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The history of MOROCCO



Historical Summary

Since the beginning of history there have been Berbers in North Africa end they were already well established when the Phoenicians made their first incursions in 1200 BC. Their origins are uncertain but thought to be Euro-Asiatic, The generic name Berbers, was imposed on them by the Arabs meaning those who were not Arabs.

Sanhaja, Masmoda, and Zenata are the three tribes constituting the Berbers .

The Sanhaja, from which sprang the Almoravide dynasty (the founders of Marrakesh) were nomads who in the 11C conquered the desert and much of the region to the south of it for Islam; the Masmouda were quiet farming people who lived in the north and west and in the High and Anti Atlas mountains and it was they who gave rise (from out Tin Mal , S of Marrakesh to the Almohade Dynasty which displaced the Almoravides; the Zenata a sub-group of which the - Beni Marin- swept in from the empty region between the Tafilalet and Algeria to become the great Merinide dynasty, were tough, horse-riding nomads of the cold high plateaux of the interior.

Joined to the Arabs only by Islam, the Berhers have always held themselves proudly separate in all other matters, especially in the rural and mountain areas. There is no standard form of Berber language since each tribal group has always used its own version, and there is no recognized Berber script or literature. Their strongest form of self-expression is music and dancing, which is rhythmic but with little harmony, compelling, loud and often quite intoxicating.

The Phoenicians and Carthaginians:

The first invaders are believed to have been the Phoenicians, coming from the land known then as Caanan in the Eastern Mediterranean in the 12C BC. Gradually they established trading posts along the north coast of Africa and traces at their occupation have been found at Lixus (Liks), which was probably the earliest, Tangier (Tangis)Mellilia (Russadir) Chellah part of Rahat and Tamuda (near Tetouan). These traces are usually in the form of fish-salting factories and are often heavily overlaid by Roman remains. The Phoenicians were essentially a maritime people, not interested in conquering or colonizing, and paying scant attention to he primitive berber tribes and poor agricultural land of the interior; therefore, their colonies were little more than enclaves along the coast, separated by great open spaces of wasteland which they did not need. Their main center of influence was Carthage (Tunisia). When Carthage became an independent state, the more civilized Carthaginians arrived and turned the north coast settlements into prosperous towns:they are known to have developed the fish salting and preserving into quite a major industry and their anchovy paste, called "garum" was widely exported. They also grew wheat and probably introduced the grape.

The Carthaginians exercised a considerable cultural influence on the Berbers even long after the Sack of Carthage in 146 BC; indeed, it probably increased at that time as hundreds of Carthagians fled westwards and took refuge from the Romans in the friendly enclaves along the coast .

The Romans:

After they had taken Carthage, the Romans moved westwards into the Berber kingdoms of Mauritania and Numidia(Algeria now) which became part of the Roman Empire. In 13 BC the Emperor Octavius granted the kingdom of Mauritania to the young Berber prince, Juba, son of Juba I of Numidia who had committed suicide 13 years earlier after the defeat by the Romans at the battle of Thapsus. In 25 8(2 they added the whole of Numidia to his realm. Educated in Rome and married to the daughter of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, known as Cleopatra -Stlene, hts pedigree was unpeccabte dnd he ruled wisely, probably living in Volubilis. This had already become a h3erher town of sonic statiding betore the Rornans arrived, due in part to the natural fertility of the region surrounding it and in part to the te~ching of the Carthaginians enabling the Berbers to get the best out ol the land.

The next 400 years formed Morocco 's Dark Age and very little is known about this period. The Vandals and Goths who were sweeping through Spain may have touched the northern tip of Morocco on their way eastwards to Carthage but there are no traces that they have stayed. The Berbers in the mountains and the desert continued life much as before. The Romnanised, part-Christian, Berber Mauritanians of the cities of Volubilis, Sala Colonia,(Chella) Tingis and others held on to their mixed cultural heritage and maintained a degree of civilization, as evidenced by one or two Latin inscriptions, found in several places, which date from as late as the mid 7C. But the weak and divided nature of the country was to prove no match at all for the next wave of invaders.

