April 19, 2014
N'KOB to TATA 318 Km
Le Relais des Sables, 318 Dr ($39) Simple double, including breakfast (lousy)-Dinner for two, 170dr extra (so so)


Good Views of the Jbel Saghra Mountains
 
Moha fixed us a lovely breakfast. Whatever the shortcomings of our compact room were, at the Casa Roja, Moha made up for with his desire to make his guests comfortable and welcome. He told us people come to N'kob for 3-day desert treks and stay in tent homes of the Berber nomads. Maybe next time. We enjoyed the cool courtyard to catch up on blog. 

We are going to the popular Tafraroute but that is over 500km away. So we made Tata our goal for today. It is the largest town in the province with a population of 15,000 and several hotels! 

Moha pulled our car up and under blue sky and bright morning sun we left Casa Roja. The dusty haze in the air was mostly gone.
 
Driving in the broad valley with mountains rising on both side, we reach a small oasis with a mud stone village around it, an hour out of N'kob. It seemed so typical of the desert villages we speed past, we decided get out and explore this one. Walls showed evidence of layers and layers of reconstruction which must have occurred over several generations. Water is the key to life, especially noticeable in this arid climate. Village homes here don't have running water. They come to the well and pull it up from the well in a rubber bucket on a rope. The old mosque in town was indistinguishable from the other homes except for a hand-made signboard with its name and loudspeakers on the roof.

We stopped briefly in front of other villages along the way and pondered what life must be for the villagers. So far from modern conveniences. So far from economic opportunity. Far from modern medical care. Scratching a spare existence out of the desert sand and oasis trees, herding, traveling by donkey or camel..... 

 
Close Call in Tissint

In Tissint, roughly 50km before Tata, our car was waived to the side of the road by a policeman. The only word of English he could come up with was 'violation'. We had seen these kind of check points before so always watched our speed, an easy thing to do in our under-powered Susuki. School was out and kids were all over the streets so perhaps we should have been driving even slower. The officer probably asked for license and registration. Dave shook his head, put his palms up and said he had no idea what he was saying. The officer pointed to Dave's lumpy wallet pocket and asked for his license (in French, maybe). Dave patted his pants pockets and shirt pockets, shrugged, looked at me and asked if I knew what he wanted. Dave was playing stupid very well. Exasperated, the officer leaned away from the car and waived us to 'go'.

 
Running on Empty
 
Our fuel light lit as we entered Tata. We'd filled up in Boumalne du Dades just the day before and didn't think about it. Gas stations are few and far between in the desert and we would have been sweating bullets if we had realized we were driving on fumes in the middle of nowhere. We gassed up in Tata before checking into Le Relais des Sables Hotel. The hotel has a swimming pool and overlooks a palm filled oasis. Its target customers are tour groups. The rooms functional and utilitarian, service minimal, food mediocre and totally lacking charm. It is supposed to be the most comfortable place in town. We didn't like it but it served its purpose. What this place needs is a Moha type guy who will make you feel that they are glad you came.......