Back in Tahannaout again

Having endured five weeks of rain most days in the UK it is a delight to return to sunny Tahannaout. On arrival at the house that we rent we are greeted by Said, the 'guardien', like long-lost buddies. He is eager to show us the crops growing in the garden, the hedge he has cut down so we can have a better view of the mountains, and introduce us once again to the freshly-cleaned house, all ready for us to make our home again for another three months. We are touched by his kindness and thoughtfulness.

Mr Dog, Mrs Dog and Chunky (the male pup who is now so grown-up!) run to greet us excitedly. Sadly, the other three pups have all died during the course of the last two months - most likely from eating poison put down by a local farmer protecting his sheep. Such a trauma for a dog-lover like me, but there's absolutely nothing I can do about it. RIP Tanny, Blackie and Stripe :-(  Mrs Dog is now heavily pregnant again, so let's hope these pups fare better! Will keep you all posted.

A heavily pregnant Mrs Dog getting her beauty sleep

Today we wake up to this stunning view of the mountains as seen from our lounge. As I begin to iron our clothes I wonder 'Is this the most amazing view ever seen from behind an ironing board?'

Old Tahannaout

A minor hissy fit ensues this morning when I discover a reasonably-sized gecko hiding in the bathroom who decides to make a sudden appearance as I emerge from the shower. Momentarily I had forgotten about the beautiful wildlife around here. Hubby to the rescue - quickly!

For lunch we walk up to N'zaha cafe/restaurant situated on the main road at the end of our piste. En route we bump into our friend, Sadik, who again greets us with affection. He invites us to look around his garden; it is a treasure trove of greenery, full of olive trees, pomegranate trees, fig trees and peach trees, all vying with each other to be the tallest. Sadik is excited today - a young man is installing electricity in his house for the first time - Sadik has lived here alone for 20 years without electricity, the young man informs me. It is difficult to comprehend this level of poverty just along the piste from where we are staying in comparative luxury! Yet Sadik states he is happy...we could all learn a few lessons here I think.

For lunch we have chicken kebabs with chips and the local speciality of Tafarnout bread dipped in argan oil, washed down with ice cold water. This bread is delicious; it is cooked on charcoal - and we sure know that today because it still has some charcoal in it :D. An hour later we return from lunch, armed with a massive carrier bag of leftovers for the dogs, given to us by a waiter we've never met before at N'zaha - such is the generosity of the people here.

Tafarnout bread with argan oil - and charcoal!

I'm looking forward to having more to tell you over the coming weeks - not just about the amazing places we will be visiting but also about 'the small stuff' that happens every day and makes our stay here such a wonderful experience as it impacts our lives. So come back and join us on our adventures.....and please comment if something in particular strikes you or you just want to say 'Hello'. Would love to hear from you :D