agdz to boumalne dades (via skoura)

tuesday: had a nice aft. yesterday, scooted to town for supplies and then around the old village
and palmeraie. (didn't use pen and tim's bikes in the end, as they said quite dusty cycling, and we
needed shopping = scoot better for that).
they were right!, it was very windy, and extremely dusty, we felt we were sandblasted on the ride
back....but it was nice to get out on the bike and have a whizz around : ) the town wasn't the best
for fruit and veg, but we managed to get most of what we needed....
when we arrived back at the site a huge (20+ vans) french tour had arrived and filled the palmeraie
completely, it was super busy!
up pretty early today as have our kasbah tour at 10am (MT), and then wanted to get onto the road
sharpish, as a long drive planned.
because of the number of vans at the site there was a power cut all am, so we did our toast on the
griddle again! (v. lucky we have it!!).
we met our guide, the great grandson of the last overlord, 'king', of the kasbah, and two germans,
by the pool as planned, and then set off with tim and pen for a look around the palace, which was
right next to the old village we had scooted around yesterday.
the whole place is being renovated, slowly, by volunteers and is coming back to life. it was nice
to wander around in an intimate group, and see how the moroccan's used to live long ago.
the design of the building keeps both people, animals and their food supplies cool during the long
hot summers. there were lots of small sleeping rooms, some for winter use and others for summer,
plus numerous meeting/sitting rooms throughout the building, also terraces at each level - all with
great views over the town and palmeraie - that were used by guards - and sometimes for outdoor
sleeping, etc. it was a really beautiful place.
we got back to the van after about an hour, and after saying goodbye (again - hope to meet up one
more time maybe?) to tim and pen, got straight onto the road.
first headed to skoura, about 2 hours away. its at the start of a pretty large oasis, but when we arrived
the campsite was a bit uninspiring, very exposed and empty, so as p not too tired we decided to press
on to boumalne dades, another hour and a half away, at the start of the dades gorge.
it was another beautiful drive, firstly through a desert like landscape, where we stopped for lunch by
the side of the road; it was completely devoid of life, and there was no noise at all! - amazing.
after that the landscape changed and we drove partly into the gorge....valley's filled with trees and
bright green fields....we had passed a lot of rose distilleries on the way, but couldn't see any rose
bushes?? (apparently they grow in another valley....).
we arrived to find a lovely small site, camping ait oudinar, attached to a hotel/restaurant.
we parked up by the small river, and as quite late popped straight inside to check internet! as no signal
at all in the van....plan to stay here for a couple of days, get the scoot off and explore....its a bit cooler
as we are higher up, but amazing scenery!