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  1. #91
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    Overland to Morocco.
    Winter 2016-2017



    Stage 18 – Tabesbast to Aoufouss

    Before we left Camping Tizmoutine this morning we were invited by Mohammed and his wife to have a ‘Berber Whiskey’ (Tea) before our journey which we accepted, and during our conversation I asked him about the facilities and their very poor condition……

    It turns out that while they are saving the money to repair/refurbish the facilities there is a WC & Shower in ‘Room 1’ which is a guest room that he showed me and the picture is below, so all is not as dire as it seems……



    Then it was time for ‘Goodbyes’ and back on the road to Camping Hakkou near Aoufouss……



    In the first village (Igli) we came to, just outside is this elevated and quite wide new bridge being constructed over the river……







    As we then took it easy going through the village as there was quite a bit of dust flying around even though there was not much wind……



    With some rather nice looking property along the road…..



    With the old right alongside……



    As we then get to the next part to find a large Radar Warning sign at the side of the road……





    Strange shape but does not look like it is going to be a residence, more like a business premises……



    Then we spotted this new construction that was using a different type of brick that looked to be much better than the grey bricks we have seen on other new property.……



    While directly behind are the hills……



    Anyone for any souvenirs, as this road is one of the main routes for Tourists either going or coming back from trips to the Sahara Dessert……



    Another pair of land boundary ‘gates’……





    Interesting style and shape of house…..



    Then 700meters later and we are back in the scrubland……



    While a little bit further down the road is this shop selling fossils!......



    Interestingly the Street Lights are LED lamps powered by Batteries that are recharged from Solar Panels!......







    While this next village was quite narrow in places to get through……











    How to get a lift into the village centre. Stand in the Bucket of a JCB Digger!......





    Some cultivation outside the village……



    Then in the middle of nowhere is this strange shaped building……



    Turns out as we went past the entrance that it is……



    Next tourist attraction just a bit further on……









    Oops!……



    New water pipe going in over the river, but we could not see any sign of an extraction plant also being installed as we went past……



    A bit further up the road and we see these sand retaining ‘boxes’ made of palm leaves that stop the sand being blown away when the winds kick up......



    Another ‘Fossil Kasbah’ at the side of the road……



    As we then finally arrive at Camping Hakkou and to meet again our friend Ahmed, the campsite owner…..



    Since our first visit here 4 years ago there have been a number of additions and improvements to the campsite……

    The two banks of Solar Panels for energy…..





    With the new restaurant……





    Good night!
    Last edited by XCovlov70; 02-01-2017 at 09:24 AM.

  2. #92
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    Overland to Morocco.
    Winter 2016-2017



    Stage 18A – A sightseeing trip near Aoufous

    We set off this morning to take a trip that had been suggested to us by Ahmed by taking a right turn just after the Fuel Station in the town of Aoufous and following the road which was nearly all tarmac and very little ‘Piste’!……

    So off we went with the following results……
    The road after we turned right involved some ‘Hill Climbing!......



    As the Oasis went along the bottom of the valley……



    As we then reached a ‘T’ junction in the road we turned left then after some further ‘Hill Climbing’ we find ourselves on top of a very large plateaux!……







    That stretched away as far as you could see for……



    While in front we could not believe this sign for a School!…..





    As I then walked away from the School and ‘Flamenco Red’ towards what I thought was a chasm, the ground looked like this when I looked back……



    Then the chasm appeared which was not very deep but went off to my left as I stood with it in front……



    I then walked back to ‘Flamenco Red, got back in and we went further on to a home-made ‘No Entry’ sign and stopped just before, got out and walked past the sign to see down below this sight……

    An Oasis on top of a Plateau with a small community living there!......



