Day 34: Unforeseen circumstances

Saturday heralds a lie-in for us - it is 10.30am by the time we're showered and dressed. We've made no real plans for today - just as well really with what is about to happen...

Firstly, we go to check on Mrs Dog and pups - this has become our little routine each day. However, today we can hear lots of yelping and whimpering as we approach. I look into the den as I balance precariously on a tree stump, but all seems to be well...as usual, Mrs Dog is feeding the pups, although it's too dark to see right into the den, and she seems contented. We are just about to walk away when Mart spots something moving on the ground out of the corner of his eye - and in that same split second I realise the whimpering is not coming from inside the den. One of the puppies has fallen out and is lying on the ground curled up in a ball. They haven't yet opened their eyes, so this poor little thing just lies there quivering and whimpering. Mart gently picks it up and places it on top of its mother who spontaneously licks it - soon it is feeding from mum again, and seems none the worse for its fall.

Feeding once more

So cute, I want one!

At about 12pm Said comes into the house for a chat and we end up talking about his Muslim faith and our Christian faith, attempting to find the connections and also stumbling across some of the differences. It is a good and worthwhile conversation - and we end up still friendly at the end of it despite some heated debate, thank goodness! It is just as he is leaving that things take a turn for the worse...

As Said looks out across the garden he can see a fire burning in the field next to our house, and the flames seem to be getting out of control. He and Mart go out to investigate whilst I head up to the rooftop terrace of our house to see what I can see from there. The fire is indeed out of control! The flames are licking the branches of the olive trees and getting taller and taller, a thick cloud of smoke is forming and I can hear shouting. I race down the path only to be met by Said running back towards the house - he has phoned the police (apparently that's what you do here in such an event) and he is now running to fetch his long garden hosepipe in the vain hope that it will reach far enough to start putting out the fire. Mart and I help him to unravel it and we are joined by several other men of all ages who also help. However, with all the men tugging it nearer to the fire, the hose comes off the tap, so Said races back to the house to fix it. As he does so, a part of the hose near me begins to spurt water out - there is a largish hole. I quickly plug it with my fingers. Mart is trying to keep two lengths of hose held together, I am plugging this hole and Said is trying to regulate the water so it stays attached to the tap - meanwhile, the men at the other end of the hose are waiting for the water to come through and are shouting at us, unaware of our predicament. It would be funny if it wasn't such a serious situation.

The start of the fire as seen from our house

Before long...

People run to help

The fire rages

The pressure from the water is great and it is a struggle for Mart and I to keep the hose together so the water can pass through, hence we both get soaked at intervals when we just can't maintain our hold. It is at one of these moments that an elderly man decides to comes down the narrow path across which lies the hosepipe, trying to herd about 50 sheep to another field. Both Mart and I have to hold the hosepipe on the ground so the sheep can walk over it, brushing against us as they do so. Following the sheep and the elderly man is a policeman, looking very dapper in his uniform. He politely says 'Bonjour' to me and, as I begin to reply, the hole in the hosepipe begins to spurt water all over me - this time I am drenched! It is a comical scene - an officious policeman, a herd of sheep, an elderly gentleman, a bemused Mart, and me soaked to the skin! I hope the rest of the team are faring better than us!

Seriously though, at one point we panic that the fire may be spreading too quickly and could possibly reach our house...we dash back and collect our passports, throwing laptops, cameras and other valuables into a case - who knows when we might just have to flee?!

Fortunately, after about an hour, the fire is under control, thanks to the teamwork of the village who have also brought buckets to fill with water to quench the fire. Then the fire engine arrives! There is no through road to the field, so we watch from the roof terrace as the fire engine is  guided across the uneven field by several villagers...and finally their proper, made-for-the-job hosepipes are unravelled and ready to finish the job, ensuring that the already burnt ground is not still smouldering. Within another hour they are gone, and we go to inspect the damage. Said tells us he has never before seen a bush fire like this, despite years of working in the forest.

The aftermath

We just thank God we are safe...if it had been a sunnier day with more intense heat, if the wind had blown in the opposite direction, if Said and us had not been at home, I dread to think what might have happened.

Day 33: Ouirgane Wanderers

A bit of a lie-in today as Mart's not working...7.30am get-up! We do our usual lazing around, drinking tea, watching sunrise, checking emails routine and plan the day ahead. Today is another beauty so we decide on another trip into the mountains, this time to a place called Ouirgane (pronounced Weer-gan). Ouirgane is a pretty Berber village nestled in the foothills of the High Atlas mountains, lying about 1000 metres above sea level. We have been meaning to visit this village for a long time, but have never quite made it; Today is the day!

