Desert, Gorges and Kasbahs

While taking my nephews on a trip exploring some of Morocco's highlights we covered the traditional tourist circuit from Marrakesh to Dades and Todra Gorge, to the desert of Erg Chigaga and back to Marrakesh. With quite a few other stops along the way.

Back to Dades Gorge for my third visit, it was too windy to do the circuit walk up the side gorge so instead we drove to the end of the road for normal vehicles. To travel further 4WD is needed. The switchback road to travel from the base of the gorge up to the clifftop was amazing and is shown in the photo below. We passed villages merging with the earthen colour of the cliffs. While beside the river were a patchwork of green, barley and other crops interspersed with the pink blossom covered peach trees, the light green of the almond trees and the bare brown branches of the walnuts. The gorges remained one of the Moroccan highlights for my nephews visit.
The weather also impacted on our desert visit as a sand storm blew and blew and blew, not blindingly but enough to stop our camel trip into the desert where we were to sleep on the sand, under a Berber tent and marvel at the stars overhead (although there is still not as many as in the southern hemisphere though). Instead we spent the late afternoon and evening lazing around in an Auberge bordering the desert, while the windows rattled. We did get out to see the stars, and the nearby lake, late in the evening after dinner. We returned to the sound of beating drums and singing as some of the locals entertained the other stranded visitors. Not to miss out completely, my nephews did get a camel ride into the desert for sunrise next morning. it wasn't great due to clouds low on the horizon. As I've already been on numerous camel rides, I decided bed was a better option.

A short hike in the mountains

Towards the end of our trip around the south we did an overnight hike in the High Atlas mountains as I thought my nephews would enjoy the walk and the stay in the Berber house overnight. We left Imlil mid-afternoon and walked for about 3 hours, mostly up but the last half hour down to Tinegherine. On the way up, we did manage to see a few shepherds herding their sheep on the hillside. It was a bit of a grey day though as can be seen in the photos.
Along the way be passed cherries trees covered in white blossom, terraced fields filled with bright green onions and the odd peach tree with pink blossom. It is too high and cold for peach trees to do well.Reaching the village we found our home for the night, a typical rectangular, earthen house built on the side of the mountain to face the sun. We soon observed its excellent insulation properties as the night got colder and colder. For a change from the endless diet of tagines, we even had spaghetti for dinner cooked by muleteer come cook (who was also our host), Hussein.
After an early night we woke to the eerie sight of white: trees branches covered in white, the once green onion fields had now become covered in white. It had snowed overnight while we slept.
Not to be daunted we spend just over 4 hours heading around and down the mountain to Imlil, frequently walking on and through the freshly fallen snow. That certainly added a bit of excitement for people from Australia who rarely see snow. We also passed through and around more earthen villages where the houses blend in with the rocky mountain slopes, through orchards or cherry and walnut trees, across rustling streams. It was a very pleasant walk in the sunshine, with the hot egg tagine providing an ideal reward at the end.
Now I just need to get back and do some more walking in the mountains as it is such an inspiring place. Mind you, it might not be too quiet when I go with a group of students in early June!

On Holiday

My blog has been on holiday while I have been showing Morocco to my nephews, in between having to work. For my nephews, this is their first trip outside Australia so it has been an experience in so many ways. It started with the long 30 hour flight here, then the taxi trip from the airport instantly reminded them that they were no longer in Australia. Then there is the difference in dress, mosques not churches, crazy drivers and driving, different food such as tagines and couscous and then there is the language, French and Arabic with only occasional English spoken. But just in case they are feeling homesick, there are eucalyptus trees everywhere plus wattles blooming in gold. Even on the train trip today, one commented that we could have been travelling through Victoria's Mallee. Here's a couple of photos of what they have experienced. I will include more details about specific places and activities in the days following.

Returning from a Sahara desert camel trip

Hiking in the High Atlas mountains (amongst the snow)!

Travel writing course Marrakesh

Last weekend I spent three days writing, observing, writing, describing, writing, listening and writing some more. This was all part of a travel writing course I participated in run by an ex-magazine editor from the UK. He set up the Travellers' Tales oganisation specifically with the aim of teaching travel writing after he had received so much inappropriate material as an editor.

