At breakfast we took photos of the dining hall at our hotel Riad Myra. The level of splendour is exquisite with the furnishings, décor and timber panelling of the highest imaginable quality. The three storey main area is surrounded by sixteen high columns each decorated with colourful mosaic tiles.
Dining area from 1st floor, Hotel Myra
Dining area, Hotel Myra
Riads are homes within the medina that were in many cases the abodes of the ultra wealthy. The home is typically hidden behind thick, high and austere walls with the only sign of opulence being the impressive doorways that are usually made from polished cedar and have elaborate brass hinge fittings and door knockers. The main large door often has a second smaller door hinged within it. The smaller door is for everyday entrance whereas the larger one is used only for formal occasions and/or special guests.
Typically within the riad would be gardens, a swimming pool and fountains with no expense spared in the purchase of fittings often from exotic locations.
The cost of maintaining these private palaces has in many cases become prohibitively expensive and as such many riads are now being used as five-star hotels such as the Riad Myra we stayed in. The tariff is eye-watering and as an example of costs, a small glass of red wine cost us 100 dirham or about $16.
We departed the Riad Myra at 09:30 and went southwards towards the Middle Atlas Mountains. After half an hour of driving through the southern suburbs of Fès we entered a rich agricultural area where the dominant produce was stone fruits and vegetables.
Farmland en route from Fès to Ifrane
We then commenced the climb into the more mountainous region and made a stop at an enchantingly attractive village called Ifrane. This is snow country during winter and the tiled roofs are steep to prevent the accumulated weight of snow.
Houses with steep roofs, Ifrane
Park, Ifrane
This village is a popular ski resort centre and is affectionately known by locals as the ‘Little Switzerland’.
A few kilometres south on the P24 highway, we turned off and drove a short distance into the Ifrane National Park, famous for its spectacular cedar forest.
We spent half and hour wandering around under the canopy of these giant and majestic trees. The forest is extensive and the cedars are huge and presumably very old. We attempted to photograph some woodpeckers but these flighty birds were difficult to capture photographically.
Cedar forest, Ifrane National Park
Young macaque in cedar forest, Ifrane National Park
Apart from the magnificent cedars it seems tourists gain amusement from feeding the numerous macaques that hang about the public carpark. These monkeys are famous for snatching drinks, food, hats and even cameras from unsuspecting tourists. We avoided these potential thieves as apart from their robbery skills they are also carriers of rabies!
Then for many kilometres we followed P21 highway south towards Midelt and passed across an extensive rocky plateau with the Middle Atlas mountain range as a backdrop. Elements of erosion over the millenia had created a number of mesas (flat top mountain blocks). This alpine region becomes the summer grazing area for the nomadic Berber tribes with their individual herds of sheep and goats. Their lifestyle is reminiscent of the Mongolian herders we’d met in 2007 except that the Berbers use donkeys and mules compared to the Mongolians’ camels and horses. The nomads have transportable homes that are canvas covered rectangular wooden frames quite different from the gers of Mongolia.
Berber nomads, Middle Atlas Mountains
Berber nomads, Middle Atlas Mountains
We then ventured higher into the Atlas Mountains with a high point of 1946 m above sea-level.
Sheep at highest point of the road (photo taken at 1920m), Middle Atlas Mountains
We continued south and made a ‘stretch the legs’, drinks and luncheon stop at Midelt. This is a comparatively large city which in the early 20th century under the French protectorate became a garrison town. Since then it has gained prominence as the ‘apple city’ of southeast Morocco. Large apple orchard abound and many are partially covered to provide protection to the fruit from the severe frosts that are common in this continental climate zone.
Outskirts of Midelt
Apart from apples, Midelt has shops specialising in fine carpets, blankets and high quality embroidery. The embroidery skills were taught to the local Amazigh women by Franciscan nuns during the protectorate times. Along the roadsides on the outskirts of Midelt one sees ubiquitous canary yellow taxis typical of this region plus stalls selling mineral specimens and fossils.
Proceeding south, further towards the Algerian border had us entering steep gorge regions where artesian water brought up from below a seemingly desert setting provides a basic lifeline for agriculture. Compared to the surrounding hills, this extensive irrigated valley is so green due principally to date palms, olives and other crops. The mountain backdrop behind the greenery had fantastic geological features with folded rock patterns with jagged outcrops and spires of different coloured rock.
Ait Kharrou
Middle Atlas Mountains
Middle Atlas Mountains
Middle Atlas Mountains
Middle Atlas Mountains
Now back down to an altitude of 1200 m we came across the remains of a former Jewish settlement. The town was originally in the form of a city fortress (kasbah) but in the ensuing two hundred years since its abandonment, some of its adobe brickwork has fallen into a chaotic collection of collapsed walls and buildings although the remaining and standing structures suggest a most impressive city exited here in bygone times. The cause of this demise of the Jewish town is subject to speculation these days.
Former Jewish settlement
We passed through a short tunnel and emerged into the Ziz Valley where a dam has been built to collect the snow melt from the Middle Atlas Mountains. A 50 km long lake now exits although at present it is only about one third full. This dam is part of a major government project to instigate further agricultural development in this region. Apart from the dam, there has been a financial incentive offered to farmers to help find artesian water on their land.
Part of lake behind dam
The water table is often encountered by drilling no more than fifteen metres below the existing ground level. These irrigation initiatives offer an attempt to provide new employment and prevent the tendency for young Moroccans to leave the farmlands and countryside and head to the big cities on the coast.
The major irrigation central city is Er Rachidia, a town built by the French in the early 20th century. Since then, it has been a prominent mining centre for gold, silver and copper and is now a military training hub. During former times, this roadway would have provided the path for the merchants from Algeria, Mali and Mauritania to bring their wares north to sell. Remnants of several caravanserai exist in the area around Er Rachidia.
Er Rachidia
Er Rachidia is also recognised as the northern starting point of the Ziz and Tafilalt valley oases. For the next hundred kilometres or more, date palms dominate the green oases adjacent to the road we were following south.
The vast, barren, rocky, sandy and undulating areas away from the green valley are reminiscent of a lunar landscape and were sometimes used as part of the former Dakar Rally before it moved to Saudi Arabia.
Our final stopping point for the day was at the Ziz Valley Hotel where we relaxed with a fantastic evening meal served by very friendly staff.
Ziz Valley Hotel (our room is on the right on the upper floor)
Tomorrow we head even further south and will end the day at Merzouga, practically on the border of Algeria.