Memories of Morocco - Part VIII - Overnight in Ouarzazate then to Taroudant by car

Saturday morning we got up early to see the desert sun rise. Then had breakfast in the dining tent. It was still windy and the clothes I washed the night before were all dry by morning. Moroccan breakfasts are high carb calorie-dense banquets including some or all of the following: croissants, crepes, crusty bread, flat bread, cakes, and pastries. Also on the menu are soft cheese wedges, yogurt, bananas, eggs and fresh squeezed orange juice. Morocco is known for its abundance of orange trees so we had some of the best oranges ever. This morning was no different.

While we sat in the tent digesting our meal and waiting for the guys to unload our bikes, I took the opportunity to do some mobility and animal locomotion exercises on the tent floor as Rasheed and some of our group watched. Rasheed attempted a few yoga moves including one lying on his side while propping his head up with one hand. He chuckled and sat back down.

Next we rode out of the desert on sandy road, then turned right onto a long, straight highway leading back to Zagora. We rode through town for quite a while and then out into the countryside on gently rolling hills till we got the lunch stop. This was the first day that wasn’t sunny. White wispy clouds and light breeze kept the temperature on the cool side.

Lazy lizards waiting for lunch

After lunch we drove to old Berber villages and valleys to get to Ouarzazate where we stayed at a big, Western-like hotel. Our stay was uneventful with the exception of a row at dinner over plans for the next day. It would be our first day not riding but we did have a 5-hour drive to get to Taroudant which no one was looking forward to. We settled on an early morning visit to the Kasbah before leaving by car for the next distant city. It was such a nice day I was not happy to be spending it in the car but it was unavoidable.

I sat in the front of the van allowing full view of the scenery as we drove. It was incredible. Had we more time, some of the mountain passes would have made for great riding. After several hours, we stopped at the side of the road for an undeserved lunch.

When we got to the bustling city of Taroudant, people crowded around to watch some locals engaged in a boxing match. Crowds were so dense it was difficult to maneuver our van without hitting pedestrians, cars and bikes. A white man riding an odd looking bicycle with a car-size rear-view mirror led us to a dingy parking lot full of garbage where we unloaded our bags and followed the man down an alleyway not unlike those seen in Marrakech. I'm quite sure we were all thinking the same thing: what hole-in-the-wall is this guy leading us to? But we should have known better. The drab appearance of the medina did not reflect what was behind its walls. 

We stepped through a low door into another world. The walls of the property were covered with green vines, the pool area lined with banana trees and there was French style outdoor furniture to enjoy the quiet. Unfortunately the pool was full of dirty water. Not that it was warm enough to swim but the state of the water detracted from the otherwise beautiful surroundings.

Pool and outdoor dining area

This guesthouse was owned by the guy on the bicycle, a Frenchman, who designed and built the entire place with exquisite attention to detail. We all had unique rooms with windows in a variety of shapes - some so unusual they defy description - and all had decorative lighting, cushions, lounge chairs, throw rugs and book shelves stocked with old books. All the bathrooms had traditional Moroccan-style tiling with intricate, highly detailed patterns but no two looked the same.

Second floor

Guesthouse dining room

Tomorrow we would get back on the bikes and climb the longest uphill road yet!