Having checked that Mrs Dog and her pups are okay, we set off from home in our trusty car and within five minutes find ourselves back amongst beautiful mountain scenery. It is late morning by now and the sun is beaming down on the majestic mountains, providing light and shade in equal measure. We can see for miles as we trundle along the uneven mountain roads, from the Haouz plain of Marrakech to the snow-covered  Tazaghart plateau. Village upon village cling to the hillsides, camouflaged against the red rock and stone. Children sit on the hillside, throwing stones at goats below, women carry their babies on their backs as they walk between villages, old men sit in cafes drinking their umpteenth glass of mint tea whilst the young men sit on the rocks at the roadside, chatting and watching the occasional car go by, sometimes even shouting a cheery 'Bonjour'. It makes us wander what day-to-day life is like for these people who live in the valleys..do they ever get bored? What are their hopes and dreams? Will these young men stay in the village or will they chase the allure of the bright city lights? It's difficult for us as Westerners so caught up with the materialism that our society dictates to understand the seeming simplicity of these young mens' lives - yet they are happy, or at least appear to be!

A valley en route

A hilltop fortress

Our car

A camouflaged village clings to the hillside

Finally we reach our destination - Ouirgane. It is a lovely place, but neither of us is in the mood for doing lots of walking today after our long journey here, so we opt to stop off for a leisurely lunch at a hotel called La Roseraie instead. I've seen this hotel advertised in holiday brochures and have always wanted to visit. The name of this place describes it beautifully - everywhere you look are gorgeous roses, flourishing even now in November! These are planted alongside pomegranate trees, date palms, olive trees, magnolia trees and cacti of all descriptions and interspersed with small ponds, one of which has lily pads floating on the surface and terrapins hidden beneath. The gardens stretch endlessly in front of us....but our stomachs beckon us to have lunch and leave the gardens till later. We are seated at a table overlooking the N'Fis river with a mountainous backdrop and under the shade of olive trees. The location is very peaceful, only the chirruping of chaffinches in the trees and the gurgling of the rose petal-filled fountain next to us can be heard as we enjoy our lamb chops, chips and veg lunch. Yes, I know, lamb again! It is on every menu at the moment wherever you go - but we're not complaining! This lamb is extremely succulent and we both feel fully satiated by the end of the meal.

La Roseraie

Starters: a variety of warm breads with olives

Petal-filled fountain

Seed cluster and fruit of Magnolia Grandiflora

A Date Palm laden with dates

Pollination

Roses and Palms

Lily pad covered pond

After a last look around the garden, we set off once more and head for Tin Mal Mosque. To get there we take  the dramatic Tizi 'n' Test road that eventually crosses the High Atlas mountains. This route is even more winding and hair-raising than others we've taken before! To say that the scenery around us is stunning would be an understatement. From the road we finally catch a glimpse of the Tin Mal Mosque, nestled into the hillside. This mosque was built in 1156 and is one of only two mosques in Morocco that is open to non-Muslim visitors. It has been partly renovated in the 1990s but much of the original structure remains, although it is no longer in use.

Tin Mal Mosque viewed from the road

As we drive up the winding path to reach the mosque we are met by a group of young men running downhill towards us with frightened looks on their faces; we wonder what on earth is going on. Then we see why they are running... they are being followed by another young man who is dressed head to toe in goatskins, brandishing an olive branch, and he is chasing them at full pelt. This is the Boujloud! The Boujloud is an Amazigh ancestral tradition, similar to our Hallowe'en. Young men dress up in the goatskins that are left over from the slaughtering of goats a few days earlier, and when the children hear the drum beat signalling the arrival of the Boujloud  they must run or give him money - or they will be picked up by their feet and hit with the olive branch! There are many horror stories that children share about the Boujloud in the days leading up to his appearance, so when he arrives they are already anticipating what he might do to them. Hence, everyone fears him. We find ourselves face to face with the Boujloud! After a quick 20 dirham negotiation (after all, we don't want to experience his wrath!), the Boujloud agrees to pose for a photo for us. As we thank him he runs off, leaving the stench of dead goat behind...these are the genuine article, not a costume! He must be wearing at least six dead goats around his body...yuk!

The Boujloud!

