Erfoud - Tinerhir and Tinerhir - Ouarzazate (days 7 and 8)

The last few days I've experienced beautiful days. Unfortunately I couldn't connect my laptop to the wifi, that's why I didn't write a blog yesterday. Besides, we had a very long day behind us, that's why I was very tired and didn't feel optimal. My apologies for that, and thank you for sitting and waiting for my blog! :)

Day 7 of our trip started really early in the morning, the alarm went off at 4:15 in the morning!! But with a good purpose, because we went to the sand dunes (after driving with a jeep and on the back of a dromedary) in the desert to watch the sunrise! After about 40 minutes driving with the jeep on the asphalt road and after that on the paved dirt road, we arrived at the sand dunes where we continued further into the sand dunes by dromedary. I had done this before earlier in India (though this was on a camel), but I didn't have quite a nice experience with it. Although back then (the sunset) was more spectacular to see, because we didn't see the sun today... But it was a very calming and nice experience (luckily my dromedary was very relaxed and kept quiet). Besides, it was still worth it because of the spectacular views!  The most exciting part was on our way there, when we were riding the dromedary in the pitch black darkness where you can't see anything, because in the desert it's still really dark! At dawn the contours became slowly more visible until it was broad daylight, then you could see everything again. Obviously we made a lot of pictures and videos there, and we slid down the slope on a rug where the dromedaries were waiting. We went back to the hotel via the same road, where we had breakfast. After breakfast we got in the bus to drive to Tinerhir. On our way there we first had a coffee break. After the coffee break we drove along wells made of clay, this is where farmers take water from the (flowing) underground water source. Next we drove to an ancient ghost town / ruins of kasbahs as well as the birth town of our guide (which is now also a ghost town / ruin). We made pictures of both of them, next we had lunch and after lunch we walked a bit through the Todra canyon, though this looks spectacular (the canyon is about 300 meters deep) I expected something else. It was a walk along an asphalt road which is parallel to a river (that never stands dry, the water in the river is melting water from the mountain tops after the winter). After driving for a while we stopped at an oasis, where made a hike through it. From up close the oasis looks like a very big kitchen garden. People grow vegetables, fruit, date palms and spices in here, which is possible because of the irrigation channels which gives it a constant flow of water. After the hike we went inside a carpet shop. Though, this isn't a commercial carpet shop, but it's about the art of the Berber motives which are made in the carpet. This is where we got an explanation about what these motives mean and what these symbols are. Of course, it was possible to buy a carpet afterwards (with bargaining!) At last, we drove to the hotel where we had dinner and closed off the (long) day.

Day 8

After such a long day like yesterday I slept excellent, though I was woken up by a nearby mosque (which is right next to the hotel), but that's oke because that's the time I had to get up (luckily not as early as yesterday). But still I wasn't feeling well (I almost had to vomit). The rest of the morning I felt very tired and inert. After breakfast (I didn't eat much, because I didn't have a big appetite) we got in the bus and, where I slept for many hours (and still felt very tired...) On our way we passed by the Dadès Valley, where there was a fantastic view over the oasis down in the valley. After that we had a coffee break. Next we stopped at a mountain wall where multiple iron containing minerals are visible through the color of the rock. Green oxidation means copper, black oxidation means carbon and so on. Next we had lunch, which did me good and made me feel better. After lunch, we went to an old and abandoned kasbah where we were guided around. At this location more than a dozen movies and series where filmed here, including: Aladdin, Game of Thrones, Prince of Persia, Indiana Jones, Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator were filmed here. The kasbah is built against a slope of a hill, which we climbed From here you have a perfect 360 degrees view. Once we were down again and got in the bus we drove to the hotel in Ouarzazate, where we had dinner. We will stay in this hotel for the next 2 nights. By the way: Ouarzazate is called the Hollywood of Morocco, this is where all the (Moroccan) film studios are located. Tomorrow more about this city! :)

Day 6

Travel overview

Day 9