Scenery, Sandals and Salt

08/10/24: Sandals and Doctor

Stunning drive. Pix no way do it justice. Rather than do the same route back north, we added 2.5 hrs to the trip to visit. Knob, oops N’kob.

*Dust to dust. So many Kasbahs, unless supported by UNESCO, will not be around for future tourists.*

*We had checked the route with our host in Zagora. He’d said check locally in N’kob, where a chap keen to practice his English told us it was fine*

N’kob felt like a rural hill town. I spotted the shoe shop I’d read about in a guide book. Leather and rope with tyre soles. €32 for 2 pairs. Justified as my waking sandals have broken.

Also popped into see the doctor. Thought I’d sinusitis post a cold. No, an allergic reaction to dust causing inflammation of chest, throat and sinuses. J and I had both had this mildly at home in Crete when the Sahara dust blows over. 3 lots of meds and dr – €29. In

Back tonight up at UNESCO Ait Haddou for 2 nights. Wanted to see it without all the Marrakesh day trippers. Lovely hotel … towels were swans on the bed! Dinner ordered and it was good.

09/10/24: More Scenery and Salt

*We didn’t beat the hoards of tourists by walking through the palm oasis to the UNESCO town from our hotel. So we admired from afar with a coffee*

We seem to be doing a lot of drives to see scenery. I know walking in it would be much better. But there are great distances. Lack of paths. It’s hot. We’re lazy and I’m milking the poorly bit.

Another ruined kasbah, Tamdoukte. Also owned by an elite family who chose to side with the French. Oops, come independence, a picture was circulated of him grovelling to the reinstated king. When Glouini died, all his massive wealth was seized by the State.

*Sadly, the only inhabitants were 8 pups and their mother. Sorry Corrie, but your dwindling food stocks were needed elsewhere.*

*If trucks can do this pass, we certainly can in a car!*

*New electricity poles all the way up the valley*

*Mud houses top and bottom. Troglodyte, unused, houses in the middle. A chap on a motorbike passed us just before we got to this bend in the road. Panorama, he had shouted. For sure*

The Mathias Salt mines made the day. A cave where salt is still mined. €2 pp visit. Thank goodness for my French. Lakes which are drained. Salt stalactites. Blasting a couple of times a month. 3 grades of salt. Rock salt in orange sacks goes to snow areas, including Canada. Rock is broken up to release salt for industry. And the lumps are culinary quality. I came away with a large bag for €2.
Hardly mentioned in guide books and only a tiny road sign.