Day #4: Skoura ~ Over the Atlas Mountains to a Small Paradise

Day #4: Skoura ~ Over the Atlas Mountains to a Small Paradise 

Driving back into the mountains we have a 5-6-hour drive to Skoura over the scenic High Atlas Mountains.  We go over winding roads and through the Tizi n’Tichka pass which is 7,413 feet above sea level. 

We stop at a place for lunch which is tagine  of course and visit a women’s cooperative where argan oil is produced from the kernels of the argan tree that is endemic to Morocco. This oil is used to dip bread and for cosmetic purposes. The fruit of this tree has a thick peel over the fleshy pulp which is extracted by drying the fruit, removing the peel and grinding and mashing the pulp.

 Apparently attempts to mechanize this process have been unsuccessful so Berber women do this time consuming task all by hand. A tradition in some areas of Morocco allows goats to climb the argan trees to feed freely on the fruits!  The kernels are then retrieved from the goat droppings, reducing the labor involved in the extraction. I wonder if I would want to taste this knowing where it has been! 

Ait Ben Haddou

Next we stop at Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which has been the back drop for famous films such as Gladiator and Lawrence of Arabia. This place used to be a stopover for caravans in the 11^thcentury. It is spectacularly beautiful but unfortunately has become a string of shopping stalls with carpets and trinkets available at every turn. The views are spectacular and tourists abound. 

 Marie finds the perfect small rug for next to her bed and engages in an exchange of what is the best price.  The Berber seller is very cute and she succumbs only getting a small discount. 

Two boys want 20 dirhams to have their picture taken with a lizard.  Entrepreneurs in the making.

We try to find some alley ways where there are no sellers and fewer tourists. I would like to spend more time here taking pictures at sunset and when tourists are gone.  A group of boys all with cell phones engage me in a conversation.

Hassan-- Driver and Guide

Our guide Hassan is very patient with us. We arrive at Les Jardins de Skoura a small hotel of less than 10 rooms where we will stay for two nights.  It is off the beaten trail and several miles out a dirt, and rocky road where we arrive at a kind of oasis. It is owned by a couple from France (Marie and Thierry) and includes a pool and wonderful garden. There are hammocks and beds everywhere and small, intimate areas to meet.  We are welcomed with green tea with mint and find this a very relaxed and meditative atmosphere after the hustle of Marrakech.  

We have wonderful meal of pastille another traditional Moroccan dish which is meat encased in a pastry. Salad includes cooked zucchini (aubergine) and taktouka, a mixture of tomatoes, green peppers, garlic and spices.   As usual there is bread which seems to be the staple. We are sure we will sleep well in this relaxed and meditative place. Perhaps we will never leave!

Les Jardins de Skoura