We spent last night at the Guesthouse Yasmine in Merzouga, the only lodging in this area that’s right at the edge of the Sahara; it’s nestled among the dunes of Erg Chebbi, the largest sand dune in Morocco. Unfortunately, we couldn’t fully appreciate our surroundings due to an unrelenting sandstorm that lasted well into the night.
I woke before dawn to a riot of bird song, and was drawn outside to see the sunrise. Outside among the tall dunes that surround our guesthouse, there was a blissful calm with not a breath of wind. The sand was a soft beige at first, then the sun crept above the horizon and ignited the dunes into brilliant shades of orange, pink and crimson, their silhouettes superimposed behind one another, a constantly shifting and shimmering mirage of haunting beauty.
A camel caravan returned from a morning outing, and Berber men in cobalt turbans and robes offered fossils for sale that they'd dug from remote dry mountains during the hot summer months.
I woke before dawn to a riot of bird song, and was drawn outside to see the sunrise. Outside among the tall dunes that surround our guesthouse, there was a blissful calm with not a breath of wind. The sand was a soft beige at first, then the sun crept above the horizon and ignited the dunes into brilliant shades of orange, pink and crimson, their silhouettes superimposed behind one another, a constantly shifting and shimmering mirage of haunting beauty.
A camel caravan returned from a morning outing, and Berber men in cobalt turbans and robes offered fossils for sale that they'd dug from remote dry mountains during the hot summer months.
After checking out, we drove several miles back across the sand and rock hardpan to the town of Erfoud, stopping at a factory that processes rocks with fantastic fossils embedded within. A few miles further, in the town of Rissani, we found a very active souk (market), attended by locals and held just one day per week. Many women here in this part of Morocco wear long gauzy black robes with colorful embroidery, which they pulled over their faces when they saw us approaching.
A small cluster of women patiently sat outside a darkened stall, waiting their turn to be treated by a healer, who was letting blood from the backs of two women’s necks. This process is thought to heal a variety of ailments, including headache, stomach pains and arthritis. He shaves a bit of hair at the napes of their necks, then draws the blood out using his mouth with a long thin brass tube.
Many varieties of dates are for sale here, along with furniture, clothing, cookware, meat, rugs, fossils, beautiful Berber jewelry & decorative pieces. We bought tooled metal perfume dispensers – used by Berbers to scent their homes just before guests arrive. Our driver Tahar stopped at a butcher’s stall, where he ordered a “Madfouna” to be made for us, it’s a traditional specialty made only in this area, a stuffed pizza with almonds, egg, meat, olives. He also ordered an extra one and a bag full of tripe, for the men he’ll be sharing a tent with this evening at our camp.
A small cluster of women patiently sat outside a darkened stall, waiting their turn to be treated by a healer, who was letting blood from the backs of two women’s necks. This process is thought to heal a variety of ailments, including headache, stomach pains and arthritis. He shaves a bit of hair at the napes of their necks, then draws the blood out using his mouth with a long thin brass tube.
Many varieties of dates are for sale here, along with furniture, clothing, cookware, meat, rugs, fossils, beautiful Berber jewelry & decorative pieces. We bought tooled metal perfume dispensers – used by Berbers to scent their homes just before guests arrive. Our driver Tahar stopped at a butcher’s stall, where he ordered a “Madfouna” to be made for us, it’s a traditional specialty made only in this area, a stuffed pizza with almonds, egg, meat, olives. He also ordered an extra one and a bag full of tripe, for the men he’ll be sharing a tent with this evening at our camp.
We almost bought a donkey this afternoon! We'd come upon a boy sitting on his donkey and as Deborah walked over to stroke the animal, I snapped a photo. The boy shook his hand at us and said “No photo!” but Tahar convinced him with a small tip. After we took our photos, Tahar joked: “OK, great, now we’ve bought a donkey!” and began to lead it off. At this point, the boy’s father suddenly appeared and angrily chased after Tahar, shouting in Berber because he thought we really were taking away the family donkey, an extremely valuable asset to the Berbers. It took quite awhile for Tahar to explain and calm him down!
After lunch, we drove to the tiny remote Berber Village of Khemlia, where we were served mint tea and treated to a performance of traditional Gnaoua Trance Music and singing.
Then we headed off road again into the dunes (this is not a route that tour buses can navigate!). Now we’re really in the Sahara, red sand rising like peaking ocean waves ahead.
We arrived at our bivouac camp, a cluster of peaked white tents with a larger dining tent at one end; the sand between them covered with big colorful Moroccan rugs. Mint tea was served but the desert wind had begun to blow fiercely once again and sand was blowing in all directions (yes, just like in the movies!) Nevertheless, we had a lovely dinner, prepared in tents hidden behind a tall dune and served by blue-clad Berbers, and were entertained by a group of Gnaoua trance musicians in white robes, drumming and plucking ancient string instruments and singing mesmerizing songs of their people. I fell asleep to the sound of the wind luffing the walls of my tent and the soft hiss of blowing sand.