ISLAM

The Idrissides.

By the 7C AD the Arabs were in full expansion. They were inspired primarily by their fierce desire to spread their own religion of Islam throughout the World. but they were doubtless particularly attracted to North Africa by the endless stretches of desert sand which were to them like home. It was in 670 that the first Arab invasions of the North African coastal plain took place under Oqba Ben Nafi, commander of the Umayed dynasty in Damascus.

He is best known for having founded the city of Kairwan (S of Tunis) and for having built the first ever mosque in North Africa, He swept with his army into what is now Morocco in the year 683. Which he called this Maghreb al Aqsa or farthest West

When a second Ummayed leader, Musa lbn Nouasser, arrived in 703,the Berbers were not unwilling to participate in the Islamic expansion into southern Spain and into the more southerly areas of Morocco, However, the progress of Islam remained patchy and small enclaves of Christians still existed in the interior though many fled to Spain). This lack of national unity persisted until the arrival of ldriss Ben Abdallah, a descendant of the prophet Mohammed, in 788. There are very few original Arab sources available for reference about this early period but that which is most frequently cited by historians is the Raoud El Kartas, a chronicle by the 13C writer from Fez, Ibn Abi-Zar-El-fasi: from this we learn that ldriss Ben Abdallah fled into Egypt from the Abbasides .He arrived by way of Kairwan, first in Tangier and then in the former Roman city of Volubilis where was received by Berbers already fully converted to Islam by the earlier Arab arrivals. The Berbers chief proclaimed Idriss King and pledged the support of his own and neighboring tribes. It seems that the arrival of an assured leader who would guide the country out of the spiritual uncertainties which had increased since the death of Oqba ben Nafi was welcome. Idriss II was born after his father's death and was educated and prepared for his awesome task. He became King at the age of 12, in 804.

He founded Fez which in his time was well prospered. In 818, 8000 Arab families arrived after being expelled by Christians from the Emirate of Cordoba in Spain. Seven years 2000 families came from Kairwan. These 'refugies' were welcomed and installed, respectively, on the right and left banks of the river which divides the town. It was very largely as a result of the of these people, with their refinements and skills, that Fez became a great spiritual and intellectual center whose influence very much reached to the far north of the country and, later, beyond. Idriss II who died in 828In Morocco came the next dynasty, from the south The Almoravides.

They were camel-riding Berber of the Sanhaja group of tribes, to whom cultivation of the soil was unknown. For a century or more they Have been conquering and converting to Islam the black countries of the Sahara, inspired by their search for the source of gold which had been flowing into Morocco from somewhere in the region of the Niger river.

The campaigns fought by the Almoravides were violent and successful and they soon controlled the whole of the south, under the leadership of Ibn Tachafine ( the founder of Marrakech in 1062, along with Al Koutoubia Mosque). Much of Spain became part of the Almoravide empire. A period of peace and prosperity followed, enriched by the refined culture of the Andalucian courts to which had been added a healthy dose of Berber virility and discipline.

The Almohades

A new power was emerging. The Almohades were Masmoda berbers from the high and the Atlas mountains .their leader, Mohamed Ibn Toumart, was a man of extarordinary power. The foundation of his doctorine was absolute unity with God, from which stemmed the name of Mouwahhidine, meaning unitarian.

Yacoub Al Mansour was a great statesman. The whole country prospered at his reign: spiritually, intellectually, economically and architecturally. Marrakesh was still the capital. Fez flowered as never before, and the end of the 12C is generally regarded as an apogée in Morocco's history.

The Merinides:

The Beni Marin were a tribe of Nomadic Zenata Berbers who came from an area between Taza and Algeria.

