Aït Benhaddou and flash floods!

After our Sahara experience we drove back through the Draa valley to Ourzazarte. It was raining intermittently but we still managed to stop to catch frogs in a stream and play with strange lizards at the side of the road.

After lunch the rain was continous and quite hard. The journey then got much more exciting. The bridge over the dry river bed that we had crossed two days ago was now buried 2 feet deep under water! Flash floods! The traffic stopped and one at a time each vehicle tried to cross. The cars didn't even try and turned back. The children were so excited, personally I saw my life flash past my eyes!

View through the emergency exit as we crossed the raging river.

Our destination was Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO world heritage site. It's a fortified city in Souss-Massa-Draa. It stands proudly on a hill alongside the calm Ounila river, now a raging torrent.

It's famous for it's kasbahs constructed of mud. Apparently each rainstorm washes a bit more away! We crossed a bridge into the town and snaked through narrow alleyways.

Most families have moved to the new town but ten still live there amidst the crumbling mud. The children were fascinated by a donkey living in the downstairs of one of the houses while I prefered to watch a lady weaving on a loom. We climbed to the top of the hill to the old granary where the wind was so strong we had to hold onto the children. Breathtaking!

The town has become more famous recently as it is frequently used as a film location.The Prince of Persia and Gladiator have both been filmed there.  

Camels and Kasbahs

Camels and Kasbahs, the theme of a great adventure that I have just enjoyed with my family.

We travelled to Morocco with Exodus  http://www.exodus.co.uk/families and joined three other like minded families on a mini bus tour.  It's only a short flight to this North African country but it is like going back in time. Berber men really dress like extras from Star Wars and there really are snake charmers in Marrakesh!

We flew to Ouarzazate a town nestled between the mountains and Sahara desert. This strategic location was controlled at the beginning of the 20th century by the Glaoui to intercept traffic on the saharan caravan route to West Africa.

We stopped at Kasbah Taourirt, a palace built to house many of the towns population at this time. The walls are made of local red clay mixed with straw (adobe) and blend in with the landscape. 

The kasbah consists of many individual ksours (family homes) linked by  twisted stairwells and dark narrow passages. The rooms are of different shapes and sizes all with low windows so that when the occupants sat on the floor to eat and relax the breeze from the mountains wafted in to cool things down.

This is the view through one of those windows.

Some of the larger rooms had ceilings decorated with cedar wood. The patterns were intricate and geometrically inclined. Totally unexpected in this palace of mud.

The children had a great time exploring and particularly enjoyed playing on the field gun that helped to secure the Glaoui stronghold.

 

The next few posts are going to turn into a sort of travelogue about the trip. I hope they will be of interest and maybe whet your appetite for an adventure of your own. We made a point of hiring guides in Marrakesh to teach us about local crafts and met lots of local artisans. I have lots of photos of their work and working conditions that I hope will inspire you as much as me.