After a quick shower, we were back on the road again. We still had two days left on the tour, and our end point for the day was the Dades Valley. I only slept for probably about an hour in the desert so I was really sleepy. I was forcing myself to stay awake because the view was amazing. Everything was so different, it’s like being transported in another world. Houses made entirely of earthen clay— something so unfamiliar to someone who grew up in a modern city. I only got to see such scenery in movies, and it was such a surreal experience passing through them. Eventually i did conk out, our tour guide just woke me up when we made a pit stop for lunch.
The scenery changed again when we approached the Dades Valley. Barren lands gave way to lush greenery. We passed through a long and winding road in the Dades Gorge. A lot of commercials have been shot on this road so it may look familiar (like the one from Cadillac). The view from above was spectacular.
It was early afternoon when we reached the Riad where we were going to spend the night. Damn, the place was luxurious. A huge part of the sum we paid for the tour was probably spent in that place. Even the meals we had were close to fine dining. Kinda weird spending a night in a place that looked like a place for a honeymoon lol. I did not get the name of the place, but it had an amazing view of the Dades Valley. That was such a great view to wake up to.
We spent pretty much most of the day on the road on our second day, but our third day was packed with activities. We were headed to Ouarzazate, and as we approached the city, we were starting to feel the summer heat again. This place would look familiar to a lot of movie lovers since a lot of films were shot here— from classics like Lawrence of Arabia to more recent ones like The Mummy and Gladiator. Our first stop at the city was the Atlas Films Studio. Pretty interesting stuff if you’re a fan of movies, but not so much if you go for genuine architecture.
Right across the studio is the Kasbah of Taourirt. This place is also interesting, but you might as well skip it if you’re heading to the Kasbah of Ait Benhaddou. This is a UNESCO world heritage site and rightfully so. Fans of the TV show Game of Thrones would find this place familiar. A lot of movies were also shot here. Out of all the places that i visited in Morocco, this is the place that truly left me in awe. The entire complex has maintained its authenticity. It’s believed to have been built in the 11th century, and everything is as it was centuries ago. Incredibly, several families still live in the place, maintaining their simple way of life. These aren’t ruins, people actually still live in it, and that difference further reinforces the sensation of travelling back to a different area.
We had lunch at a nearby restaurant. After resting for a bit, we proceeded with our journey. We passed by Todra’s Gorge and it was swarming with people. The place seems to be a top summer destination for the locals, and a lot of them were swimming in the stream that flows through gorge. The weather was also very cool in the area, no wonder a lot of people were simply relaxing by the roadside.
Our final destination was Marrakesh, the top tourist destination in Morocco. We passed by the Atlas Mountains. The cooler air was very welcome, but as we came closer to Marrakesh, the temperature was getting warmer and warmer. The view was still amazing.
As the tour was about to end, I realized why many tour operators do a round trip from Marrakesh to the Sahara and back, instead of proceeding to Fes. You see so many places in between Marrakesh and Merzouga. There wasn’t much to see when travelling from Merzouga to Fes.
We arrived at a little past 6PM. We didn’t really notice the heat while inside the vehicle, but once we set foot outside, we immediately started sweating buckets. It was late in the afternoon and people were starting to pile outside. To sum it up, Marrakesh is an assault to the senses. The sights, the sounds, and even the smell can overwhelm you. Lots of stores selling different merchandise, all trying to grab your attention. Lots of touts bugging you with things they are selling, or offering help with directions for a fee. Lots of vendors selling orange juice— do yourself a favor. Buy at least one glass! it doesn’t matter where. Buy from any stall, i guarantee it will be the best orange juice that you’d get to taste in your entire lifetime! and it’s dirt cheap too!
In the morning there’s not much happening, but in the afternoon the entire place would start to burst with activity. By the time the sun sets, Jemaa el-Fnaa, the epicenter of activity, becomes a madhouse. The numerous small restaurants in the square fight for people’s attention, some even giving a 10 year diarrhea free guarantee lol. Lots of games are played by the locals, the place seemed to turn from an ordinary marketplace into a carnival of sorts. Lots of music, lots of merrymaking. This goes on until the wee hours of the morning, no wonder the square is mostly deserted during the daytime. People were probably still sleeping in the morning— to recharge after a night of merrymaking, and to escape the summer heat as well.
With regard to that summer heat— man it was close to unbearable. Despite the heat, the summer is a peak tourist season for the sole reason that it coincides with the summer break in the northern hemisphere. As a result, there are so many college aged students from Europe and North America that are backpacking. All hostels were full. We decided to spend a few days in Marrakesh, for the sole reason that it was the top tourist destination in Morocco… it’s really ironic that we didn’t get to see much of it. heh. We stayed at two different hostels, Equity Point Marrakesh and Purple Camel Hostel. Equity Point is a huge hostel, part of an international chain. It has complete facilities, which would explain why it’s kinda pricey compared to other hostels in the area. The crowd was young, it also had a pool where most guests hang out. i met a lot of fellow travelers here and gained new friends— mainly because I spent most of my days in the pool to escape the heat. LOL. That’s right. i didn’t get to see a lot of the tourist attractions in Marrakesh since I spent most of my time inside the hostels. Actually, most of the other guests just stayed in the hostel as well. The summer heat was that bad during the daytime. People mostly just go out late in the afternoon or at night.
Purple Camel Hostel was a smaller, more intimate hostel. As a result i gained more friends there. The staff were also beyond awesome. Not sure about the present staff though, I heard that the staff at that time resigned already and are presently working elsewhere. But mostly they were the reason why that hostel felt like home.
Looking back, I still have no idea why Marrakesh is the top tourist destination in Morocco. Yeah it’s very different from western cities, but there are places in Morocco that look different as well, but without the chaos. It’s an interesting place to visit, but i would never want to live in this city. Essaouira on the other hand, is a place i could spend a lifetime in.
That’s the place I will talk about in my next blog entry. 🙂
no roads to follow 
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