Anyway, back to our visit to the mosque! We enter through a narrow door and find ourselves in a giant open space full of columns and archways with intricate carvings and solid wooden doors. As we wander around it is easy to imagine people praying in this peaceful place, and to believe that once upon a time this would have been magnificent. This is a rare opportunity to see the inside of such an ancient mosque, and it does not disappoint.

Wall and door of the mosque

Archways 

An ornate doorway

Looking across the mosque

Soon we are on our way home after an interesting day out...and all is well with the world.

Day 32: Hotchpotch

The wild boar was on the prowl last night. As Mart was talking to Said outside yesterday evening at about 7.30pm, the dogs started howling, first one, then the next, then the whole neighbourhood seemed to join in. We heard snorts coming from the field next to our garden and then lots of squealing and the mad rustling of trees and bushes as our dogs set chase. It reminds me of a John Locke moment in 'Lost' when he was wondering in the forest and suddenly there was a mad dash of a boar past him (which he promptly shot and killed obviously!) Unfortunately, it was too dark to see anything but Said verified that it was the wild boar who had come too close to our garden for comfort and was being warned off by our dogs. Exciting stuff!

We were thinking of staying up late last night to see if we could observe anything of the asteroid which was due to hurtle past earth. If it could be seen from anywhere, Morocco would be a good bet as the night skies are so clear due to the lack of pollution. However, we have read that it will only be visible by telescope, so that's put paid to that idea. It does remind us though that we haven't yet spent any time looking at the night skies and that is usually something we like to do when in Morocco as it always amazes us to see so many stars so clearly set out in constellations - so out come the binoculars. To our surprise, as we focus on the brightest star in the sky we can see little moons around it and realise it must be Jupiter. A quick internet search confirms this. Fascinating to think that we can see a planet and some of its moons that is located 390 million miles away up in the night sky just with a pair of binoculars when we stand outside our front door!

Just managed to get clearer photos of Mrs Dog and one of her puppies...so cute, I just have to post them on here for you to see.

Proud mum with pup

What a cutie!

I have known for ages that Moroccans have a death wish when it comes to travelling by road in any sort of vehicle, but tonight that was confirmed even more fervently on our drive back from doing the weekly shop at Carrefour. Firstly, we had to turn left at the junction of two main roads that have no traffic lights - during rush hour in the dark (Jaime, you know this one well!)...it was a case of everyone edging forward forming about three lanes, some people turning left, others right, and others going straight across - but all mixed in together with no indication as to which way anyone was going, the engines revving, ready for the off as soon as there was a tiny gap in the main road traffic. When we did eventually see a gap, we ended up having to make a pretend roundabout just so we could turn left, avoiding all the cars going in both other directions....it was pure madness!

Then, thinking it would just be a straight run home now, we began to encounter cyclists, one after another, who drive along the country lanes with no lights on their bikes at all. I'm amazed we managed to get home without hitting at least one! I tried to explain this madness to Said when I eventually got home - but he told me he has no light on his bike either...'but we have the moonlight, Mrs Kathy...and I have a torch', he says...some things just don't translate well from one culture to another!
Note to self: avoid being in Marrakech during rush hour, at any cost!

Today marks the end of Mart's working week, so I am looking forward to getting out and about, exploring this beautiful place, and also to us having the opportunity to spend time together. I love spending the first three days of the week at home, pottering, relaxing and doing housework etc but I always look forward to the next four even more!

Day 31: The Beauty of Nature

We've woken up this morning to the most fabulous view of snow on the mountains - they appear so sharp and crisp, we almost feel we can reach out and touch them. How could one ever tire of this view, each day more and more stunning?

7.00am this morning, just as the sun is about to rise

Gertie Gecko has put in an appearance today. We can often hear her and her mates (many!) as they live in the eaves of the house and are often to be heard scrambling around both day and night, both inside and outside the house. At first we feared it was some other creature - but fortunately I'm quite fond of Geckos, especially as they eat insects! So Gertie is welcome - so long as she doesn't come down from the ceiling whilst I'm sleeping!

Gertie

Said has kindly brought us a lamb and prune tajine with Moroccan bread for tonight's dinner, all made by his mother. This is obviously as a result of the abundance of lamb after yesterday's ceremonial slaughtering. Looking forward to it - at least we know the lamb is fresh.

Lamb and prune tajine with Moroccan bread

Wow, this evening is presenting us with the most amazing sunset. The sky is lit up with hues of yellows, oranges and reds interspersed with turquoise, purples and blues, all seemingly stacked up in strata. It is amazing. We started the day with the crisp, sharp mountain views and we end the day with this stunning display of colour. Once again we count our blessings.

