Marrakech (Morocco)
14 - 15 JUL
I remember as a kid, sitting in my mum's family house in Belgrade and there being one specific conversation relating to African geography. In particular there was discussion that mentioned a mountain range called the Atlas, some far flung place in a corner of Africa that I knew nothing about other than the fact that it occasionally snowed there, well, so it was mentioned in that discussion.
For years the Atlas mountains had always been a type of mystical place that I'd always wanted to see, for no particular reason other than the fact that it had remained in my consciousness for so long...and the fact that it either may or may not snow on the mountain range, that was something that was yet to be determined. Oh, and by the way, this was still my thinking even prior to the time that internet searches could have resolved my curiosity within 5 seconds.
A couple of years ago I sat on the terrace of Cafe de France, watched the sun set over Djema El Fna during the call to prayer and marvelled at the Atlas mountains which provided a stunning backdrop to a city full of mystique, on that is completely chaotic, vibrant and attacks all your senses at once. I watched the sun settle behind this mountain range and whilst their darkened outlined peaks stared at me from about 30kms away they still did their darndest to hide their secrets from me. I promised myself that time that if I ever had the opportunity to make my way back here again that I'd go on a little journey and find out what they had hidden from me for so long.
With the assistance of the owner of Riad Boussa, Brigitte, we were able to organise a day trip to the High Atlas on the 15th of July. For this day however, the day after Marrakech did a 'hit and run' on our senses, we stepped out into the scorching Marrakechi alleyways and went wondering through the medina of the old town. Just to qualify, when I say 'scorching', we were advised by the owner of the riad that two days prior to arriving in Marrakech the square of Djema El Fna had a recorded temperature of somewhere a little over 50 degrees. Nice and balmy for your average Australian tourists hey!? On this day however we only breached the 40 degree mark, so really, how bad was it going to be wondering the main square and through the markets that was teaming with pedestrian traffic and had absolutely no ventilation?
Our bravdo lasted a couple of hours, driven by the 'female component' of our party running on that 'bargain hunting' endorphin high, and I guess it's true, if you want to get a cheap deal on 'something' then the Marrakechi markets are the place to do your deal of the decade. Fortunately or unfortunately, the heat caught up with us all and we high tailed it back to the riad for the afternoon, although JJ and I did sneak off for a couple of hours and downed a few beers at Cosybar, a great place close to the Jewish quarters where the water spray on the terrace counts for absolutely everything even the devil stops in for an afternoon siesta on days such as these.
That evening the crew stopped in at La Tanjia, a great restaurant, again located close to the Jewish quarters, and one that has an outstanding view of the Koutaiba mosque and the sunset over the Atlas mountains....how I love a damn good sunset....Marrakech did not let me down!
15 JUL - into the High Atlas
That evening the crew stopped in at La Tanjia, a great restaurant, again located close to the Jewish quarters, and one that has an outstanding view of the Koutaiba mosque and the sunset over the Atlas mountains....how I love a damn good sunset....Marrakech did not let me down!
Kotouiba Mosque from Cosybar - Marrakech - Morocco
Kotouiba Mosque from Cosybar - Marrakech - Morocco
'Baby got back' - La Tanjia - Marrakech - Maroc
15 JUL - into the High Atlas
A full day after arriving in Marrakech and carting a travelling crew still coming to terms with the Marrakechi onslaught a couple of nights earlier, we decided to spend a day in the High Atlas. The intention being to discover it's secrets, of kasbahs crumbling, of mountains coloured in red, green, yellow and blue, of fertile valleys and of hidden hillside villages.
We struck out from Marrakech at just after 8am and headed south-east generally for approximately 50-60kms. It was at that point that we started the climb into the mountains, and also at that point that I discovered exactly why the mystique and mysterious place that this mountain range had held in my mind for so long was warranted. Climbing up alongside mountain villages that were centuries old and marvelling at the skill and ingenuity of the people to work with the simple materials they had available, I was also caught off guard by how beautiful the landscape was. The place was absolutely engaging, the mountains were colours of red, green, yellow and blue, all indicating how mineral rich the area actually is.
