The path from Fez brought us over the Middle Atlas Mountains. The views got progressively more impressive and off in the distance one can see the snow capped peaks of the High Atlas. The air becomes more dry and then strangely enough, one enters Ifrane - a mountain community built by the French as a retreat from the heat below. One really feels as if you are in Switzerland rather than Morocco. After Ifrane the road begins to slowly descend to the Western Sahara and the rocky lands that lead up to the sand dunes.
Our first stop was the Ziz valley - a small oasis of date palms surrounded by high walls of red and orange rock. Our guide, Tata, took us for a hike along the rivers and the various irrigation canals. The Moroccans who live here grow a wide variety of foods to feed not only themselves but also the country. There are even places to camp in the valley itself. We ended our hike having lunch with our guide's family. The food was a mixture of rice, bread, salad, and beef. The cucumbers were cut and then a small helping of powdered sugar was added. I'm gonna have to try this back at home. Again, the tajines that were used work like pressure cookers and made the meat very tender.
From this point onward there is near desolation. If one looks up Merzouga on the map, it is literally the end of the road. From here one can see the sand dunes in the distance. The hotels along this path cater to the tourist trade and are very cookie cutter and lack the character of the riads we previously stayed at. We got in an hour of motorized quads in the sand dunes before hitching up to our camels and heading out into the desert.
I think everyone needs to spend a night under the stars here - there is so little light and one can see the milky way with ease. It is a chance to meditate. In the harshness of this environment, one's lesser needs seem almost pointless.
Of course Chase worried the whole night about being attacked by palm rats - but I told him it was likely not going to be a problem. Also, make sure you check your shoes in the morning for scorpions, as they love to make themselves at home in shoes.
One of our last stops was the village of Kamalia where the local group - a bunch of refugees form Senegal have created a village and a band that produces some incredible music. Chase managed to purchase some of their music. We enjoyed some tea with this tribe before heading over out to Skoura.
Alright - managed to compile my first video of the desert - a bit cheesy but comments welcome!
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