Of all the gin joints in all the world, thirsty in Morocco 30/4/25

Before we left home I booked a day trip through Booking.com which because I have reached genius level 3 came with a 50% discount. We were promised transport, a guide, Berber breakfast, a camel ride,  lunch, and walk up to some waterfalls. Seemed like a snip at €10 each. Having breakfasted in the Riad we rendezvoused with our group outside the Cafe de France Djemaa El Fna Square. Off we set for the Ourika valley. 

This is a spot on the Ourika River where the locals like to picnic. You can hire the blankets and tables for a modest sum. Below we are heading into the High Atlas mountains and the sky looks slightly threatening. 

Time to stop for our Berber breakfast. This consists of bread, olive oil for dipping,  argan oil and peanut butter. All these ingredients were locally produced by hand. The picture shows two Berber ladies hand grinding the argan nuts and peanuts to make the above. I must tell you some more about argan oil. It comes from what we would recognise as the nuts from the prickly pear plant. The oil has many more uses than a cooking ingredient, primarily in the cosmetics industry. Apparently, depending on what you read, it is a wonder product. The oil is rich in amino acids, vitamins E and K, and powerful antioxidants called betalains, unique in the plant world. It is used on the skin, nails and hair. It is touted as the next big thing in the anti aging market. 

The best thing about breakfast wasn't the food but the fact our group all sat down at one table and we all talked to each other. We were the only British,  but sitting down with us were Dutch, Portuguese, Germans, Italians, and French. One thing we all agreed about was what a crazy and damaging decision Brexit was especially in the light of subsequent world developments. 

After our second and rather late breakfast of the day we went on to experience a fully dressed up camel trek. I didn't even realise that it was on the programme!

T E Lawrence with a two day beard and one of his followers. Looks like he would benefit from some of that argan oil. Incidentally he has been warned about riding motor bikes.

Driving the train 

You can see the green growth of the spring time wild plants many of which were producing colourful flowers of yellow and red. After that bumpy, tricky leg over experience, I am grateful that no-one will ever recognise me. Next we drive up the valley to the village of Setti Fatma where we will have lunch. 

Our restaurant with a view. There is a ski resort up here but I don't fancy the off piste. The Berber people who live up here used to be wholly dependent on agriculture but like the upland dwellers of the Alps, tourism is now responsible for at least half the local economy. 

There are a series of seven cascades up the valley. The largest and lowest is a steep thirty minutes walk with improvised bridges and large rocky scrambles. Without the assistance of our excellent guide Driss and the constant encouragement of the Portuguese girls we might not have made it! We were, of course, at least twenty years older than the next oldest on the hike. 

Pretty knackered but still smiling.

A final shot of in Setti Fatma where tomorrow's lunch is sunbathing!

To close this blog I must say something about the trip. Firstly it was excellent value for money. Our thanks to the guide Driss for his caring concerns and our safety . His talks were interesting and informative and contributed to a memorable day out. 

Of all the gin joints in all the world, thirsty in Morocco 29/04/25

As our Riad is right in the middle of the many souks we don't have any choice but walk through them, daunting though this is. The challenges are multiheaded;  the vendors pushing their wares, the motorcycles constantly weaving through, pack mules, laden hand carts and the occasional ambitious delivery vans. Elbows, toes, ears and pockets are most at risk here. 

These areas go back to medieval times and were basically manufactoring workshops where the same trades clustered together hence the tanneries, the cloth dyers, the tinsmiths, the tailors, etc each had their own locale. Make and sell leads to retail that attracts crowds who are serviced by the eating and drinking outlets. Local people still rely on these areas but, of course now a large proportion are tourists, to whom many of the outlets cater. 

It's not easy to capture the sensation of exploring the maze with a camera but here are my efforts. 

Right in the middle of the bustle there is an oasis of peace and tranquility. Appropriately it is called Le Jardin Secret.  One of the most beautiful palaces in the Medina but everything has been restored between 2012 and 2015. The site previous to the restoration was a tip full of rubbish and unscheduled buildings. The incredible hydraulic system almost completely lost. The lost garden also had virtually no plants. Thanks to the dedication of experts and donations, phoenix-like the gardens and palaces live again to thrill and fascinate. Like all great Islamic architecture it's the relationship of the water, the air and the light that delivers the magic. This first picture is taken from above, looking down on the traditional Islamic garden and across to the second palace.

You can see the green zellige tiling and the bejmat terracotta bricks. This layout has been traditional in Morocco since the C12 and represents heaven. This is why it is a sacred space laid out along strict geometric lines with its four part structure surrounded by walkways and a series of water channels, pools and fountains. The water comes from the Atlas mountains along specially constructed channels and aqueducts. The whole system is gravity fed and needs no external power. The picture below is looking at the reverse of the first 

The second garden is called the exotic garden and has plants from all over the world. 

A small square where the light of day gets the chance to shine down. These are the hand carts that are used for delivering everything from bags of cement to tourists suitcases. 

The usefulness of some objects is not immediately apparent. Anyone suggest what the blue items in the foreground might be for?

Enough on the souqs, after we are living right in the middle of them.