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| Kasbah Amridil |
It was Dawn's birthday yesterday, and Abdulah had organised a beautiful birthday cake for her, quite a feat in a place like we were, I wouldn't think he just popped down to the local bakery!
First stop today was Kasbah Amridil dating from the 17th century, in the Skoura Oasis, a Kasbah classified by Unesco. A Kasbah is a safe house, where many members of one family live together, with many rooms around a central area, like a garden. The Skoura oasis was chosen as a rest point for the caravans trading goods from South Africa to the North.
Bricks are either small and easily laid for the finer work, but the large walls were made by using a mould, which was hoisted up, filled with stones, then mud and straw, and when dried and set, the mould was removed. Steps up to the top were uneven and high, to make it hard for enemies to run up them. The distinguishing feature of an old kasbah is that the towers are wider down the bottom than the top, to keep them from toppling! This particular one is actually on the 50 dirham note, and being restored, which is wonderful to see.
The guide who took us through was absolutely hilarious; Reda had a unique style of explaining everything, a fun experience.
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| Our funny guide |
Lunch in Ouarzazate and then onto our village for the night, and a pool again, luckily we had a couple of hours to enjoy it.
We're staying next to the oldest village in Morocco, dating from the 11th century, founded by the nomads on their way to Marrakech: Ksar of Ait-Ben Haddou.
The chief of the village would charge a tax for staying there overnight, but in return send soldiers with the caravan to keep them save until the next village. Being a Unesco site, it is being restored, and was also used for the Gladiator movie, Indiana Jones 3, Cleopatra and many more.
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| Inside Kasbar Amridil |
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