Vacation 2011 Day 12 into the Draa Valley

The seventh day of our trek across the Jebel Sahro in southern Morocco began with a crystal clear sky.

We were coming down into the Draa Valley that separates the highlands known as Jebel sahro from the might Atlas Mountains visible, snow-capped, in the distance.

It was a fairly uneventful day and we made camp in the early afternoon in the middle of an undulating sea of rock. Some may call it barren, but for me it is naked mother earth. I have long since given up trying to figure out why it is that I feel most home, safe, and comfortable in an environment of rock and sky.

Off in the distance a little weather began to form.

The land was not completely without vegetation :)

Vacation 2011 Day11 on the way down

I had been trekking in the Jebel Sahro before, and for the last three days we had passed through familiar territory, but from now on it was all new to me. The route mostly followed a high-desert valley downwards.

We passed a small group of camels belonging to a nomad family who had moved back into the high country after having wintered in the warmer lower elevations with their flock.

Gradually more and more ribbons of green appeared, and in this arid country wherever there is green people will have homesites....

Lower still and the signs of humans increase. Eventually we stop at a small store and enjoy warm sodas. Then the tower of a mosque appears, the first since entering the Jebel, a sure sign that we are nearing a road.

The sunset was sublime. Most of the group sat inside the tent chattering, seemingly unaware or indifferent to its beauty.....

Vacation 2011 Day 10 in the high country

As with most mornings during our trek across the Jebel Sahro in southern Morroco I was out of my bag hours before the sun rose.

I sat on my perch overlooking the vast, wrinkled landscape stretching out and watched as the approaching sunrise brought color and shadow back to the world.

Gradually I was silently joined by other in our small group......

It was a fairly uneventful day, passing through no villages just the occasional nomads summer home...

We camped in a basin and so lost the sun early......

Vacation 2011 Day 9 to the highest point

On the third morning in the Jebel Sahro the dawn and sunrise were well worth waking early for.

The first few kilometers of the days hike was through a narrow canyon. We had come here yesterday afternoon to take advantage of the running water to bathe.

As the year progresses the water, originating as melted snow in the high country, will slowly decrease. There probably wont be any more running water till we come out of the jebel sahro.

We had lunch at a small trading post at the foot of a golden escarpment we would climb in the afternoon.

I headed off ahead of the group and started the climb to tonights campsite. Its not that I am unsociable, but for me its hard to enjoy the landscape with people chattering. Also it allowed me to climb at my own pace and not have to keep up.

The views from on top were sublime, so I plonked myself down and sat for the next few hours and watched as the vista laid out in front of me changed with the passing of the sun and clouds.

I knew I would be up before dawn to take in the dawn and sunrise.

Vacation 2011 Day 8 To Ali's Gate

I was so excited to be back in the desert that I slept little so was able to climb to a high point to watch the sunrise....

Mother earth was naked, pure rock with no clothing of vegetation. The homes were built out of the same material and blended in as well as being lost in scale....

As a general rule the Berber do not like to be photographed, but there are exceptions......

We climbed gradually and steadily all day, further into the Jebel Sahro

By lunchtime we reached bab'm ali, Alis gate, two huge outcroppings...

We camped at an intersection of 4-wheel drive tracks. There was a small gite here with a cafe....

Sunsets were as awesome as the sunrises.....

Vacation 2011 Day 7 Into the Jebel Sahro

We were up early and headed off into the Jebel Sahro, the high country between the mighty Atlas Mopuntains and the Sahara Desert. The way took us past small farming villages and abandoned Kasbahs.

We travelled light as the mules carried everything we would need for the next 10 days.

I was so happy to be back in the desert, with rock underfoot and wide open vistas. This was my second time to the Jebel Sahro, but this time we were taking a different route, so some of the country would be new to me...

Occasionaly we followed rough 4-wheel drive tracks, but mostly we followed mule trails..

Every now and then we past a shop... there is no escaping Coca Cola......

In the middle of the afternoon we reached the place we would set up camp and stay the night.... actually "we" didnt set up camp, the muleteers set up camp, and cooked the food....

Vacation 2011 Day 6 Over the Atlas

It rained most of the night in Marrakesh and when we drove south out of town we passed through some flooding. It was grey and cloudy all the way up into the Atlas Mountains and over the pass.

Coming down the other side the weather cleared up a little

But down in the lower country towards Ouarzazate there were sandstorms...

Much to my delight, some of the country was very reminiscent of northern Arizona.

It was a long day in a car and by the time we got to Nkob the light was fading and we settled in to our gite for the night.

Vacation 2011 Day 5 Jardin Marjorelle

In the afternoon the weather brightened up a bit and we went to the Majorelle Gardens.

Jacques Majorelle was a French painter who moved to Marrakesh in 1919 and it was he who designed and created the garden.

Following his death the garden and house was bought by Yves Saint-laurent, and when he died he had his ashes scattered in the garden.

The shade of Cobalt blue used is named after Majorelle.

I'm a sucker for cactii, and there are lots of them in the garden..