Saturday, 10 September 2011

My Morocco Diary - Drive to Merzouga via Rissani

Day 6: Drive to Merzouga via Rissani
Our drive followed the meandering Ziz River towards Rissani, the last sizeable community and the end of the vegetation belt before the dunes of the ‘Sand Sea’ begin. The settlement is the homeland of the Alaouite dynasty, which reigned in this region for 300 years, and this morning we visited the founder’s Mausoleum and explored the local ksour (fortified villages). 


A delicious Moroccan pizza
For lunch we had what can only be described as a Moroccan pizza. The meat filling was tasy and well seasoned and we coulnd't really get enough. The dish was an obvious favourite for local as boys carrying piles of these Moroccan pizzas made deliveries to local businesses. (pic below) After lunch we then drove on to the settlement of Merzouga, which lies on the edge of Erg Chebbi, an area of spectacular high dunes that are amongst some of Morocco’s most spectacular natural landscapes. 


Did you know? The word 'erg' is Arabic for 'great sand dune area'.
Many people imagine the Sahara as an endless sea of rolling golden sand dunes, they actually cover only about one fifth of its surface, the rest being covered by vast rock and gravel plains. 
A bedouin camp in the Sahara
Tonight I will be spending the night in a bedouin camp (see pic above) in the desert in a traditional Berber-style tent giving me the opportunity to truly appreciate the captivating tranquillity of this desert setting, that is if the lads on their bikes leave!




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Location: London Merzouga, Morocco

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