The policy of the Merinides in running the affairs of Morocco was enlightened they the first Moroccans to introduce a simple form of civil service. They were also the first to introduce the Mellah, or Jewish quarters in all major tows, so that the Jewish could live secure and unmolested. The Merinides were also the first to introduce the concept of Medersa(originated from Baghdad and later on introduced to Egypt). Fez is liberally scattered with fine examples within easy walking distance of the Karawiyine. Sultan Abu Inan built the Bou Inania Medersa in Fez.

The Merinide Soltans surrounded themselves with scholars who could lecture not only about Koran but also about science and law , poetry and geography. The well-known traveller Ibn Batuta( 1304-78) was an honored member of the court of Abou Inan who gave him a secretary to write down stories of his travels as in the black Sea and Tambouktoo. Ibn Khaldoun, the 14 C historian and a Spanish Muslim spent many years as adviser and close associate of Merinide Sultans.

When the dynasty was feebled, Spain and Portugal were turning eyes towards Morocco .At that time, there was another ruler, Ibn Wattas, who came from Asilah to Fez. When he left Asilah, the Portugueuse invaded Asilah and took many family membersof Ibn Wattas and 5000 people as slaves, then Ibn Wattas signed a treaty with Portugal which allowed the portugueuse to invade Asilah, Tangier , Essaouira(Mogador)Mazagan (El Jadida) Zemmour, Safi and Agadir and Ceuta.

So, for a time, almost the entire west coast of Morocco became a seperate Portugueuse colony.

The Saadians

Were decsendants from the prophet Mohamed. They originally came from Arabiain the 12C, and settled in the valley of the Draa in the South of Morocco. They moved to Fez and were easily given power by the Wattasides. In the 16 C, they rebuilt the town of Taroudant as their capital.

During the Saadians'reign, the portugueuse had always dreamt of regaining power in the Moroccan territories. King Sebastian who was asked helped from one of the sultans nephews, landed in Asilah with a massive force of soldiers, there followed a memorable battle in 1578 at Ksar Kbir. The battle was known as the battle of the Three Kings, in which the portugueuse army was defeated, and in which King Sebastian, the Pretender and the Sultan Abd El Malik died.

Glorious in their victory, the Saadians under the reign of Ahmed Saadi(1578-1603) settled down in Fez. The Badi Palace and the Ethereal Mausoleum ( les tombeux Saadians) in Marrakesh are proofs of the wealth of Saadians.

The Alaouites

They were also decsended from the prophet Mohamed. They had arrived from Arabia some three ceunturies earlier to settle near Rissani in the Tafilalet region in the south.( They are referred to as Filali). Unlike preceding dynasties they did not move and seize power but were formally invited by the people of Fez to come to the capital and take over the throne of Morocco.

The first Alaouite ruler ,Moulay Rachid, reigned in 1666. He restored order with a firm hand, revived the life of all mosques and drove out all the pretenders. Under the reign of Moulay Ismael( 1672-1727) Morocco was made again a great country.He exchanged ambassadorts with many leading Powers. Meknes was chosen by Moulay Ismael as the imperial city which he made his capital. Today, the miles of ruined walls, palaces and stables bear witness to his energy and ambition and also to the scale of his success.

In 1757, another wise and strong Alaouite ruler came to the throne. He was Mohamed ben Abdellah. Hebuilt the city of Essaouira and invited the English, the French, and the jewish people to settle and to trade there.

Moulay el hassan acceded to the throne in 1873. He had the task of pacifying the tribes and was the first monarch to enter the wild Souss Area, where the tribes never acknowledged the authority of the state.

During his reign, the European governments suggested ways of reforming administration , such as fixed salaries, civil servants and a more structured method tax collection.

Attacks on foreigners were frequent and the tribes took power into their own hands. At that time, the French occupied Morocco, The Spaniards, for historical reasons, insisted on sharing the influence on Morocco. In 1906, the Conference of Algeciras( in which 30 nations were present) took place and had the effect of internationalizing the whole affair. Tangier was an international free port, and the whole country was under the protectorate of the French government.

