The lush palmeries stand out against the barren terrain, making for great photo opportunities from the surrounding hills.
I found driving in Morocco, outside the cities, was no problem. After being warned that driving through the Atlas mountains was a nightmare, I was apprehensive. However I was prepared for the hair-pin bends and was not phased at all.
I was stopped twice by traffic police on my first day of driving. Once by a policeman wanting to fine me 300 Dirhams (about £21) for crossing over a white line while overtaking a bus that was pulling in to the side. Luckily Ann remembered that Jurgen (the owner of the Fes Riad) had advised us to ask for a receipt if we were ever fined. It worked, if you insist on a receipt, it means that the policeman can't pocket the money. So he didn't bother to fine us & instead talked about football.
Thanks for the tip, Jurgen!
A popular oasis on our journey south to the Sahara.
A very peaceful atmosphere.
One of the most scenic and dramatic gorges in Morocco.
It is difficult to get a photo showing the narrowness and height of the gorge. The gorge walls to the right in this photo are in deep shadow, while the rest is in brilliant sunlight.
The hotels (and electricity sub-station) at the lower left of the photo show the scale of the gorge.
Ann cooling off in the stream running through the gorge.
On leaving the gorge we met up with a Berber who invited us back to his home for mint tea. Needless to say his home was also where they made carpets.
Here Ann is trying her hand at combing the wool prior to spinning it.
We ate some great meals at the riads we stayed in. It was a surprise when we first went to an ordinary restaurant to find that they were dry - no alcohol.
A very varied and memorable holiday for us.
