No matter how long we stay on one site, even when it’s top drawer like Manzil la Tortue, the feeling is always the same on departure. It’s freedom, coupled with curiosity and excitement of what the journey and next stop has in store for us.
The red wiggly lines on our Reise map (German made and virtually rip proof) [why aren’t all folding maps made like this one?] give us no real clue as to what’s in store for this first day of travel en route to the oasis town of Zagora.
Today’s target – Ouarzazate – get your teeth around that one if you can. It’s a straight drive, or to be exact, a direct drive down the N9 from Marrakech.
Much of the road is being repaired, rebuilt or simply re-routed through massive mountains of rock. It takes us up and over the Tizi n’ Tichka pass – the highest major mountain pass in North Africa at 2,260 metres. We’re up in the High Atlas.
On the way down we we pull in at a remote spot. The small river valley below splattered with wild red poppies. 
A Berber woman edges down, river side. Starts rummaging around the stony dry earth. Doubled over, she seems to be seeking out a certain type of green plant. Like a bloodhound she shuffles this way then that. Gathering as she does. They look like weeds.
She’s got enough. Then she’s off, leaving us scratching our heads.
We are just about to climb back inside Beastie when from nowhere a “seller” materialises. Surely he can’t be expecting to encounter too many potential customers out here? Is it going to be his lucky day? What’s in the bags? A mixture of fossils and what looks like small lumps of coal or coke. The fossils don’t interest us, but what’s with the black stuff? He hands one over. It splits in half to reveal it’s inner beauty. We likes it. So HE starts our bidding at 150 dirham. No way! 100dh? No way!! He refuses our offer of 50dh and when we turn away he says “OK 60dh” and as we agree he adds “and a T-Shirt”. Hmm. It just so happens I have one with me that’s gone a bit bobbly on the front by being caught by my bag’s velcro straps. He has that one. By chance it was washed and ironed just yesterday. So it was his lucky day. He doesn’t exactly jump for joy over the transaction though.
Inside Mary-Ann says “Oh, did you see how he just scrubbled it up and shoved it into the bag”.
We wonder did he buy it or find it? We assume he got the better deal.
As we get closer another older boy pops out from behind some bushes. Is this the way in? Yes, he says and point us to a specific route. This leads to a covered way with the village the other side. Suddenly a man appears from the shadows and points to a poster on the wall. 10 dirham. This is news to us. “We have to pay to get in?” He points to the poster again. Not 100% convinced, we hand him 20 dirham and he lets us through.
Over twenty films have incorporated scenes from this village. No wonder. It’s real fantasy material. The climb through and up interrupted by “clicks” at every turn. Up on top we say cheese.
Still curious about that entrance fee I quiz some English speakers. “There’s no fee – we came in over the bridge down there with everyone else”
Looks interesting love the quartz take care x
It is Yvonne. Very poor data/internet at the moment. Trying to play catch-up. Watch this space! xxx