Suddenly we are in a different Morocco. Our kasbah sits right at the edge of the dunes. We walk only a few feet and are in the undulating sand. The sand is two colours: grey and red. It appears that one may be a different weight than the other because, after the wind blows and the ripples appear, the grey sand is in the dips and the red sand are the crests. The kasbah’s walls are mud and straw and the room that we have is huge. I go for a walk into the dunes and by the time I return Rudy has a cup of thick coffee and we head up onto the roof to see the sunset.
We slept under heavy blankets last night but we were not cold.This morning many of the group opted for shorts. Malika, our young guide, dressed in a typical Saharan way. She is from this part of the country and feels at home here. The shower water was hot but only came out in a dribble so I just rinsed my hair. Breakfast was the usual Moroccan affair with loads of types of breads, olives, jams, orange juice and fruit. Rudy and I did not opt in to the 4 by 4 driving on the dunes. Instead we chose and equally envigorating activity. We washed out some clothes by hand and hung them in the hot sun. Here we don’t need to worry if they will dry in time. The sun beats down intensely.
After laundry we headed off into the dunes. It was hot, but not unbearably so. Dave and MaryLou joined us and we explored for awhile before we split up. I ended up wandering and creating designs in the sand. There is something so soothing about the miles and miles of sand and the sky. It is quiet and peaceful just to sit and look. This landscape is so very different from anything I have ever experienced.
Late afternoon we went to get our desert scarves tied on and climb onto our camels for a ride into the dunes to watch the sunset. I probably will never get an opportunity like this again and it felt so other worldly. Groups of 3 camels were tied together in a train and each train had a person who lead them. Often the surface of the sand is very firm but, after some foot or camel traffic, it does loosen and then the camels slide about. We stopped on the top of the dunes and watched the sun slide down until it was behind the horizon.
When we returned to the kasbah it was time for dinner, so we sat ourselves down at the long table in the heavily carpeted dining room. It started the way all meals start here in Morocco (fresh bread dipped in oil, vinegar, and salt). The tile floors here in this area of Morocco are covered with a patchwork of carpets. Although red seems to be a predominant colour, there are no “matching” patterns. It seems that carpets are used for the purpose of warmth and that the beautiful colours and designs are secondary.
After dinner we gathered at the campfire to listen to drumming and watch the stars. Probably the quintessential desert night experience.
