Blogs from Ait Ourir, Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz, Morocco, Africa

Ait Benhaddou Of all the southern kasbahs we saw, this one was the most impressive. If you think that you’ve seen it before, don’t be surprised. It’s been featured in over six films and many fashion shoots. The main gateway which seems so well preserved, was actually restored by a film company. In the past this was a major stop on the gold route between Marrakech and the Sahara. In times of siege the inhabitants would withdraw to the fortified Agadir (the walls offered little protection – they could be destroyed simply by diverting the stream to run beneath them). In peacetime the valley was farmed as it is today, although tourists have replaced gold as the village’s main source of income. Kids wait for visitors crossing the valley, offering to show off their houses. I ... read more

I decided to visit my friend Rebecca, who was in Peace Corps with me and is still here since she extended her service a year. Becky lives in another town close to Marrakech and I used to travel from Kelaa to her site in Ait Ourir almost every month. Maryam woke me up in the morning around 11:30. It had been another hot, sleepless night. When I looked out the door of my room into the central living room I saw all the furniture had been moved. It was washing day. From the cleanliness of Boise it’s hard to understand just how much dirt the Sahara produces, but imagine that southern France is often blanketed by dust blown north from the North African desert. Satellite images have documented swirling clouds of sand and dust far out ... read more