    In looking closer at what we thought were Bamboo stalks at the bottom of the previous picture, they are Sweet Corn stems as there was a lot of dried Sweet Corn husks in and around the stems which is one of the crops grown up here in the small plots in the Oasis ……



    While this community have their own Maroc Telecom Mobile Mast!
    I knew it was Maroc Telecom as while there was no other mast around my Mobile Phone was showing me a 100% Signal with 5 Bars! ……





    I think this is the first totally Solar Powered Mobile Mast I have ever seen, while there were two large containers in the enclosure that presumably contained batteries to cover the hours of darkness, the Mobile Comms Control Unit was in a separate box also in the enclosure all at the rear and underneath the Solar Panels……



    The houses of the community.…..







    As we then made our way back to ‘Flamenco Red’ I spotted the ‘Home Made’ Goal Posts on the football field close to the school!......



    As we then started the trip back we realised that we were quite high up, while Ahmed told us when we got back that the community is around 1000ft up, which makes you wonder where the water comes from for the Oasis at that height?……





    Some of the rocks in the walls looked a little bit like they were ready to drop as we came back down the road from the Plateau so I kept as far right as possible!……







    As we eventually returned to the ‘T’ junction we turned left towards ‘Zaount Aoufous’……



    Finding we were entering two small villages that are side by side along the road……





    As the school came up on our left, we tried to go further but found that the road became too narrow, so I turned around and parked by the school.



    We then got out too see these murals on the school buildings that we nearly missed as we drove passed.…..





    As we then continued along the road and came alongside the Mosque I looked back and saw what I thought were rectangular ‘windows’ in the wall in front?……



    But they were just impressions……



    As we then passed this side road and looking down could see how the village is crumbling……



    As we were being watched by this Donkey who was standing on top of a bunch of rocks!......



    Getting to the end of the road as we could go no further we turned around to return and the light was better for taking a few more pictures……



    The coming around the hillside wall, even though it was mid afternoon and the Sun was still very bright, these three ladies were stood around a fire keeping warm as the fire was also heating a large metal container of water!……



    Then we were back on the road to Aoufous……



    As we pass another part of the Oasis......





    We see a large building up on the hillside, which we understand from Ahmed when we got back to the campsite was a French Military Fort from a long time ago, but now completely deserted and falling apart……



    Now on the outskirts of Aoufouss……



    While this is what happened to the Football Pitch after the local team lost their last game!……



    As it is ‘Souk’ day in Aoufous tomorrow we are off for a look at that……

    Good night!

  3. #93
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    Overland to Morocco.
    Winter 2016-2017



    Stage 18B – A short trip on the bikes

    After a nice bit of a ‘lie in’ then breakfast we went into Aoufous to look at the Souk and also for some food shopping as the sky was quite cloudy this morning.

    The Souk however was very busy and while it was really very nice to see all the Berber ladies in their very colourful Berber shawls it was virtually impossible to take any pictures with a large camera, without upsetting someone very badly, so I didn’t bother, sorry.

    As we returned to the campsite it got a bit brighter so we settled for the rest of the morning on the campsite and while lounging around something caught my eye on the ground!......

    It was this Ant carrying a dead Wasp back to the nest……



    While the Ant didn’t go around the small and large stones it went over while holding the Wasp in its mouths ‘pincers’!……



    Then after a bit of lunch and tie to let that settle down we went off for a short ride as the temperature had risen nicely, with some nice scenery to look at as we rode along!……



















    As we rode along the road I could see this group of ladies over on the left sat down around what looked like plastic boxes with a large dark mound in the middle of the group, so being curious off we went to have a look……

    It turned out that they were sorting a huge mound of black olives……



    The Maroc Post Office in the next village along from the campsite……





    Just to prove I was ‘On me bike’ I took this picture while riding along the road, but we were both amazed and stunned by the number of Moroccans both young and old who waved and greeted us as we rode along, it was really nice and friendly which got even better when we stopped for a coffee in a café and when I told the man we were English the first word from him was ‘Marhaba’ which translated is ‘Welcome’!......