In 1912, Sultan Moulay Hafid signed the Treaty of FEZ . He was relieved from the power to govern. The country was under the controle of a French Resident- General called Lyauty.He aimed to pacify and to construct. He also built the ports of Casablanca and Kenitra, the new towns of Rabat, Fez, Meknes and Marrakech, while the old medina of theses cities remained untouched. A modern educational system was introduced, the administration was modernised and the legal system reformed. Still the tribes in the south of Morocco were very rebellious. By 1920, there was a more structured rebellionand resistance in the Rif Mountains, led by Abdelkarim Khattabi. The French began by driving a wedge between Berbers and Arabs. The Sultan, at that time, signed a beber decree in 1930, which on the contrary of what the French calculated, brought the two parties even closer. Then , a serious movement of national independance was born especially formed by young intellectuals from Rabat and Fez.

In 1927, Moulay Youssef was succeded by his son Mohamed V, aged 17 years old. It was not until after World War II that the independence movement really gathered momentum. The troops Moroccans provided for the French army had conducted themselves with honor. At that time, an official independence party was formed called Istiqlal,whose first act was to send a memorundum to the sultan and the French authorities asking for independence and a democratic constitution. The immediate reaction to this request was the arrest of several Istiqlal leaders , whereas the sultan refused to sign any more decrees concerning his people.

In August 1953 the royal family was deported to Corsica and Madagascar, and another person was designed by the French to sit on the throne. Violence towards the French officials was the reaction of the Moroccan people, who claimed the return of the king.

In December 1956, The king was taken to France , where he signed a declaration promising that there would be a constitutional monarchy which would move towards ademocratic state.

In March 1956, the French signed an agreement in which they granted full independence to Morocco. The Spanish did the same and Tangier lost its international status during the same year.

The Sultan formed a government and French Officials were gradually replaced by Moroccans.

In 1961, King Mohamed V was succeded by Crown Prince Hassan II who presented a new constitution. Tthe first elected parliament assembled on 1963.

The Green March, which took place in 1975, is the most important event in the Reign of Late Hassan II. 350.000 unarmed Moroccans marched south into the desert to reassert the sovereinty of the Sahara which was in the hands of the Spanish at that time. A movement called The polisario was formed by the help of Algeria and Libya to oppose Moroccan rule and to fight for self determination of the Sahrawi.

Now, a processus of identification for referundum is taking place in the south provinces of the Kingdom under the aegis of the United Nations.

Tiznit city

City in Morocco with 55,000 inhabitants (2005 estimate), situated in the interior of the southern regions of the country.
The economic base is production of high quality silver jewellery, and trade. Tiznit has some importance as a tourist destination.
HISTORY
1881: The town of Tiznit is founded by Moulay Hassan, by setting up city walls around a group of ksours.
1912: With the resistance of El Hiba, "The Blue Sultan", Tiznit becomes for a couple of years central in southern resistance to the French colonial power.
1956: With Morocco's independence, Tiznit becomes part of the new nation

The first thing you will need if you want to make Moroccan mint
tea is a "tea master". Meet the master. He was the guide for my
tea-making lessons. The tea is green Chinese tea. You should
get the "special gunpowder" type and "Sinia" is one brand. Put
enough tea in you pot to make a good strong pot of tea. It is
recommended to pour the first batch of water out (like with most
Chinese tea) if you have time. It removes some bitter flavor.
Next put in a BIG handful of
FRESH mint. The bigger the
pot, the more the mint. Add a
LOT of sugar to be authentic.
Pour the tea out into a glass
several times to mix the tea.
Pour from a good height to aid
mixing and add air to the tea.
Taste the tea and add more
mint or sugar if needed.
Finally, pour from a great
height to add air and mystique.
Serve in a glass (not cup)
with a selection of cookies.
Reuse the tea-mint mixture.