On the way up to Tizin Tichka pass - Atlas Mountains - Morocco
Climbing higher into the mountains we transitioned through the highest pass in Morocco, the Tizin tichka Pass at 2260 meters. How disappointing for our little pansy Mt.Kosciousko, to be topped out at 2228, the highest point in Australia, comparatively only being regarded as a 'quaint terrace' in these parts.
Dad on Tizin Tichka pass - Atlas Mountains - Morocco
First stop of the morning was the Telouet Kasbah, a place now owned by the Pacha of Marrakech but one that had also fallen into ruin and disrepair for either lack of money or consideration. From what we were told the kasbah had been around for something like 300 years. Despite its neglect there were some rooms that were well preserved and had that typical style of Muslim design that always leaves you in awe at the intricacy, craftsmanship and levels of detail in the work. The several rooms that we walked through took almost 80 years in their own right to complete and from what we saw none of us would challenge the fact that the time had actually been put to good use, they were marvels in their own right.
Telouet Kasbah - Atlas Mountains - Maroc
Telouet Kasbah - Atlas Mountains - Maroc
Telouet Kasbah
Telouet Kasbah
Pushing on into the Dades Valley ,(The Valley of 1000 Kasbahs), after visiting the Kasbah we were treated to stunning sights nearly at every turn. A river runs through the bottom of the valley meaning that on either side of the river there are distinct strips of green which standout distinctly and in stark contrast to the barren but beautiful mountains that surround it. What's more, with each turn there was a new villages that we encountered, built into the side of the mountains with materials common to the valley. They blended in perfectly with the landscape and had distinct Berber features which were totally foreign to my eyes. It really felt like you were stepping onto a movie set, and if we were to work the six degrees angle on that theory then I'd have to add that we were also driving on a road that Brad Pitt paid to have built, or rather 'reworked' - or so our driver Asiz told us.
The Dades Valley - Atlas Mountains - Morocco
The Dades Valley - Atlas Mountains - Morocco
The Dades Valley - Atlas Mountains - Morocco
Our final stop of the day was the Kasbah of Ait Benhaddoud. A four century old fortress that had been as a backdrop in many a movie, it's most recent being the Prince of Persia. By the time we arrived the sun had obviously become a little angry and was hitting somewhere around the 45 degree mark. Strangely, unlike at home, the heat here is a little easier to accept as it doesn't have it's sidekick, 'humidity', to back up its potetency.
Ait Benhaddoud - Atlas Mountains - Morocco
Realising their own limitations, mum and dad camped out in the cool of an air conditioned cafe for a while whilst JJ and I crossed the bone dry wadi, searing with African heat, to get to the main walls of the Kasbah...and true enough, the place was breathtaking. Another one of those strikingly unique buildings that you find difficult to comprehend, not just for it's size and scope but also for it's location, age, and the manpower it would have taken to construct it. No wonder that it's a World Heritage listed structure.
Ait Benhaddoud - Atlas Mountains - Morocco
Ait Benhaddoud - Atlas Mountains - Morocco
Making our way back to the cafe, my parents questioned JJ and I on our sanity - but at the end of the day, getting out on a 45 degree day is just what 'hard people' like us do, 'soft people' could never understand that sort of mentality! Crashing back into our van and blasting the AC for a while both JJ and I quickly realised that sometimes being soft also = being smart!
A little while after visiting Ait Benhaddoud we exited the valley and made a right hand turn onto bitumen about 20kms NE of Ourazazate (a place that is called the ' Gateway to the Sahara'). Cutting through the High Atlas once again, I kind of daydreamed my way back to Marrakech, waking up to catch snippets of brazenly coloured mountains, sheer cliff drops and strangely built villages hanging precariously on mountain slopes. It had taken me 35 years to make my way to the Atlas mountains and I have to say, the mystery and mystique that had been built up over the years in my head until now more than just survives intact, it feels as though it's been amplified by what I had been fortunate enough to see on this day....so until we meet on another day High Atlas,farewell.
