April 16, 2014

AÏT BENHADDOU to KASBAH ITRAN near El Kalaâ des M'gouna - 138Km
Kasbah Itran Hotel 500dh ($61) including dinner & breakfast

Desert Highway 

At around noon, we got on our way. The narrow roads here have not changed much. When there is oncoming traffic, usually the smallest car ends up on the rough shoulder. Trucks, taxies, Mercedes and land rovers all TAKE priority over us and we cower off the pavement. 

 
Supplies in Oaurzazate

Oaurzazate is the center of the Moroccan film industry. The city appears to be newly built. 
A good place for us to stock up on supplies, our last opportunity for decent selection for a while. 
 
A parking attendant on the street watches the car. A sign posted 2.5 dh (30 cents) avoids scams. Soon we're off again. The landscape is pretty barren. We passed a few almond and olive orchards and isolated villages. Donkeys loaded with hay or alfalfa and men or women walking slowly behind it.

We zipped past green groves near Skoura and Dar Toundout and Dar Lahsoune Kasbahs.


Rose Valley
  
We know that we have arrived in the valley of the Roses when garlands of roses are being sold on the side of the road. Small shops in El Kalaâ des M'gouna are stocked with everything roses, rose oil, rose water, rose soap etc. etc.. We'll miss the rose festival on the 22nd of May.  
 
We took a side road toward Bou Tharar. Boy, what a fantastic sight it was when we rounded the corner. We pulled over at a viewpoint over intriguing Kasbah Mirna and Kasbah du Glaoui. 

The viewpoint is right next to the gorgeous Kasbah Itran Hotel. (http://www.kasbahitran.com) The price for what it was was extremely reasonable. The hotel could be right out of the pages of Architectural Digest. From our room we had view of one of the two old kasbahs in the river valley below . Time to kick up the romance! The many terraces and small nooks afforded plenty of opportunity to be private or socialize. I would rate it a perfect honeymoon stop, if this place doesn't stoke the fire, nothing will! The cold wind blew when it was time for dinner so we opted for the Salon. We made ourselves comfortable on the low mattress and pillows. Guys in light blue robes brought the dishes in on large flat basket woven plates. Starting with rather flavorless soup, a plate with several salads followed by delicious tajine of meat/rice stuffed zucchini, bell pepper and the usual carrots and potatoes. Dessert was cut fruit. We lingered a bit before heading back to our cozy room. 

 
April 17, 2014 
Morning at KASBAH ITRAN near El Kalaâ des M'gouna

Stay, Just a Little Bit Longer 

We got late check out so we could enjoy the ambiance of this great hotel just a bit longer. We enjoyed our breakfast in little cozy nook overlooking the river valley and watched women going to their fields and shepherds leading their flocks slowly along patches of green. The sun rose from behind the Kasbah. We could see everything from there. Dave made an hour long hike and checked out the ruined Kasbah Mirna and Kasbah du Glaoui up close while I got caught up on my journal. 
 
Shortly after noon, we reluctantly pulled ourselves away from that place and headed in direction of Gorge du Dades.