Morocco VII - Marrakech to Ouirgane, Olinto & the Imil Valley; trekking & lunch at a Berber family home.
These folks are heading to the mountains.
I think they were part of a group as we saw a Jeep go by that might have been their sag wagon.
Based on Google maps my guess is that this is Oued Rheraya seen from the N7 South.
You never know when you’ll need a jolt of caffeine. There always seemed to be these tiny roadside cars with espresso machines.
Asni, a centuries old village of about 25,000 people, is known for its agricultural productivity, especially apples.
Ninety-percent of houses in Asni were destroyed during the 6.8–6.9 September 2023 Marrakech-Safi earthquake.
Donkeys are ubiquitous in Morocco.
In fact, there are so many that there are donkey parking lots.
We passed through Risani. If I had known about this parking lot, I would have wanted to stop by & check it out.
“Every market day…you can see dozens of donkeys parked here while their owners shop and trade in the market.
The parking system is simple but well-organized. Each donkey has its spot, preferably in shaded areas, and owners pay a small fee to the parking keeper who looks after the animals. The keeper makes sure all donkeys have water and keeps an eye on any goods left with them. Many regular visitors have their preferred spots where they park their donkeys every market day.”
I used this 1978 Morocco photo of a recalcitrant donkey when discussing behavior management of children & their parents in the dental office.
“Donkeys appear vital to the local Moroccan economy. It’s the preferred option for transporting goods in tight & steep places.” Mariluz Bejarano
There’s even a sanctuary, just south of Marrakech, the Jarjeer Mule And Donkey Refuge. It is home to donkeys who finally get to rest after a life of toil.
Olinto Atlas Mountain Retreat, Ouirgane.
“Created by Prince Fabrizio Ruspoli di Poggio Suasa, a pioneer in establishing legendary Moroccan properties.”
Greetings.
Imagine taking a cooking class here.
Leaving downtown Ouirgane for a hike up in the hills. Our guide, we’re sure, wanted to check out how we handled ourselves.
Our guide Mohammed, a.k.a Mamadou. There are so many Mohammeds that many go by nicknames.
Mamadou has really never left the area & guides hikers, mountain bikers & cross country skiers. Lots of Europeans begin long multi-day treks here to the near by Toubkal National Park. Toubkal Mountain , at almost 14,000 feet, ”is the highest peak in Morocco, the Atlas Mountains, North Africa and the Arab world.”
Temporary housing for people who lost a home in the earthquake. We saw many tents.
A happy guide who now knew the level of our next day’s trek based on watching us today. I kept thinking “I hope he knows CPR.” I guess about 6,000’ here.
The reward.
We were the only guests on the rooftop.
BERBER OMELETTE Merguez sausages - eggs - tomato - fried in a tagine - Tanoort bread.
And, homemade Moroccan pastries with jams, amlou, honey & olive oil. The amlou consists of argan oil, almonds & honey. We had it at many meals in differing consistencies but always great. “Amlou is known for its tonic properties. It provides the body with high energy and strengthens the immunity system.”
Badu & Mamadou in front of Badu’s home village of Tamatert. Mamadou has relatives in the village as well. It seems that everyone in the local villages are related somehow. It’s reminiscent of Jimmy Buffet’s “Everyone Has A Cousin In Miami.”
This is going to change as Mamadou said there would be no arranged marriages for his children as they are finding friends on WhatsApp, etc.
In the background note the blue van & the tourists setting off for a trek.
We were headed to the Berber house there to prepare lunch, hike behind that cell tower & eat lunch.
We were on this road, right arrow in the previous photos. It’s about where the donkey was going down in an earlier photo.
Badu parked the Toyota at the left arrow & we…
As we arrived, grandma was making tannourt,… “the bread of the High Atlas Mountains…a bit like a thick naan. It is cooked in a wood fired oven, shaped like a dome. You slap the dough onto the walls of the oven, and it cooks from the wood in the middle, so it always has a slight taste of ash and crispy bits.” “Adventures In Morocco” by Alice Morrison p. 103.
Yum!
They dressed us appropriately to prepare lunch. We were referred to as Ayisha & Ali.
They loved my 1978 Berber cap.
Mother & son.
She’s 46 ( as old as my Berber cap) with 8 children & 11 grandchildren.
View of the valley from the Berber house.
“Key milestones in Imlil’s development:
– 1956: Construction of the first road connecting Imlil to the wider region
– 1997: Electricity arrives in the valley
– 2006: The road to Imlil is paved, though still narrow and winding
– 2024 (June): The road is widened and modernized, significantly improving access
Today, Imlil has blossomed into a thriving mountain resort town while still maintaining its Berber charm and traditions.”
On the left people from the village working together to build a neighbor’s house.
Sunset from rooftop of the restaurant at Olinto Atlas Mountain Retreat, Ouirgane.
There was another mosque to the left. We heard the call to prayer from both mosques. The Imans chanted the same prayer but alternated every few verses.
Zahava baking bread at Olinto. She’s local & has been working here for decades.
Many of the staff were from Marrakech, a little over one hour’s drive north..
Returning to N7, the main road to Casablanca.
Barriers, who needs ‘em when you’re with a great driver in a four wheel drive vehicle?
When entering & leaving municipalities there were often police road stops, that we had never encountered in 1978.
We were never stopped as on our windshield was a card with the name of the tour company.
Precarious inter-municipality transit.
These minivans may have as many as nine passengers & all their luggage.
On to Casablanca & the final day of our Moroccan adventure.