    A very old water well that is still in use but now for irrigation and clothes washing water……



    While at the end of the day, the Sunset was a bit of a ‘let down’ which I think was due to a rather high mountain opposite to the campsite and directly in front of the Sun! …..



    Good night!

  4. #94
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    Overland to Morocco.
    Winter 2016-2017



    Stage 18C – Our last day around the campsite

    We start heading North tomorrow as our time is coming to an end for this trip to Morocco.
    So it was a day for doing the laundry and getting some bits and pieces sorted and put away while making sure that the important bits on ‘Flamenco Red’ were good for the journey ahead.

    After completing that lot we were treated as guests of the campsite to a Couscous Lunch by the campsite owner followed once again by a nice Berber Whiskey (Tea).

    Then we went for a short stroll after lunch had settled down to take a look at a water pumping station that was totally Solar Powered......

    In the building on the right in the next picture is the pipework that goes down 80 Meters (240ft) to the water source along with a Diesel Engine as a now back up to the Solar Installation, which consists of 80 Panels rated at 250 Watts that on a good day can produce a lot of power to drive the pump and lift the water up to irrigate the land for the community!……



    The label on the rear of one of the Solar Panels……



    While on the campsite there are 8 Solar Panels again of 250 Watts that drive a Water Pump at the bottom of this well that is 20 Meters deep!

    There used to be an Mains Electric Pump as well as a Diesel Engine Pump that was costing around £4500/Year in Electricity and Diesel Fuel to run the pumps.

    That ‘running cost’ is now £0 using the Solar set up, while the Extraction Pipes for the ‘old systems’ have remained in place just in case there is a ‘problem, while the water is used for irrigation of the arable land attached to the campsite!……



    No clouds = No Sunset tonight, but a rather interesting ‘light’ picture as the Sun went down while Venus is the white ‘dot’ towards the top of the picture……



    Tomorrow see us heading up over the Atlas Mountains, while we are sure there will be some Snow up there and maybe some nice views as we travel along……

    Good night!

  5. #95
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    Overland to Morocco.
    Winter 2016-2017



    Stage 19 – Aoufous to 20Km North of Midelt Part 1

    Quite sad to have to leave Camping Hakkou today as our time came to an end while Ahmed and his family have been very friendly, helpful and exceptionally hospitable, but we hope to return again soon……

    So it was back on the road and Northbound while the run to our next campsite was just over 100 Miles (160Km) it was quite a scenic run, so this stage has quite a few pictures in of just scenery and has been split into 2 Parts, so this is the First!……

















    New Road Bridge so small diversion from the N13 to the N10 near Errachidia……





    As well as the Gendarmerie ‘Check Points’ on a number of roads, you will also see the Army at certain places, and this was one of them……



    We thought this was a secondhand car sales lot!.……



    But as we went past we could see the items for sale, so it was a ‘Saturday Market’ ……



    Entering the outskirts of Errachidia……



    Any more for a lift into town?……



    We think this was going to a BIG House as there were 12 Bed Mattresses tied to this 3 wheeled ‘Docker’ while at one point with the camber in the road it looked like it was going to topple over! But then it might have bounced back up again!!......











    The overflow ramp of the Barrage Hassan Addakhil, while the water level on the other side we saw a little later……



    As another Army checkpoint appears up ahead……



    As we then start the climb away from Errachidia as we used a road to circumvent the city instead of going through……



    The water level in the Barrage which is well down……









    Just pulled into a small layby to go back on foot a few hundred yards for a couple of good pictures!......







    The Barrage showing the full size as it is quite big……



    Back to the layby and on the road again……



    Dromedaries! While we had not seen them this far up in the North East before……



    A little difficult to see in the picture as we could not stop being in a line of traffic, but the Dromedary near the middle of the next picture had a baby Dromedary with her……



























    When you are painting a very LARGE and…. L.... O.... N....G wall alongside the road, then you need a very LARGE Tin of Paint!......





    Another Solar Powered River Water ‘Pumping Station’……



    As we then head towards a small tunnel aptly called ‘Legionnaires Tunnel’……





    We cleared the roof by 0.5 of a Meter!......



    As we then came out the other side……



    While up ahead was the Grey colour of the river bed while on the right of the picture is a swimming pool, cafes and Mosque in an area of a Thermal Hot Spring……



    As we could see a number of people actually on the river bed……



    So we pulled over and went to have a look……



    It turned out that the source of the ‘Thermal Hot Spring’ was in a pool in the river, and it was the time for the ladies to go down and make use of the facility before their time ran out and it then became the turn of the men to go and have a dip in the hot water!
    The Swimming Pool seemingly extracts it’s water already heated from the pool in the river!......



    Part 2 of this stage later……

    Good night!

  6. #96
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    Overland to Morocco.
    Winter 2016-2017



    Stage 19 – Aoufous to 20Km North of Midelt Part 2

    Back on the road from the Thermal Hot Springs……



    We saw some left over snow…….















    While this face of the Atlas was still showing quite a bit of snow……



    Silver Birch trees that looked out of place over here being a silver colour……

























    As we see up ahead an upright pair of poles painted in red and white bands……



    ‘Barrage de Neige’ this is the point with no prior warning that if the barrier is closed you are not allowed to pass as this is over the Atlas!
    Last time we came this way while the barriers were raised, my ‘Thumbs Up’ to the man on the barrier caused him to return to me a ‘Waggle’ of his hand, as we then moved forward and had to keep well over as the snowplough came past on its way back down!
    This time it was a nice clear run up over the top! ……









    As we get near the top we enter the National Park Area with a lot of conifer trees growing……







    Oops! A couple of loose Donkeys, but not at all bothered by the passing traffic……



    Reach the top and start on the descent on the other side to Midelt……











    A couple more loose Donkeys on the way down, but again not bothered by the traffic……



    As we then reach the ‘Barrage de Niege’ on the other side……







    As we then come to Midelt……





    Home Furniture ‘Removals Truck’ while on top is the Sofa……



    Then in the distance we see our next campsite……





    Re-painting the entrance gates……





    The front of the standard accommodation rooms of the hotel, while the ‘Cannon’ was a fake as it was a metal tube shaped like a cannon and filled with concrete! When you tapped it in a certain area the concrete had not filled it properly as it ‘sounded’ hollow!......



    The inside of the hotel restaurant……



    While the ‘camping’ area was undergoing some work to install new water outlets and drains by the pitches.
    There is a significant number of tall conifer trees around each of the pitches……



    The facilities block which was very clean with HOT water in the handbasins and showers……



    While just opposite to the pitch we were on was this small block of rooms that was the superior section of the hotel…..



    With a rather nice traditional outside door.......



    The normal inside door was locked but sticking the camera up against the glass the inside entrance looked like this, while the strange part was that if this building was the superior part of the hotel and supposed to be very calm and relaxing, why did they stick it next to the N13 Route National Road with all the associated traffic noise?……



    Next stage is to Azrou……

    Good night!

  7. #97
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    Overland to Morocco.
    Winter 2016-2017



    Stage 20 – Ksar Timnay Camping to Azrou

    Although we were quite high up at this campsite the temperature was mild overnight, so after a bit of a lie in, then a nice HOT shower followed by breakfast we got ready to hit the road again for the run to Azrou and Camping Euro Emirates!……

    As we came out of the gate of Ksar Timnay the view to the mountains we came over yesterday was rather nice with the cloud lying on top……



    While the mountain range up ahead that we still had to get over looked clear, or so we thought!......





    As we approach the town of Zeida……









    Next town of Oualegh……



    While on the other side of the town is the next Barrage de Niege as we start the climb to over 5000ft!……









    As we then got the ‘close up’ view of the White Stuff!……



    Still see a few Vauxhall/Bedford Trucks (General Motors) on the road over here ……



    A ridge of snow at the top of this hill……



    Houses on the hillside while the only heating inside is by wood fire, and night time temperatures that dropped to -35C!......



