Overland to Morocco.
Winter 2014-2015
Skoura….an afternoon stroll!
After another cold night when the temperature in the ‘TinTent’ dropped to 0C after a bit of a lie in to warm up and then breakfast we needed to get a pile of washing done, so having then sorted that out it was nearly lunchtime! After which as it was only a quick sandwich we decided to go for a stroll down to the river, then along the river bed & up through the Palmerie, then into Skoura ….
As we get to and look across we see the Kasbah Amridil which appeared on the old 50 Dirham banknotes….
As we then turned right to walk along the river bed which at this point must be over 100 Yards wide and not a drop of water insight, it seems unreal that less than 2 months ago the water was flowing at a depth of 3 feet and was from one side to the other!
Karim has a video of the event, which he tells me is fairly regular in December, while the flow was very fast….
Since last year the wall which is on both sides of the river has been built….
Which is not quite finished….
As this concrete buttress has been built to channel the river flow away from a vehicle/pedestrian crossing which is used when there is no water flowing….
While just behind the wall is this land which was part of the Palmerie and is now being re-claimed for agriculture….
Then we pass the old ‘Sink Holes’ which were used a long time ago for irrigation …..
And are quite deep….
Continuing along the path we enter the Palmerie...
With another irrigation channel alongside the pathway…..
While on both sides of the pathway are areas that have been cultivated for agriculture….
As we then come to this rather forlorn and collapsing old small Kasbah (Family Home) with its intricate design on the tower that look like it is ready to collapse….
As we then move closer….
Then inside the outer wall…..
This looks like it might have been the main entrance…..
While this rear doorway as we go inside…..
Leads to a set of steps which I would like to have gone up but did not look safe, so as I currently need both legs for this trip I decided to leave out and stay on the ground….
While another doorway which was still in possession of the steel door, led to a number of rooms on the ground floor….
As we then move on I look back and wonder how long before a small part of the history for this place disappears?
While I nearly step into this small irrigation channel with rather fast flowing water in!.....
As we follow the water we come to this manmade concrete section….
Then it was out of the Palmerie and onto the main road that goes past the village to Dades Gorge one way or Ouarzazate the other….
The heading into the centre we stop at a Café for coffee. As we sit at the table my good lady asks me to look at the Red Van directly in front of us as ‘something BIG is moving around in the front!’…..
I cannot believe my eyes!…..
As I take a mouthful of coffee and the caffeine hits the spot….
I then look back up and see…..
I did wonder if the Cow is ‘presented’ as the ‘Driver’ if they go through a Radar Trap?
While off to our left while still sat in the Café we finally get to see a proper ‘Truck with Beds’ as this delivery waits for the driver!
After some ‘people watching’ which was nice and relaxing it was time to head back to the campsite, and on the way we see this man in the process of splitting the trunk of a Palm tree….
As we then go across this small bridge and see that the main section is made from sections of Palm Tree Trunks….
Then a bit further along we pass another Kasbah Tower with more intricate designs in it….
Not long after the Sunset arrives, so I get up on the Terrace to watch the colours change…..
A view looking 180 degrees the other way…..
As I then climb down and head back to the ‘TinTent’….
Last day here tomorrow but not sure yet what we will be doing!
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