamps, paintings and clothing. reaching the bottom of the road we are soon strolling a wide sandy bank, then cross a shallow river following a line of stepping stones. Reaching the other bank, we start walking on a gravel path passing through the gates of the ancient Kasbah. Making our way upward through the narrow streets, we pass residents, shopkeepers and artists, as well as other tourists snaking the seemingly endless maze. Finally arriving at the top we find what appears to be the oldest structures commanding a commanding view of the surrounding area in all directions. After enjoying a brief rest, we then return to our hotel roof to have drinks and watch the sun set, bathing the kasbah in crimson light.
Action then invites us to a dining room just off the kitchen and teaches us "Introduction To Moroccan Cooking 101" as we learn how to prepare tagine, as well as the design of a tagine (tagine is the cooking vessel as well as the dish). As Action teaches us couse-couse preparation we learn it takes hours to prepare, he then asks if I've prepared couse-couse and I reply "yes". He asks how long it took to prepare, I reply seven minutes, as he looks astonished everyone else at the table laughs and replies "instant couse-couse!". We then moves to the main dining room and we enjoy a Moroccan feast. Following dinner, Kate and I take a moonlight stroll through town and visit a shop for some chocolate. As we walk, the air is comfortable and the sky is clear, and although most shops are closed we do find a convenience stall open and grab a sweet snack before returning to our room to end the day.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Ouarzazate and Aït Benhaddou, Day Nine
Yesterdays' hike and Hammam visit have taken their tool, everyone is slow to rise this morning, eventually though, everyone makes it to breakfast. Kate again orders an omelet to supplement the usual pastry and following breakfast we're back out on the road. We make a quick stop in town for supplies before our long journey along the foothills of the High Atlas Mountains. With blue skies overhead, the terrain becomes more rugged today with buttes making appearances, but still vegetation is scarce. The road is mostly flat through wide passes but we cross several large hills and small mountains. By late morning we have cleared the Dades region and soon pass Lake Ouarzazate, a vast body of water surrounded by scrub with mountains looming in the distance. Traveling a short distance further we arrive at Ouarzazate, the capitol of this region, and Abdul quickly finds a parking spot. There are several kasbahs within walking distance but we're interested in lunch. Crossing the street we enter a clay building and climb some stairs to an open air dining area that overlooks a good portion of the city. Over lunch we discuss forgoing the planned stop at Atlas movie studios to have more time to explore Aït Benhaddou and everyone agrees to skip the studio tour. After lunch we're back in the van and on the road.
As we cross the vast, barren landscape I start to notice a warmth in my belly. I think everyone fears this moment when they travel, especially in a very different culture. I ask Mohamed if we can make a stop in the next village and he asks if I need to stop here. Quickly considering the full extend of having to deal with my current situation in what is essentially the middle of a scrub desert, open for miles with light traffic passing in both directions, I tell Mohammend I need more private facilities. With thick sweat on my brow we arrive in a village and Mohamed interprets with an inn's proprietor and I quickly find relief just in the nick of time. Feeling very relieved I return to the van and we continue our journey.
Diverting from the main roadway, we near Aït Benhaddou and Abdul parks on a bluff overlooking the ancient Kasbah in the distance. Mohamed announces we can watch the "Snake Man". Several people sell knick-knacks and a man in full Berber garb sits to the side with a snake. I believe he wants 10 dirham for his photograph with a snake and Benhaddou in the background. We then load back into the vehicle and make the home stretch. We pull through a gate into a small compound where Abdul parks, then we gather our luggage and move to the hotel lobby for the room key lottery. The hotel's thick clay walls keep the air cool inside and we each grab our keys and inspect our rooms. Our comfortable room overlooks the Kasbah and we quickly settle in before rejoining the group for a tour. Our host and guide, "Action", explains his nickname is from his being an extra in the many films made here. He further explains "Jewel of the Nile", "Gladiator", "Lawrence of Arabia", "Last Temptation Of Christ", "Jesus of Nazareth" and "Kundun" to name a few, were all filmed here.
Exiting the hotel's back door, we find ourselves on a cobbled street as our guide, Action leads us onward. As we walk down the street we pass many stalls selling rugs, lamps, paintings and clothing. reaching the bottom of the road we are soon strolling a wide sandy bank, then cross a shallow river following a line of stepping stones. Reaching the other bank, we start walking on a gravel path passing through the gates of the ancient Kasbah. Making our way upward through the narrow streets, we pass residents, shopkeepers and artists, as well as other tourists snaking the seemingly endless maze. Finally arriving at the top we find what appears to be the oldest structures commanding a commanding view of the surrounding area in all directions. After enjoying a brief rest, we then return to our hotel roof to have drinks and watch the sun set, bathing the kasbah in crimson light.
Action then invites us to a dining room just off the kitchen and teaches us "Introduction To Moroccan Cooking 101" as we learn how to prepare tagine, as well as the design of a tagine (tagine is the cooking vessel as well as the dish). As Action teaches us couse-couse preparation we learn it takes hours to prepare, he then asks if I've prepared couse-couse and I reply "yes". He asks how long it took to prepare, I reply seven minutes, as he looks astonished everyone else at the table laughs and replies "instant couse-couse!". We then moves to the main dining room and we enjoy a Moroccan feast. Following dinner, Kate and I take a moonlight stroll through town and visit a shop for some chocolate. As we walk, the air is comfortable and the sky is clear, and although most shops are closed we do find a convenience stall open and grab a sweet snack before returning to our room to end the day.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment