November 2, 2018

November 2, 2018

Ouarzazate is the Hollywood of Morocco. This area stands in for any desert around the world from Lawrence of Arabia to Gladiator to The Jewel of the Nile. The locals work as extras in movies. Yesterday we met a guy who played Osama Bin Laden.

A half hour north of the city we arrive at the Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou, a World Heritage Site. This fortified hilltop village provided paid protection for caravans passing through this territory on the way to Marrakesh. Its use as a film backdrop provides the money needed to maintain its adobe structures. We walked up through a labyrinth of village alleyways to the fort at the hilltop. Afterwards I walked down to the river and the main gate to get the view that recently starred as the Slave City in the Game of Thrones. That is not a stretch as the camel caravans also did a brisk trade in black slaves along with gold.

After backtracking to the highway we drove northwest across the Atlas Mountains back to the Atlantic Ocean side. The road twisted and turned wildly as we climbed over this very rugged stretch of the High Atlas Mountains. We topped out at Tichka Pass, elevation 7415 feet. The view was very scenic along the whole stretch. It was again National Park worthy. Unfortunately there are small villages clinging to the cliff sides everywhere. The residents have little pieces of terraced land that they are trying to eke out a living through farming. No wonder the indigenous Berbers who lived such isolated existence were very tribal and usually no match to invaders.

Camel caravans making their way to Marrakesh from the desert followed this same route. Marrakesh at times was the Capital of Morocco. Today it is a large urban city on the plains in the shadow of the lofty snow-peaked Atlas Mountains. After checking in the hotel we walk past the Koutoubia Mosque with its landmark 250 foot minaret to the old Medina. Inside, we talk our way into Hotel La Mamounia. Our guide said this 5-star hotel was recently voted the most beautiful. While it did have a massive indoor garden, neither Aimee nor I was that impressed. We have a Chicken Couscous dinner on a terrace overlooking Place Jemaa el Fna. This main square of Marrakesh is crowded with food stalls and entertainers. Popular are handlers with animals tourists want their picture taken with. This includes snakes, cobras, monkeys and even chameleons.