So the nine eager students ( plus 2 guys from the BBC who were doing a radio program - Excess Baggage - on the course) set off for the spice square in the souk on Saturday morning. Here our first job was to describe everything we saw in half an hour. I only managed to get to the first corner, two-thirds remained undescribed. Next we had to use our other senses other than sight to describe the same area. So much writing, no wonder we were told to bring lots of paper to make notes on. I really wondered what some of the shopkeepers and stall-holders must have thought watching nine foreigners madly scribbling as they briefly glanced up. Still many of these shopkeepers were friendly and willingly answered questions for these curious strangers.

Next step was to select one person in the square and to describe that person in detail - appearance, mannerisms, actions, interactions, conversations etc. Finally it was to select a group of people and describe their interactions and conversations. A break at last. We got to have lunch on the rooftop terrace of Cafe d'espices and so observed the Spice Square from above.

Back at Dar Baraka, our base, we listened and we wrote. Then some of us had to read out what we wrote for comment. Mostly positive, thank goodness. It was great to talk travel writing with the entire group interested in writing. Very much a change from my normal isolation as a travel writer. No wonder I felt I needed to do this course as inspiration.

A drinks break at the museum

Day 2 and we first visited the Marrakesh Museum and Medersa to describe architecture and note down facts. Then we went to nearby alleys, where tourists wander less frequently looking for constrasts and details to provide atmosphere. Plus I did manage to find a wonderful little tagine stall where I had lunch for 20 dirhams.

Finally after hearing advice about getting travel articles published, the crunch came. We had to write a 500 word article in three hours. However, I shortened my time by deciding to go to Bouganvillea Cafe for a lunch of brochettes ad salad. The 6 completed articles demonstrated how much variety in the experiences and descriptions we had each had during the 3 days. It was positive comments for all.

Was this course worthwhile? Even though I have had articles published already, I still learnt a lot and feel re-inspired. Now all I need is the time to write and research.

Hot, hot Hungary

And it is the weather I am talking about having sweltered through my time in Hungary, except for the last two days. Fortunately after the two trains I arrived on, the rest were air-conditioned.

Started in Sopron, a small town on the Austria-Hungary border, half way between Budapest and Vienna. It was so small I didn't even see a McDonalds there (only place so far I think). It has a beautiful Old Town with still much of the centre surrounded by original Roman walls. Most of the buildings are homes to the local residents with only the odd restaurant and museum here and there. Not many tourists but the highlight for most is to climb up the fire tower that is built above one of the entrances to the Old Town. Nice views but unique because it is built on Roman foundations, then in two different styles as it was made taller at different times. They also had a very interesting archeological museum. Need museums with a difference now as I have seen so many. There is also a Goat Church, presently under renovation, that has a cavorting goat in bas relief above the door. A very quiet, relaxing place to stay and the Pension I stayed in was very nice with a great breakfast.

A local speciality

Then followed the border south east, through agricultural lands very much reminiscent
of the Wimmera or Western District plains in Victoria, to Pecs in the south of the country. The most bizarre building here was the mosque church on the main square. Originally a church was built on the site, then when the Turks invaded they knocked down the church and used the bricks to build a mosque, then when the Turks left it again became a church with the minaret removed. Other sections have since been added. So it still has the painted cupola traditional to mosques, mosque lamps and some other traditional mosque features. Bizarre. Also in Pecs there are a number of Roman ruins visible but unfortunately the museum with the best examples didn't open while I was there and I couldn't find the Porcelain Museum either. The other two interesting things I saw were the synagogue and cathedral.

The Monastery-Church

Then it was on to Budapest, Hungary's capital, with a very attractive location on the Danube River. There is the castle area on one side of the river and the Old Town on the other. Lots and lots of tourists, including tour groups on buses and also groups touring on huge boats along the Danube. A very stunning Basilica, where last night a concert was held in the square in front - a full orchestra playing. With so many museums, the only one I went to was the National Museum where I learnt something about Hungary's history. I didn't realise that Hungary has been a country, and sometimes powerful one at that, since the 9th century. And for trivia - did you know Hungary has used the metric system since 1875? There was also a very attractive synagogue here, one that is more attractive than most. An attractive city, but I think I prefer Prague maybe because I visited it first.

Changing of the guard, Prague Castle

Fisherman's Bastion, Prague Castle