    More bed mattresses making a wobbly trip over the mountains……



    As we see more of……..













    As we then came to this shallow lake……





    Then we see some people tobogganing on a small patch of snow!......















    An Auberge/Restaurant specialising in Trout fish dishes……



    As we then get to the Barrage de Niege on the other side……



    As we then come into the town of Timahdite……



    Sports Stadium murals……





    A lot of Storks on the roof of this house! Maybe they had the central heating warming the roof tiles for the birds!......



    While a distance outside the town we see this fresh water outlet that the people who live in the houses on the hillside come to for their water supplies, using the donkeys or horses to carry the large containers of water back to their dwellings……



    The dwellings which were some distance from the water outlet……



    While further down the road we see Toboggans for hire and a couple of snowmen!......



    Then further on again are all these people climbing the hill, but carrying toboggans to slide back down!......













    As we then reach the forest area and the possibility of seeing the Monkeys that live there……





    Just as we get through this ‘delay point’ as the traffic is all over the road while the authorities just let it sort itself out, we see a very large Monkey being given food by visitors, but could not get a picture…….



    Could not even stop to admire the Fossil display as the traffic is still very heavy in both directions!......



    As we finally get to the campsite and start to get set up, we are visited by this small field mouse by the mat of the Camper alongside us.
    The lady in the camper let out a superb ‘SHRIEK’ when she saw the little thing, as it then ran off, but 10 minutes later it was back……



    More of the campsite tomorrow.

    Good night!

  8. #98
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    Big change in the a style of buildings as you get up into the snow areas. Looks a lot more like the homes in the mountains here.

    Did you see signs of the melting snow at the lower elevations?

  9. #99
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    Quote Originally Posted by ssicarman View Post
    Big change in the a style of buildings as you get up into the snow areas. Looks a lot more like the homes in the mountains here.

    Did you see signs of the melting snow at the lower elevations?
    I am not sure if the people in the buildings up in the mountains are Nomads and spend their Summers wandering around the country then come back to the buildings for the winter.

    As we came down the road from the top there was no sign of any excess water in the gullies from melting snow, but as it has been a few days since the snow fall stopped and the day temperature climbed, it might have happened before we came across.

  10. #100
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    Overland to Morocco.
    Winter 2016-2017



    Stage 20A – A day in Azrou

    A couple of pictures of the campsite, the construction of which was funded by the United Arab Emirates around 10 years ago!……



    While the main building does look a bit like Disneyland which is the nickname the local people have given the place......



    As the morning cloud lies in the valley over to the left of the campsite……



    A pair of the campsite ducks out looking for breakfast……



    Then after our breakfast we took off into the centre of Azrou for a look around……





    Even in a row of good property over here a derelict one never seems to get reinstated……



    The streets are quiet as it was before 10:00hrs which seems to be opening time for this town!……



    One of the entrance gates to the Medina, and there are several around the place……





    A mural opposite the Medina celebrating 41 years since the ‘Glorious Marche Verte’ that happened on 6th November 1975……









    ‘It’s been a hard day’s night, and I’m sleeping like a log’……



    Climbed that a couple of years ago, but didn’t fancy doing it again today!……





    Azrou central Mosque……



    Firewood delivery on its way……..



    Sports Stadium with its all weather football pitch……



    Views over the lower part of the town……







    The indoor market, while it was interesting to see a significant number of stalls were not open for business. A bit like a lot of shops back in the UK……



    Interesting Brass door to a smaller Mosque in another part of the town……



    Then as we turned a corner we spotted these ‘Painted Steps’!......





    With this view as we turned back around to go and get some groceries before lunch and then head back to the campsite......



    Back on the road tomorrow to Moulay Idriss and our next campsite……

    Good night!

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