Morrocco Day 4

This morning weheaded south to Ouarzazate where we visited the NGO, Horizon Association for People with Disabilities. Services include Occupational therapy, custom made prosthetics, Physiotherapy, education and artesnal trading. They prefer donations to be made online as they will be matched dollar for dollar by the Intrepid Foundation..

Ouarzazate is known as the Mollywood of Morrocco where movie making facilities are centred.

Scenes from outside the bottle shop where we stocked up for the trip to the desert.

Beautiful door.....this could be a theme in my next photo book.

Teriq, our guide, purchased Moroccan sweets for everyone. Delicious, almond and honey.

A short drive later through a barren, rocky landscape we stopped for a picnic lunch under some palm trees. 

The lower Atlas Mountains are not as tall as the High Atlas Mountains and made of layers of sedimentary rock.

Turban shopping preparing for the desert.

Meredith gets her head gear on.

Lots of lovely rugs and jewellery for sale.

The Draa Valley, over 1000 kms of fertile date groves.

The meeting point for Caravans crossing the desert to Timbucktou, 52 days by camel.

Then followed the long drive to Zagora, a small oasis town in the lush Draa Valley on the fringe of the Sahara. After a refreshing dip in the pool we went for a tour of the date groves. 

There are thousands of them. It's harvesting time and we were able to taste several different varieties. So fresh and sweet. 

Aqueducts irrigate each family's plot.

Harvesting time

Doorways lead into individual plots.

Even the Morrocans are on the Doggy bandwagon.

Alfalfa is grown amongst the dates to feed the animals.

Heading back to the hotel.

Another door for the photo book.

Our hotel is lovely!