26th October 2024 – a climb in altitude, but plummet in temperature

We drove up to the Middle Atlas. Leaving sunshine and my shorts behind. To fog and some rain. J still in shorts!  Shopped at Mr Bricolage to buy some nylon rope to replace chewed and knotted guy ropes, damage courtesy of one of the campsite dogs.

Stopped at Ifrane. Built in 1920s by the French. Ski resort so orange pointed roofs as against the standard flat concrete ones. Could smell the money – nice villas and a Maserati.
Picked an empty restaurant for lunch, hoping they would let Corrie in.  7.5C and J still in shorts!  A good lemon tagine. €20 incl tip.

Changing landscape and monkeys onto Azrou.

Met Brian at the luxurious Emerates Euro (! – name covering all bases) campsite  – chat about routes going south – and we repossessed our wine stock, which is slowly dwindling….. winedling… Then on to Azrou for the booked accommodation – very spacious with bright pink living room!

27th October – Dayet, Day-not

Sunday dawned like a brass monkey at 6.0 centigrade!!! Summer Time finished in UK but no actual summer time here… we breakfasted and drove to look at waterfalls, lakes and rocks. The waterfall had disappeared – the lakes were dry (apart from me peeing on the side – J obvs).  Arabic for lake is dayet. Apparently, most of the water is re-directed for irrigation. We saw a LOT of apple trees.

And the rocks were not exactly rocking in the distance, blurred by fog.  But loads of sheep and hungry wild dogs..

Back to the apartment for lunch. Tomorrow will race up to 10 degrees centigrade  – whoopee – bikini time?

28th October -Another bloody cold day

A short drive to the Tioumiline Benedictine monastery. The King had inaugurated it as a museum to bring Muslim and Christianity closer. There’d obviously been some investment, but now the museum was shut, and looking through the window, some displays were on their side. Testament to global peace and understanding! 

The place is now inhabited by monkeys and dogs.  The joint barking and squawking were unpleasant. A tiny thin puppy.  We gave him the dog biscuits we had. As we left, we spotted another dog, with what looked like entrails hanging out his bottom. Animal welfare here is worse than I’d anticipated. I read that Islam states that if a dog licks a plate, you should wash it 6 times and then with soil.  😔

The cedar forest museum was also shut. We drove and walked the track to a dead tree!  Notable for its size and age. More monkeys and dogs.

Back at Azrou, the local museum was open.  A few artisans were working in a neighbouring building. Lovely smell of the ceder being worked.

Being cold (c. 10C) with the promised rain arriving, we had lunch out. Well in, and Corrie allowed in. My tagine was full of potatoes and acted like porridge, warming from the inside.
Lovely landlord brought us an oil filled rad for the apartment!