Friday 28 November 2008
Moroccan Hospitality
Left Tafaroute in blazing sunshine with a plan to see some rocks in the area...some pretty big rocks at that. The guidebook says that this area resembles the badlands of South Dakota,but I have never been so dont know. It is pretty beautiful though. Mile after mile of granite tors with the most impressibe of then being called 'Le Chapeau de Napoleon'
A bit further up the same road, in 1984, a Belgian artist had the bright idea to paint some of the rocks with 18 tons of paint and the assistance of a team of Firemen. They have faded a bit in the sun but it is quite a sight when you pop over the hill and see them. Some locals have added their contribution though sadly not with the same impact.
I wandered on south and left the Anti Atlas mountains behind with the aim of heading to the desert proper and warmer weather. I was heading for Tantan but had the bright idea to go see the 60km or so long 'Plage Blanche'. It was getting late and I had decided to pitch tent but was having trouble finding a suitable site. The road gave way to rocky piste (the GPS said it was a road....) and then I decended into a large Oued to get some softer ground to pitch on. Some passing kids invited me to pitch next to their house and one jumped on the back of the bike to show the way. In retrospect, it was a much safer place to camp as if it had rained in the mountains, the Oueds can flood very quickly. The kids even helped me pitch tent.....and I needed it. It was dark by now and I had never pitched the tent before....recipe for a cock-up. 'Always pitch the tent before you go to the pub' is the maxim.
As I was settling down to my freeze-dried pasta dinner, they brought me some freshly made bread and an invited to come to their house. The house was basic by european standards, a single room really. No electricity, running water and 3 generations sitting on the floor drinking tea by candle light. Grandad hacking away in the corner and praying at the ritual times. I gave them a slide show on the laptop of the pics I took in Morocco. The Granny was so impressed with it that she started trying to marry me off to the grandaughters when she heard I was single. Later, the only the males were offered bread and olive oil, not the females. Amazing hospitality from poor people, you almost never get that from people that have something to lose...i.e rich bastards like us.
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