Andre and Wendy: Efroud to Ouarzazate

A great sleep, woke up just before the alarm at 7:30. Skipping on showers, just too cold in the bathroom, main bedroom is toasty, but the bathroom never did warm up even with the door open. It is 8 degrees this morning, but feels cooler, going up to 21 this afternoon in desert, would have been a chilly night in a tent and getting out for sunrise. Breakfast is not the best, getting a little tired of a boiled egg which seems to be the staple protein here at the buffets.

A later start this morning as we are waiting for those that slept in tents in the desert to come back and meet us at our hotel. Great reviews from everyone, we did this 10 years ago and decided to pass this year. Our first stop this morning was about 2 blocks from our hotel at the fossil museum. We actually walked by this last night on our little walking tour. The bus had to drive a bit, turn around, drive a bit more then turn around again, it would have been faster just to walk from the hotel! An interesting stop, lots of fossils found in the mountains, beautiful tables for sale, would have been a little heavy to get home! Loved the jelly fish the best, they were amazing in size and more like corral then.

Next stop was at the traditional Berber wells. This was an interesting stop, and amazing to see no water at all now in these wells, the drought from the last 7 years or so has had a major impact. The rivers and dams are very low, it is making some changes necessary. The hammams (bath houses) are moving to only be open 3 days a week, car washes the same. Everyone is hoping for rain, we are here in rainy season and have not seen a drop of rain since we have been here. Even the High Atlas mountains have very little visible snow, there should be lots of snow at this time of year.

Today really turned into a bit of a stop and shopping day, not our favourite type of day, but we did learn more. Our next stop is at a Women's Coop Carpet place for the Berbers. Not one sale from our group, not for lack of showing us loads of carpets!

Todays drive took us along an Oasis with lots of date trees, Dades Valley, a little disappointed I haven't bought any dates yet, and they are not served often at our buffets.

Our next stop is at the Todgha Gorge, they call it the Grand Canyon of Morocco. Last time we were here there were lots of people visiting and a road under construction, this year very little people visiting but a new road. Evidence of the earthquake from last Sept, and the restaurant has been closed for years because of a rock slide.

Next stop another shopping stop for rose products. Not sure if anyone bought anything here, it was a nice bathroom break, with the option of purchasing rose creams, perfumes, lotions, etc.

Our final destination for the day is Ouarzazate where we spent the night. After dinner about10 of us walked into town and the main square. Lots and lots of teenagers hanging out and listening to music. Very few young women, mostly young men. Lots of comments from everyone if we were at home definitely beer bottles would be around, here not a sign of any liquor, a very innocent night out with friends which was fun to see. There had to be 200 teenagers hanging around and enjoying themselves.

At the hotel they had this fancy saddle.

At the fossil museum aka store. The receive large blocks of fossils and the take slice off. Then from what they see, they make their choice of what's it's best for.

coffee table

At $2 it's more in our budget but they did have a nice mortar and pestle for about $50US that is still there

On the bus again, this area is on the edge of the Sahara desert

At the Berber wells

Sand fences

A stop at the carpet coop but no sales to this group.

On the bus again

At the gorge after being on the bus again

Lunch break, we decided not to do the group lunch and just walked around town. Hotel next to the restaurant where the group went for lunch. We went and visited it.