Fabulous sunset

Day 30: Eid Mubarak

Firstly, I must say Eid Mubarak to all our Muslim friends as they celebrate today. It is very quiet here as all work has stopped and most people are spending time with their family. Said is looking very dapper in his djellabah when he returns from the festivities this afternoon. He tells us that he has slaughtered a lamb for his aunt as her husband has died and there are only girls in the family. This task must be performed by a man. It does not seem to have fazed him in the slightest, though it makes us feel a bit queasy as he describes how it is done and informs us that the family eat the liver straight away, then tomorrow they will eat the back right leg. I prefer my lamb from Sainsbury's, thank you! He goes on to talk about what we will do at Christmas, suggesting that he will go with us to buy a live turkey from the market and kill it for us, then pluck its feathers, so we can have our traditional Christmas dinner. Very kind and all that, but I think I'll stick to a tajine!!

You'll be glad to hear that mum and puppies seem to be doing fine today. Mrs Dog went for a run around the garden whilst Mr Dog took up his post in front of the den. It seems that the third dog may have done a runner, as he hasn't been around the last two days. I won't comment on that!

I forgot to mention yesterday that whilst at Kasbah Angour for lunch, we spoke to a young couple who had actually encountered a wild boar when out walking in the mountains just moments before. They had scrambled up a bank to get away from it, and it had turned and fled. Interesting to note that they do really exist and are not just a fable!

Day 29: Puppies and new friends

Mrs Dog feeding her adorable puppies

It's true - Mrs Dog has given birth to five adorable puppies! Said took us down the garden this morning to see them with their mummy. He tells us that he was in his house when he heard a tiny yelping sound. When he looked outside he saw Mrs Dog gently lift a puppy in her mouth and carry it to a makeshift den in the corner of the garden. As he watched, she gave birth to another, this was the last one...and again she carried it gently to her den. The den is actually part of an old wreck of a car which was left in the garden by the previous owner and has remained there ever since...it is here that Mrs Dog has cleverly constructed a little home for herself and her pups. She has obviously gathered materials together such as pieces of cardboard, an old rag, twigs, plastic bottles... anything in fact to make it comfortable for her new family. Said has reinforced it by adding the polystyrene and plastic packaging from our new washing machine to form protection from any prevailing winds. It is a far cry from the sort of dog's bed we would buy at home from Argos or a pet shop - but this is comfortable for her by Moroccan standards and she and her babies are safe, and that is the main thing. The two male dogs guard the den protectively...we are unsure which one is the father as the babies all have different colouring...hmmm, we are suspicious and believe that Mrs Dog may have been unfaithful to Mr Dog at some point! However, the clever female now has two active fathers for her pups, can't be bad.

She is wary of us

Her den in the old wreckage of a car

Shortly after returning to the house, we have visitors. Mike (the owner of the house) and two of his friends and co-workers are visiting to drop off a Scorpion Recumbent trike which Mike uses for fundraising activities, as they return to France tonight and don't want to take it with them. We've met Mike's mate, Gareth, before, and it is great to see him again, but we are pleased to also make friends today with Aniko, a Swiss lady who has such a passion for eco-tourism and is involved in setting up several projects in Morocco to keep the mountainside clean, to help with the education of girls and to generally make the lives of villagers better. She is an inspirational character. One of her latest projects involves using hang glider wings, which have been used for testing purposes and would otherwise be thrown on the scrap heap, to make eco-friendly bags. We look forward to meeting with her again to hear more of her interesting and inspiring ideas.
(See www.facebook.com/mountainpropre for further details)

Time for lunch, and today we've been invited to visit another Kasbah owned by another British friend who has made his home in Morocco. His Kasbah is called Kasbah Angour and is located about a ten-minute drive from us, on a hilltop with spectacular views of the mountains and surrounding countryside. We make our way up the steep winding road to reach the Kasbah and are rewarded with similar stunning views to those we have grown accustomed to and of which we will never tire!! We enjoy a lovely lunch with Paul and his friend, Emily, consisting of Moroccan salad followed by chicken and vegetable tajine and a lemon tart to die for, all washed down with an espresso. I could get used to Sunday lunches like this - and in such great company too!
www.kasbahangour.com

