Ibis Moussafir Ouarzazate

... we were just about the only people there and the place was almost deserted. I think in the Bible there was something about building houses out of stone, they don't seem to have heard about that round here. There's ruined mud houses all over the place, still if you a builder you've got a job for life! <br><br>By 9.00 am we were breakfasted and en-route to the big dunes of Erg Chebbi and the Sahara !! <br><br><br>

Just quick entry to set the map pin. Suffice I lucked out and nabbed a guide in Merzouga who just happened to be headed to Marrakech to pick up 3 Spanish clients to guide them on a 10 day tour of Morocco.<br><br> Thus, instead of struggling w/ mind-boggling taxi negotiations to navigate to Quarzazate (about 8 hrs. from Merzouga), I ...

So here we are in the Dades Valley, attached to a Nomadic Berber (extended) family with their 230+ goats &amp; sheep, 3 Mules, 10 Camels, 4 Dogs, 3 Donkeys, &amp; 2 Chickens. Family runs from Grandma down to the 2 year old &amp; from here for 7 days it's trek, camp &amp; cook with them.<br>We have our guide (Lassan) &amp; cook (Ahmed) so we can communicate &amp; eat if not easily wash etc.<br>On the way up we drove through Ouarzazate (think film sets ...

Ait Ben Haddou is one of the oldest Kasbahs in Morocco. Onthe way to the hotel we saw goats on the side of a maountain. And from the roof of the hotel I took pictures of the kasbah and the neighbors garden. We met 2 German girls the next morning and gave them a ride to Casablanca. They were lots of fun.

... of photos. The driver took us around the outskirts of the city we were didn't get an essence of it really. The building looked beautiful thoughtd adobe walls. Soon we were heading out towards the mountain. I presume the Atlas. We were the wet side of them as there's was so much agriculture, this disppeared as we headed up to the high pass close to the snow line. Two stops one to buy water the other, toilet. It got dark quickly at 19:00.

... later than expected (5.5 hour trip) and found the only way to get to Ait Be Haddou at night was to take a grand taxi and pay for all six passengers. The 33km journey cost more then our 5hour bus ride but the taxi driver drove all the way back to our hotel to give me my present-from-Don-vintage-carrera-aviato r sunglasses in case after they fell outof my bag in the backseat of the taxi. Faith in Moroccans restored and my sunglasses back. Truth be told i have left them behind ...

... go along the road otherwise. Soon, we pass Tizi n Tichka pass at 2260 meters above see - high, but still about 2km lower than Troubkal mountain;). We break the car every 2 minutes to take photos, but our first real stop is fairytale kasbah (stonghold) of Telouet [10dh]. To get there, we pick up a young guide at the crossroads (of which we thought he wants just a ride) and drive a 20km rally through very nice nature. The crumbling kasbah really strikes us - so ...

... in the end I managed to force the door open, and ran away just in case. This guy completely freaked me out.<br><br>Driving in Morocco, part 1<br>I took a taxi and arrived at a car rental, charging 400 dh ($52 USD) a day for a brand new Fiat, which had only be driven 420 km! So I filled in my papers, which was a little bit tricky at times, as the applications and agreements were all in Arabic and French - not really my strong side. And then the guy at the rental ...

There is not much that I want to say about this place. It was a blur because I was tired from being on the road so much. This is a film town where the most recognized is Lawrence of Arabia. We did visit the renovated Kasbah Taourirt. It supposed to belong to a wealthy merchant who had 4 wives. Each wife had a tower (with lookout) on each corner of the kasbah. The favourite wife (I ...

... to access and is attractive to the camera. I am sure there are portions of Algeria that directors would like to film in that they just can't get to. Our next destination was going to be the Valley of Roses and the Draa Valley. Again, pictures and words might not even do these places justice. The drive through is absolutely amazing. Winding roads going inbetween small villages and towns and valleys inbetween the rock ledges. Some of the scenery ...