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The first thing you need for a camel ride is a camel. A lot of people
make the request to see you on a camel if you are from the USA
and go to Morocco. Please note that the camel doesn't work
during the middle of the day when the sun is hot. He goes home
and eats...not a bad job. After we took the pictures and rode
a little, we got off and just walked the camel.

After spending the night in Tinenhir, I took another communal taxi through the valley leading to Todra Gorge. The valley was similar to Dades gorge, but running through the center of the valley was a river of palm trees, their green fronds lapping against the red mud buildings built along the valley walls.
The gorge itself was spectacular; only 20 m. wide in the narrowest parts, the red rock walls reached straight up for 100 m. before yielding to the blue of the sky. Even at midday, the floor of the gorge, through which wound a calm creek, was in shadow. The area was a climber's paradise, and so I felt obligated to give it a try, but lacking good equipment and money to burn, I didn't do more than a handful of short climbs.
There was a very nice hotel right in the center of the gorge, but it was far too luxurious for my taste. I loved the location, however, so I paid 40 Dh (US$4) to sleep in a giant Berber tent which was pitched next door to house the busloads of tourists who flooded the gorge everyday for lunch as part of their package tour.
The next day I continued my trek eastward, this time taking a series of minibuses in short hops from town to town. Each trip was an adventure in its own right. The first bus, after stopping for 20 minutes while waiting for passengers, traveled all of two km. before stopping at the next service station for repairs and lunch.
The next bus began in the town of Erford. We waited for an hour or so in teh sweltering heat while they recruited enough passengers to fill every square cm of space. While waiting, I made myself useful by helping load things onto the roof of the bus. The Moroccans found my height quite the novelty, and soon everyone was requesting that I lift their goats, sacks of potatoes, or whatever on top. Inside, the minibus was a sweat lodge on wheels. It was ridiculously crammed full, with 30 people in a space made for half the amount, and everyone was shedding buckets of sweat. During the two hour trip, passengers would load and unload through windows, doors, and the back to avoid having to penetrate the mass of bodies. It was a long two hours.

AGADIR 360 days of Sunshine a Year
One of newly independent Morocco's greatest challenges must surely have been the reconstruction of a city totally destroyed by the earthquake of February 1960. The will and détermination of a young King, Hassan II, on the throne for scarcely a year, gave reality to the hopes of an entire nation in seeing Agadir reborn form the ashes.
These days it is a fine modern city with a host of excellent hotels, wide avenues, gardens in bright bloom, a magnificent port and a first-rate airport-and, above all, a splendid beach stretching for six kilometres, the air scented by pine, eucalyptus and tamarisk.
Agadir's réputation as a beach resort has spread worldwide. From a cliff-road flanking the hill, the Old Kasbah, dating from the 16th century, overlooks the azure spread of the ocean, the verdant valleys of the Great Souss and the majestic slopes of the Anti-Atlas. Agadir is not only the kingdom's main fishing-port, it is also its first holiday haven, and the city is very much organized around seeing to the comfort of its visitors.

