Julian & Ali Travels


Tafraoute and Tata, Morocco		Week 91 3rd - 5th January 2013

		We left Amtoudi after 6 days. Headed east a bit then north. Across the Anti-Atlas mountains.

		The road started well then deteriorated.

		Then improved again as we followed the valley.

		Eventually climbing out of it onto the plateau.

		With low humidity the mountains seem close. It took us a couple of hours to reach them.

		Intrigued by this solar installation. No village nearby. There's some mining in the area.

		We think it was a water pump providing water to some very young trees. Holes are dug and the treelets planted in the bottom.

		School's out. Some villages are noticeably more or less conservative than others.

		Eventually heading down into the Ameln Valley to Tafraoute.

		Granite. We knew something must have pushed all the sandstone up.

		Tafraoute. We camped in the closest of three camping grounds. There were many camping cars parked at random west of the town.

		We left Tafraoute and headed east to Tata. We looked back as we climbed out of the valley.

		We are still baffled as to how people scrape a living here.

		Though occasionally we see evidence of agriculture. Its just not green.

		We took a detour to Agadir Ait Ourhaine. About 3 km off the road. Surprised to find this small tree in blossom. Perhaps almond?

		We wanted to see the inside of this agadir. Apparently a bit different.

		The only newish looking and painted building in the village was the mosque. More circular areas for threshing and drying grains. What may have been old grain lodged between the paving didn't look healthy or like anything we recognised.

		Alas, the agadir was locked. The guy who had presented himself as guide couldn't get in. On the walk back to the truck the local schoolkids, just out of school, spotted us. About 25-30 of them. The girls latched on to Ali. Hanging on to her arms. Keen to talk, but wanted things. No photos.

		So we walked round the outside. Did we mention the cactus. We've been seeing cactus farms since about Plage Blanche. We've seen the fruit on sale, and also jam made from it.

		So, disappointed, we made do with the magnificent mountain scenery. Its not often we've seen "naked geology". Its normally covered by at least a smattering of vegetation.

		Tilted vertically then eroded.

		Now we know where the inspiration for those sand pictures came from. This is real!

		Where there's a hint of water there are things growing.

		However sparsely.

		Our detour to the Agadir took a bit longer than expected so we got to watch as the sun lowered.

		We spent the night in the municipal camping ground in Tata. Along with gazillions of others. Not too bad really, about 30. Some of whom have been here a long time. Some we've met in other camps.

Foum Zguid and Lac Iriki, Morocco		Week 91 6th - 7th January 2013

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