All “Top Ten’s” require some kind of physical activity. Skiing in Morocco was suggested. Sure!
It was only 42 degrees the day we went through Marrakesh. Surfing sounded a better option but it was unseasonably
windless and waveless in Essaouira, so that’s off the list too! What did we do then? Climb a jolly big yarma in the High
Atlas, that’s what…
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| Heading up & down and up & down... |
After leaving Ait Benhaddou, our little bus gamely tackled
the giddy heights of Tizi n Tichka Pass (lovingly referred to as Chicken Tika
at 2260m) before turning off into the Toubkal region to the town of Imlil. Here we mounted our sturdy mules (or walked)
45 mins uphill to the Gite Imin Tzikert, happily situated on the banks of a
seasonal river (snow melt, darlings!) at Aremd.
The mountains seemed to surround us, as did the muezzin’s evening call
to prayer as it circulated round valley mosques. Our host, “Tagine” Hussain made us feel most
welcome with mint tea served on the terrace in full sight of North Africa’s
highest peak, Jebel Toubkal. The family then
fed us grandly with olives, couscous, tagines, plenty of fresh bread and local
fruit. We needed our strength for the
trip up into the mountains to the Sidi Chamharouch Shrine next morning.
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| There was movement at the station.....whoa there boy! |
Had GS realised that Guide Hammid was to walk us uphill for 2 hours, perhaps she would have eaten less for dinner. Actually, we did well ascending in the early morning cool. We sipped tea at the shrine, imaging ourselves to be the only foreigners at this tiny mosque famous for driving off bad djinns. Later, we walked down to the Gite (lunch was waiting), hurrying passed crowds struggling uphill in the heat. Refreshed we made our way downhill to Imlil passing a woman singing the praises of Allah at the top of her voice as she bumped upwards on her mule. We just wanted to see Moulay and our mini bus – no more walking!! For a few hours at least.
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| Shrine of Sidi Chamharouch (the top for us) |
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