Today, tourists come here for the great sand dunes of Merzouga. We drove straight into Erfoud, the last "big" town before the sand dunes. This is a new administrative centre built by the French, with banks and shops selling anything that the modern tourist desires. We exclaimed with astonishment when we found Polo and Danish cookies at a shop. Where else in the world is truly isolated ?
We stocked up with the most important commodity in the desert, water, and then proceeded towards Merzouga. As we sped across the rocky waste southeast of Erfoud, a mild sand storm began, and we could hardly see the horizon. Soon, our driver drove off the paved road into the desert. We wondered where our driver was bringing us. I prayed that he knew his way around, as one desert bush looked the same to me as another. We felt a little relieved when we passed a French-run auberge in the middle of nowhere. The driver told us that 2 out of 3 members of a French family - a couple and their daughter - died last year when the auberge owner told them that they wouldn't need any Tuareg guide, as this erg wasn't that large. So they rented a four wheel drive, and soon found themselves getting lost in the desert, going round and round the same place. The lack of any landmark in the desert meant that people can get lost even in a small confined area. They ran out of petrol and water, and the father then set off on foot to seek help, leaving his wife and daughter in the 4WD. He was never found again, and a rescue party soon found his wife dead from dehydration and the daughter weak but alive. Chilling story and certainly wasn't helpful in assuring us of our safety.
Soon, we saw the erg, huge, drifting sand dunes that characterise the popular imagination of the Sahara. We became silent, gawking at this spectacular sight. Before long, we arrived at an establishment called Café Yasmine, which has a basic hotel and restaurant (too grand a name for it...), and also acts as a launching point for expeditions into the Erg Chebbi. Here, our driver handed us over to the local Tuareg guide, Ahmad and company - "Now you enter the territory of the Tuaregs, and only they know the desert well," he said. We unloaded only the most essential items and then set off on camels.
We were organised into three groups. Our camels were tied one to another, with the Tuareg guide pulling the first camel in front. I was on the last camel of my "caravan group", and my camel - let's call him Yahya (John in Arabic) - was an extremely stubborn beast. Can't really blame it - who enjoys being tied to another chap, and then forced to carry around really un-cool creatures with weak spines and no humps. Whenever possible, Yahya struggled to slow down the group, dragging its feet, or tried to turn away in a different direction. Everytime it did that, the Tuareg kicked it. Yahya's compatriot in front, Hussein, wasn't exactly obedient either. At one point, Hussein actually managed to set its rope free from the camel in front, and tried to escape to freedom. Hussein's rider, this Frenchman who had just joined our group, shouted to alert our Tuareg guide. Dumb Yahya, fortunately, wasn't cooperative either, as it refused to move, meaning that Hussein can't move too, as it was tied to Yahya at the back. And so the Tuareg guide came, tied Hussein tightly to the camel in front, and gave him a hard kick. Hussein cried loudly - poor creature! In fact, our Tuareg guide told us to kick the camels hard to discipline them, but I simply couldn't make myself do that. One thing is sure: I definitely can't be a Certified Camel Owner. My secret ambition of joining a caravan expedition to Timbuktu was now at risk !
We rode for about an hour - the erg was one of the most amazing thing I have ever seen in my life - endless horizon of sand dunes, many of which are as high as five-, six- or god-knows-how-many storey buildings - for simply there are no reference points for comparisons. There is hardly any vegetation, or even boulders - just soft, fine sand everywhere. No landmarks - everything looks the same to me, not to mention that it was turning dark very quickly. For the first time in my travels, I felt totally worthless and directionless. My life was in the control of these desert tribesmen, who presumably knew where we were heading. I am simply overwhelmed by the desert. Soon, the sky turned darker, and the only noise was that of the winds, which appeared to get stronger. The air was filled with sand and I could hardly see more than five camels ahead of me. A minor sand-storm was brewing, or perhaps storm was too strong a word, for clearly the Tuareg warriors did not display any sense of anxiety.
I felt relieved when suddenly, in the middle of nowhere, a bedouin tent came into sight. It nestled there, at the foot of a giant sand dune, maybe ten storeys high, maybe more (again a wild guess). We were to spend the night here. The tourists unloaded, and sat down to chat, while Ahmad and his kinsmen prepared dinner for us. We spoke about travels, politics - the massacres in Algeria, the crazy Colonel Kaddafi, the corrupt Arab kingdoms - and more.
It was a great evening, except for an arrogant American who expressed surprise that I actually like my country (Singapore). "I wouldn't want to start a political debate with you," he said - even before I could respond to his unprovoked remark. When our guides asked where I was from, he volunteered that I was "from China", his reasons being both Singapore and China are located in Asia. I was tempted to tell him he's Cuban or Mexican, simply because USA and these countries are located on the same continent. The world would be a better place if people stop imposing their values and perceptions of other countries.

