17 Jun Morocco: Under the moon of Merzouga

Good morning everyone, I'm here again, after a week of shepherding dogflautas in the south of Morocco. Although the route is very similar to others I've done recently, I'll tell you about it because no two trips are the same, or it seems to me that I see each trip with very different eyes.

Also the groups I go with, (although they are getting weaker and weaker), also add a special character to every trip.And, these have been no less.

On this trip I particularly enjoyed travelling through the track from Telouet to Ait ben Haddou, since It had been a long time since I had travelled through it in the light. Situated on the route of the caravans that linked Timbuktu with Fez and Mekinez, the Caravansarais, the Kasbahs and the impressive valleys abound, making this stretch one of the most beautiful roads I know.
And just so you can see that I'm not exaggerating anything, nothing...here are some photosyou tell us if you like it

By the way, one of the first Europeans to travel this route was a Spaniard, Field Marshal Domingo Badía, @ Ali bey the Abbasid, scientist, soldier, spy, adventurer... in short, a real character (and that is why he has been on my list of heroes for a long time).

Spring and the light of dusk are the best time to drive along this route and observe this burst of colour...

The Dades Gorge is another mandatory route, and you should also go there at sunset, because here, the colour also hatches at this time of day.

The bad thing about taking photos at this time of day is that with the light, the blonde colour of my hair looks more like grey hair.

Another place I love to visit is the Kasbah of Tamnougalt. I told you in another of my wonderful posts that it is located at the confluence of several sub-Saharan caravan routes. Its Berber, Jewish and Malian vestiges have led it to be considered, and rightly so, a UNESCO heritage site.

Here I met Mustafa, the owner of a beautiful Kasbah that he rebuilt single-handedly. He is one of those people who inspires such confidence that you want to see him again on your next trip (in an asexual sense of the word). I leave you his email, mustakassi@yahoo.fr. Go and see him, this is his terrace.

Just before reaching the town of Rissani is another site that has already joined my list of favourites. Above the road is an old Portuguese prison and from the surrounding heights there are incredible views. I was shown them by another good friend, also called Mustafa. I was so impressed by the scenery that if I were alone, I would have stayed there to sleep, because that was what my body was asking me to do.

The rest of the trip was more of the same, suffering, suffering and more suffering: dunes, oasis, palm groves, gin tonics, kasbahs, infinity pool, beers, more dunes, more gin tonics, more beers, etc. etc or a combination of all these elements taken in pairs, that is, dunes and gin tonic, kasbah and gin tonic, oasis and gin tonic, gin tonic and ball glass, etc etc. etc. In other words, it's a real pain, you're not going to enjoy yourself there...

But although the route is impressive, the highlight of the trip will always be the dunes, which have long been in my head forever.

and if you are lucky enough to see sunset or sunrise from the top of a dune, then they will get into yours and never come out either and you will have to come back, again and again... (It already happened to Bill Gates, and he copied this picture to make a windows screensaver).

Believe me, there are few better plans than spending a night under the full moon illuminating the dunes, with a gentle cool breeze, enjoying the company of friends, with a drink and a pleasant chat. These moments are unforgettable. I told you once that although I have slept like this many nights, they are all special. I always think about how lucky I am to live like this. I know that there are other lives, but for me it's not worth living them...