Day 2 - Marrakesh to Zagora through the Atlas Mountains

We left Marrakesh early, and set out for the drive south-east over the High Atlas (see map. The countryside started off with quite a lot of green patches and trees lining the road, but quickly got more rugged, with gaunt hillsides and deep ravines. We climbed up to the Tizi'n'tichka pass, the highest road in Morocco. We had a number of small stops for pictures, mint tea and so on. The first major stop was the Kasbah (castle) of Telouet, which was the main power centre of the Glaoui family, who were the main Lords of the Atlas. Their history is described vividly in the book of that name by Gavin Maxwell, who grew up in Morocco - it is well worth reading before you go to get you into the atmosphere of pre-independence Morocco.

Tiles on the main staircase of the Hotel Ali	View of the Demma El Fna Square in the early morning - this is where it all happens!
The terrace at the Hotel Ali - a grey day but good for travelling.	View from our bedroom at dawn
Street scene - donkey, motorbike and palms	Loading up the 4 x 4s (Land Rover Defenders). They were excellent at coping with a wide variety of conditions from soft sand in the desert to very steep dirt roads in the mountains. All the luggage goes on the roof of one vehicle, which accounts for the 12 kg. per person limit on luggage weight
Near Marrakesh there are trees by the road	- and quite a lot of green areas either side
Photostop an hour and a bit out
Tour leader providing some orientation - none of us have much idea of the geography of Morocco
Terracing on a hillside	Street scene in Taddert where we stopped for coffee or mint tea
	A heavily laden lorry starting off from Taddert A fence made from local materials
Watertank on the hillside	feeding the village through overhead water pipes
	First view of Telouet from dirt road
The Kasbah at Telouet	the origins of the Glaoua ascendancy
the main door	The Salle des Tribunales
One part of the kasbah. dating from the 1940s, is still in a reasonable state of preservation	View from the main rooms, with ironwork
Carving	Fine plasterwork
One panel for each of the ladies of the harem	in the ladies' quarters
	More inronwork Elegant marble flooring, leading to the window in the thrid row above
Most of the rest of the kasbah is closed off	and gently decaying
and some is actually falling in	View from the roof
	Display of ammonites by the roadside
and local pottery	Back to the main road again
Lunch stop at Hotel Piscine la Vallee	in Ouarzazate
	The pool - but no time for a swim
Off again to the next kasbah
a rare patch of green	first view of the kasbah atTamnougalt
built out of huge mud blocks
Abdul kindly invited us into his house for mint tea	which has to be poured from a great height
followed by a walk round the village
note the size of the mud blocks. They are made in situe with removable shuttering	held together by stakes through the holes you can see
and you can build huge structures with them	which last for centuries if well maintained
Doorways in the village
	Sunset as we leave to drive down the Draa valley
for a late swim	and supper in the hotel at Zagora
Our bedroom
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