merzouga dune
The small village of Merzouga is located in the South East of Morocco, in the middle of the desert and it is well known for its...skiing slopes! As strange as this might sound, this is still the mere truth. We met two people from Quebec there, who came to Morocco mainly to see those slopes. In fact behind the oasis of the village you can find skiing slopes as Alberto Tomba would never have dreamt of. Ahmed, the camels owner showed them to the people from Quebec. His camels can carry the skiers till the bottom of the dune but they do not walk them up to the top of it. Therefore the remaining 350 metres quickly appears as a never ending distance especially when the temperature rises up to 40°C. Going down those little hills is not that easy either. Therefore trying a schuss remains the best thing to do to if you want to get some speed. After a dozen of slopes, you will definitely enjoy having a nice mint tea glass at the bottom of the dune. There is nothing more refreshing after such an exhausting day !

Ouzoud Falls

Ouzoud waterfallsOuzoud Waterfalls (110 m high) are located in the Grand Atlas village of Tanaghmeilt (Province of Azilal, 150 Km north-east of Marrakech) in Morocco.

It is the most visited site of the region. In the vicinity, Green valleys, mills, orchards and a superb circuit of the gorges of the "El Abid" river (Slaves' river in Arabic), are found.

Ouzoud means Olive is berber, a reference to the nearby olive trees.

It is possible to swim at the bottom of the falls which is accessible through a shaded path of olive trees. At the summit of the falls, there exist a dozen of old small mills that are still in use. In the twilight, one can observe whole troops of monkeys. One can also borrow a narrow and difficult track leading to the road of Beni Mellal while descending the gorges from the "wadi el-Abid" by a superb canyon sometimes which one does not distinguish the bottom with nearly 600 m.

Many local and national associations lead projects to protect and preserve the site.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dades gorges
The Dades Gorge is really worth a visit. The road climbs with spectacular rock cliffs on either side and lush green vegetation in the valley. Its very Indiana Jones country. We spent a night at a lovely hotel (campsite at the rear) which was owned by a very friendly man who gave us a thousand welcomes.

We decided to take the Piste (off road track) between the Dades and Todra gorge. However, on passing the same place three times and waving at the same people as we drove past we decided to ask for directions. We got three different sets of directions but finally managed to ascertain, from an English speaking guide, that the pass was actually closed due to the recent bad weather. The decision was made to cross over at Augodal, 60 km further on past Msemir. It was a very winding and bumpy track and went up to 2800m. The views were amazing. We saw no one except camel and goat herders and two Polish motorcyclists! Saying that as you pass through the villages the kids will come running out all wanting to say hello and wave. They also want stylos (pens)or cigarettes. We do not want to encourage the begging by offering them what they want but it is still hard to turn down such young, needy faces. On descending into the Todra Gorge Sid had an unfortunate meeting with a large all wheel drive lorry. As there was no room to pass Slade reversed back up the narrow track. In his impatience to get past the lorry scraped the awning on the side and slightly tore it.

the city and festical of rose
Carved by the Dades River thousands of years ago in eerie, but breathtaking shapes of eroded limestone, the canyon is lined with innumerable kasbahs built by chieftains in the past ages. These mud fortresses of the strong seemed to be everywhere. Their adobe walls and squat towers are fine examples of Arab-influenced Berber art, whose motifs are seen on the local carpets, jewelry and pottery.

As we looked down from our twisting road to the valley below, it seemed that the grass was greener, the soil redder and the kasbahs more appealing than those outside the valley. The fantastic colors of the stone cliffs contrasting with the valley green and towering kasbahs had us enthralled and gave us a feeling that we were in a fairyland of enchantment.

Back from Boumalane we drove westward, following the Dades valley — a thin line of green in a barren world, called the “Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs.” Between Boumalane and Kelaa M'Gouna, our next stop, the road was lined on both sides with Kasbah-style buildings — many newly constructed. Until we reached Kelaa M'Gouna, the whole route appeared to be one continuous town.

