Okay, let me continue my journey through Morocco with you...
Having spent 3 days in
Fes we began our long drive south through
Azrou and
Midelt.
The climate of this region varies widely between the mountainous area to the south and the dry
flat lands of the valley between the Middle Atlas and
Rif Mountains.
The summers are scorching hot with temperatures around 30 degrees
Celsius in the summer around
Fes. Their cool stone and clay housing, tiled internally, reflect the climate.
Ifrane (population 10,000) is the first unusual sites as you start to rise into the Middle Atlas. It feels like Switzerland or Whistler, not Morocco. The French built the town in the 30's trying to mimic an alpine resort feel. In the off season the town if filled with rich, trendy students attending the prestigious Al-
Akhawayn University. We tried to have a look around the grounds, but were stopped by security.
At times the landscape has the look and feel of Tuscany.
Other areas are barren except for the
occasional sign of life.
The subtle shift in colours is breathtaking.
One has to pay particular attention to the road signs which are in Arabic and French.
This picture reminds me of the Alberta foothills in Canada. I do love a good electrical wires post in a promising landscape photo.
Some low
mountain ranges had small alpine forests.
Pictured above, we begin to see signs of nomadic life as Berber tents begin to dot the horizon.
Then just when you think you are in the middle of nowhere you round a corner and there on a hill top is an ancient village.
When we step out of our car for a break we are so thankful we had been upgraded to an air conditioned unit.
The more south we drive the more we begin to see camels wandering the barren landscape.
More villages crop up, this time with huge mountainous backdrops.
Despite the heat the locals are covered from head to toe...one way to get circulation of cooler air in the heat is to wear long flowing gowns and head scarves.
The
Zis river brings a sense of life to this barren area. It carves out a valley that continues south past Merzouga.
Spectacularly ancient villages are easy to miss as they blend into the surrounding
mountains and hillsides.
The turquoise blue water of the Barrage
Hassan Adakhil are a stunning site but difficult to get a picture without gaggles of power lines.
We arrive in the town of Er-
Rachidia which is at the cross roads of important north-south and east-west routes across Morocco. It was built by the French as a military outpost. We tried to find a place to eat that evening, but there was an odd feeling to the whole place after dark...instead of seeing families out late, it was only men.
Our room at the
Auberge Tinit just 3km outside of the town. It was basic with a nice hard bed (good for a bad back).
With the heat it is great having a pool in any place you stay. The
Tinit has one along with the standard roof to sleep on at night if it is too hot.
The view from the roof.
Having spent 3 days in Fes we began our long drive south through Azrou and Midelt.
The climate of this region varies widely between the mountainous area to the south and the dry flat lands of the valley between the Middle Atlas and Rif Mountains.
The summers are scorching hot with temperatures around 30 degrees Celsius in the summer around Fes. Their cool stone and clay housing, tiled internally, reflect the climate.
Ifrane (population 10,000) is the first unusual sites as you start to rise into the Middle Atlas. It feels like Switzerland or Whistler, not Morocco. The French built the town in the 30's trying to mimic an alpine resort feel. In the off season the town if filled with rich, trendy students attending the prestigious Al-Akhawayn University. We tried to have a look around the grounds, but were stopped by security.
At times the landscape has the look and feel of Tuscany.
Other areas are barren except for the occasional sign of life.
The subtle shift in colours is breathtaking.
One has to pay particular attention to the road signs which are in Arabic and French.
This picture reminds me of the Alberta foothills in Canada. I do love a good electrical wires post in a promising landscape photo.
Some low mountain ranges had small alpine forests.
Pictured above, we begin to see signs of nomadic life as Berber tents begin to dot the horizon.
Then just when you think you are in the middle of nowhere you round a corner and there on a hill top is an ancient village.
When we step out of our car for a break we are so thankful we had been upgraded to an air conditioned unit.
The more south we drive the more we begin to see camels wandering the barren landscape.
More villages crop up, this time with huge mountainous backdrops.
Despite the heat the locals are covered from head to toe...one way to get circulation of cooler air in the heat is to wear long flowing gowns and head scarves.
The Zis river brings a sense of life to this barren area. It carves out a valley that continues south past Merzouga.
Spectacularly ancient villages are easy to miss as they blend into the surrounding mountains and hillsides.
The turquoise blue water of the Barrage Hassan Adakhil are a stunning site but difficult to get a picture without gaggles of power lines.
We arrive in the town of Er-Rachidia which is at the cross roads of important north-south and east-west routes across Morocco. It was built by the French as a military outpost. We tried to find a place to eat that evening, but there was an odd feeling to the whole place after dark...instead of seeing families out late, it was only men.
Our room at the Auberge Tinit just 3km outside of the town. It was basic with a nice hard bed (good for a bad back).
With the heat it is great having a pool in any place you stay. The Tinit has one along with the standard roof to sleep on at night if it is too hot.
The view from the roof.
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