View from the roof terrace 

Some of the rooms with private patios

Day 27 and 28: Home and Away

Late last night the torrential rain started and did not stop all night! This morning we wake up to howling winds to accompany it; gusts of 45 miles per hour have been recorded in Marrakech during the day, this is totally unusual weather for Morocco! 'Not normal, not normal,' mutters Said as he races past us to the security of his little house. Well, Day 27 is a total write-off weather-wise, so Mart gets on with some work and I potter around the house, making frequent cups of coffee so I can force him to have breaks and chat to me :)

It's Day 28 and we've had an invite to the Kasbah du Toubkal for lunch again (see Day 18). This time, Mike, who is the owner of the Kasbah and of our house, also Mart's boss to boot, has invited us to join him and about 80 guests who are delegates at an international travel industry conference in Marrakech. These are people from all over the world who run their own travel companies and basically Mike wants to show them what Morocco, and the Kasbah in particular, has to offer to their clients. I'm feeling a bit nervous as we don't know any of these people, except Mike - but I'm sure it will be a wonderful day.

We set off at 9.00am along the same mountainous road towards the village of Imlil. The rain has now stopped and this morning is lovely and sunny once again - what a difference a day makes. The reports are that it is very cold in the mountains, about +1 degree this morning, so out come the fleeces for the first time since we got here. The journey, though fantastically scenic, is uneventful - until we get to the village of Asni when we spot an upside down minibus at the side of the road and glass everywhere. There's been an awful accident, and many people are standing around whilst one person carries out CPR on somebody lying on the ground, covered with a blanket. We later find out that the minibus was brand new, overloaded with people and was being driven by a cocky young man who had just passed his driving test. Also, we are told that sadly a woman has died. It is a reminder to us to be very careful on these mountain roads.

The mountain road to Imlil

As we continue on our journey, an ambulance comes speeding along towards us, obviously on its way to the accident. This is an ambulance that 12 years ago would not have been here - there was no ambulance in the mountain villages until 1999 when Scorsese's film 'Kundun' about the Dalai Lama was partly filmed at the Kasbah du Toubkal and the proceeds were given to the Kasbah and the village of Imlil. Together they decided to use the money to purchase an ambulance and employ a driver who would be on call all hours to serve all the local villages. The committee of villagers that was formed at this time have continued in conjunction with the Kasbah to provide services to the local area such as waste disposal and a local hammam. Perhaps more people may have died today if this ambulance had not been provided...a sobering thought...

Autumn has arrived!

En route

Finally we reach the village of Imlil, and as usual we cannot help but smile as we walk amongst the villagers, donkeys, cows and shop sellers on our way up the hill to the Kasbah - I love this place, it is a trailhead for trekkers who want to trek in the Atlas mountains and also a starting point for muslim pilgrims who make the long trek up to the shrine of Sidi Chamharouch. The village has so much life, people of all ages going about their business, but they are never too busy to welcome a foreign face - even if it is only to say 'Don't forget to look in my shop on your way back down from the Kasbah!' Over the last few years we have got to know several people here as we walk through the village, and today, as is usual, they come out to greet us and shake our hands as if we are long lost friends. It is good to be back.

The fabulous Kasbah du Toubkal

After an hour or two of drinking coffee, chatting to the staff at the Kasbah and just admiring the views from the terraces - and this afternoon they are simply stunning with heavy snowfall having fallen overnight on the mountains - the conference delegates start to arrive, and we are ushered inside to have lunch. Much to our embarrassment Mike introduces us to the gathering as the web designers who look after all his company websites (I've been promoted!) and announces to all that we are living here for a trial period to see if we want to move permanently to Morocco! I think my husband has some explaining to do - as this was never on the cards, at least not in my books!! However, I just smile politely, and hope that the food comes quickly!

At the Kasbah

We meet all sorts of people today, and end up sitting for lunch with two guys from Scotland, a woman from Australia, two more guys from Northern Ireland - and one guy who has come all the way from Russia to this conference! The conversation is interesting as we discuss their businesses, our home lands, their views of Morocco and our own journey which has led us here today. We all agree that we have much to learn about ourselves from the simplicity of life we see all around us here in Morocco. All too soon, lunch is over and after a guided tour of the Kasbah we all set off down to the village again for our return journeys.

Low cloud on Toubkal

Looking down the valley

A 'rainbow' of cloud on the mountain

The Kasbah viewed from Imlil

As we walk down the hill we are joined by one local young man we have come to know quite well, Hamid. He has a shop in the village, and we often stop and have a chat with him. Today we accept his kind offer of some refreshing mint tea, or 'Berber whisky' as they call it here. He leads us up several flights of stairs, past rooms adorned with carpets and rugs on the walls, to the roof terrace of his shop, where there are more wonderful views over the mountains.