Kelaa, 6,560 feet (2000 m) above sea level and called the “Rose Garden” of the Dades Valley, is a magnificent and superb place, and the center of a fertile rose-growing oasis. The French introduced the Damascus rose from Syria in the 1920s into the valley where it thrived. In spring the fragrance of these flowers intermingled with those of the fruit and nut trees make it an enchanted region.

Travelers have written that in May and June, at the time of the Rose Festival, the countryside around Kelaa is completely covered with roses whose aroma hangs heavily over the countryside and the town itself. Perfumes from the fruit orchards, almond trees, and grape fields smothered by rose hedges produce a feeling of heavenly seduction.

For a short distance west from Kelaa, the highway was edged on both sides by greenery and imposing kasbahs and more new kasbah-like homes, but soon we were driving in an arid landscape until we reached Skoura, a luxurious oasis also famous for roses, which grow amid grain fields and palm trees.


West from Skoura, we drove through countryside full of dry river-beds, under the shadows of the snow-capped High Atlas mountains looming in the distance, until we reached Ouarzazate, built by the French as a garrison town in the heart of Morocco's Great South. Located at the crossroads of the Draa, Dades and Sous Valleys, the town is encircled by a barren landscape and overshadowed by the snow-capped Atlas.

A provincial capital of about 50,000 inhabitants, whose setting is romantically scenic, it is an important pre-Saharan crossroad — an ideal point from which to set out on journeys of discovery to the valleys of the kasbahs both to the south and east. Even though it offers all the amenities of a modern and vibrant city, its atmosphere is tranquil and fresh. Nicknamed the “Pearl of the Sands,” Ouarzazate appears to have a bright tourist future.

Here, we spent two days exploring the many kasbahs in town and on its outskirts. The most prominent were Tifiltout, parts of which have been renovated and Taourirt, both built by El Glaoui. The latter is considered to be the mother of all kasbahs. Encompassing a series of crenellated towers, rising out of a mass of closely packed houses and lavishly decorated with geometric motifs, it is one of the most beautiful in Morocco.


Taourirt, located on the outskirts of Ouarzazate,
is considered to be "the mother of all kasbahs."
At one time, it was on the edge of the city, but today the modern town is surrounding this popular tourist site, where the movie “The Jewel of the Nile” (1985) with Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas was filmed.

Leaving Ouarzazate, we stopped at the Atlas Cinema Studio where a great number of films are shot, then continued to the largely uninhabited strengthened village of Aït Benhaddou. From a distance, its adobe buildings and ancient homes looked magnificent. But only a small section of this model of architecture has been restored by UNESCO who recently declared Aït Benhaddou a World Heritage Site.

Just eight families now live within its walls, whereas a few decades ago there were hundreds. The village is on the itinerary of tourists thanks to Hollywood. Movies like “Gladiator,” “ Sodom and Gomorrah,” “Jesus of Nazareth,” “Lawrence of Arabia” and “The Jewel of the Nile” were filmed in one of these enchanting ksours or castles that no visitor to Morocco should miss.

If You Go

Most visitors don't need visas to enter Morocco — only valid passports.

If you know French, which is widely spoken in Morocco, it's easy to get around in Morocco. But many locals also speak some English.

Morocco 's currency is the dirham (MAD). US$ 1 equals MAD 8.4. You can exchange money at banks or hotels. The rates are all the same with no commission.

When traveling in Morocco, trains are the most comfortable. Buses are inexpensive - CTM the best. Small autos, with unlimited mileage and fully insured, rent for about US$ 60 a day insurance included.

Tips are expected for every service — always carry small change.

Barter for all tourist items and never shop with a guide. His commission is usually about 30 percent.

At night, avoid dark alleyways. Morocco is safer than many other countries, but muggers still stalk the lonely streets.

Moroccan Tourist Office
www.tourism-in-morocco.com