|
So you enter a bizarre but fascinating landscape of wild rock formations, stony plains and the odd green band along a river bed that brings down some humidity from melting snow on the highest summits.
Since the pass we had an extra passenger as some local had run out of diesel on the summit and we gave him a ride to the next gas station. It was pretty long ride because we had to drive about 50 kilometres before we reached the first larger settlement that had a gas station. This was already at the Saharan plateau and from here we drove through rolling hills of stone and dust until we reached another Oued (driy river) that still carried enough groundwater to supply the largest city at this side of the Atlas mountain range, Oazarzate.
We had a quick stop here and then followed the “Route de Kasbahs” north. “Kasbah” is the name for the traditional towns here, consisting of fortress-like buildings made from air dried adobe. These bricks are not burned and therefore sensitive to water. But as it almost never rains on the leeward side of the might Atlas, the buildings only have to be repaired every 20 years or so.
continue >>>
|