Mart and Hamid

It is lovely to spend time with him and learn a little more about everyday life in Imlil and how the Kasbah has had a great influence on the life of this little community. He also tells us that he has some land near the village if we are interested in buying it with a view to building a house - we are sorely tempted. We are sad to leave, but darkness is descending and we have to watch that mountain road!

We arrive home to some wonderful news...Mrs Dog has given birth to five puppies today.....but more on that in my next blog!

Day 26: Driving into the mountains

A beautiful sunny morning again - and today Mart's not working, hurrah! We're going to drive off into the mountains and head towards the local ski resort of Oukaimeden, then meander our way back down through the Ourika valley - that's our plan anyway! We set off at about 11.00am after a leisurely breakfast and head off in the opposite direction to Marrakech towards the snow-capped mountains.

Heading towards the snow-capped mountains

We go past Outghal, the village we first looked at as a possible place to stay for our time in Morocco, and from here we have views across to Terre D'Amanar which is an outdoor activity centre with the longest zip wire in Africa. This region is beautiful, with ravines and gulleys in red clay adding to the dramatic nature of the scene. A little too remote for us to actually live, but beautiful to visit none-the-less.

Canyon near Terre d'Amanar

Outghal

No words can really describe the scenery through which we pass...we are driving up and up, along narrow mountain roads with sheer drops (on my side of course!), past hamlets which cling to the rocky mountainsides, dense forests, people on donkeys, women carrying heavy loads on their backs or heads, men trying to sell us trinkets just when we think there cannot possibly be another person for miles around. We wonder aloud...how can people live in such remote places? What is their daily life like? Suddenly, two young boys who cannot be more than about eight years of age stand right in front of the car as we turn a tight bend in the road; as Mart slows down they come to the window and run along beside the car asking for money...I ask them in French why they are not at school...they run away grinning. In essence, children are just the same all over the world!

A typical village, clinging to the mountain side

We can see for miles...

Interesting cloud formation over the mountain

Views at every turn

We stop the car at every turn...just one more photograph...the views are stunning, and every time we negotiate another bend in the mountain road we see a new view which simply begs for yet another photo. We cannot capture the scene in the way we would like to - cameras do no justice to what lies in front of our eyes, so we stare and try to absorb what we see for future memories.



At last we see a sign for Oukaimeden, but now we're hungry - it has taken us two and a half hours to reach this point when we should've been able to get here in an hour...but we do have hundreds of lovely photos between us and a mind full of memories to show for it!

Winding mountain roads with sheer drops!

So we decide to leave the ski resort for another day and head instead down to the Ourika valley for some lunch by the river. As we do so, we encounter an army of small school children in the road...they wave at us, it is a rare treat to see foreigners in their village, and we wave back.  They begin to move aside to let the car go past, but then a few decide to run alongside the car - and the rest join in. Before we know it, we are surrounded by around twenty children aged about six or seven, all smiling, laughing, chatting excitedly as they run to keep up with the car. I'm worried that they may get hurt, but there's nothing we can do except continue driving until the last one is shaken off. At last we are free again to continue our journey.

Running alongside the car

What's that in the road ahead? It's a goat...oh, and another...as we drive nearer the animals they calmly move over the side of the road onto the steep mountain side. I get out of the car to take a photo of one of them stretching between a rock and a tree to eat the leaves, but as I do so, I become aware out of the corner of my eye that I'm being watched....I turn slowly, and sure enough a billy goat gruff is staring at me menacingly as if to say 'Get outta here!' I edge towards the car, willing it not to run at me, and collapse nervously into my seat - much to Mart's bewilderment as he has not seen anything that has just happened. I am glad to be back in the safety of the car!

Get outta here!

A colourful village

As we approach Ourika, we can see that it's Market Day here, and from our vantage point above we see what has become a common sight to us now in Morocco, many men are all sitting/standing on the back of a lorry, squashed in together, preparing for their journey home to their villages dotted in the mountains. You won't find one person in a car here - there will always be as many people as possible piled in - it's a communal way of living which has long since disappeared in most of Britain. 

Market Day in the Ourika Valley

How many men can fit in the back of a lorry?

After a lovely lunch at a Restaurant called Le Marquis which overlooks the river we head home. We've only been out about 5 hours in total, but it feels much longer...and we determine to return sometime in the next few weeks...we might even reach Oukaimeden next time!