Tourism Guide Africa Travel Guide Tourism Guide Africa June issue | Page 23

was warm and welcoming. The place held
a whiff of saffron, cumin and other uniden-
tifiable herbs one   associates with North
Africa.
6
THE HIGH ATLAS MOUNTAINS
North Africa’s greatest mountain
range runs across Morocco from
the Atlantic Ocean all the way to Algeria
and Tunisia. We drove on the highest road
in Africa, 2260m high. Snow covered peaks
rise high into the mist, palm trees and riv-
ers peak through the clouds. Fresh snow
lay on higher ground as we drove by the
picturesque landscape. Snow falls in the
mountains from September to May. These
beautiful mountains are visible from Eu-
ropa Point in Gibraltar, a reminder that the
two continents are a stone’s throw away.
The High Atlas Mountains are a trekker’s
paradise, popular with visitors. Standing
on the mountains one feels the peaceful
solitude and remoteness from civilization.
Little coffee shops dot the roadside where
one could stop and have Moroccan tea and
cakes.
7
AIT BEN HADDOU
A fortified red earth city sur-
rounded by high walls is a tradi-
tional pre-saharan habitat. The Ksar of Ait
Ben Haddou is a UNESCO world heritage
site. It’s a striking example of southern
Moroccan architecture. There aren’t many
inhabitants left in the kasr, but as we walk
towards the top, we come across many
little shops selling local goods, carpets,
colorful Babouche slippers and leather
bags. The view of the Atlas Mountains and
the surrounding valley is simply breathtak-
ing. Not far from the kasr is the movie set
still standing from the blockbuster film the
Gladiator. We hear tales of the cast and
the encounter with Russell Crowe from
the smiling local population. Many of them
acted as extras in the film or served on the
sets in the background.
8
OUARZAZATE MOVIE STUDIOS
The Atlas Film Studios and Cin-
ema museum is worth a visit.
Perched on the edge of the vast Sahara,
named after the surrounding Atlas Moun-
tains the Hollywood of Africa is a filming
site to some famous blockbusters like the
Gladiator, Laurence of Arabia, Cleopatra
and the Game of Thrones. We walk through
old and new sets amidst framed posters
and images of Russell Crowe from the Os-
car winning film the Gladiator. Our Berber
guide patiently took us through various
sets and explained the history of one of the
world’s largest film studios.
When in Ouarzazate it is also worth paying
a visit to the beautiful 19th century palace,
the Taourirt Kasbah which has featured in
many movies including the Star Wars.
9
JEMAA EL FNAA
One of the most active public
squares in Africa, the Main Square
in Marrakech’s Medina Quarter is popular
with both locals and tourists is a hub of
activities for traditional singers, musicians,
storytellers and merchants sell their wares.
The square is under threat of encroach-
ment by the so called economic develop-
ment and modernisation. To protect this
great Moroccan heritage from vanishing,
those concerned about its future set up a
UNESCO project of masterpieces of the
oral and intangible heritage of humanity.
On New Year’s eve we walked with thou-
sands of locals and tourists in the Square,
enjoying the colors, the lights and the
smells wafting from the various local cui-
sines. We had tagine and couscous in
a small local restaurant overlooking the
square while enjoying the New Year fire-
works, the traditional berber music and
songs. We hope efforts would continue to
safeguard and protect these cultural and
traditional spaces of North Africa.
T O U R I S M
G U I D E
A F R I C A
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T R AV E L
10
THE SOUKS IN THE OLD CITY
The souks are a barrage of colors
and smell: dazzling eye catching
intricate handicrafts, lanterns, pots and
pans, leather bags, rich carpets and Berber
rugs, and colorful embroidered babouches
slippers. Fragrance of perfumes and oils
fill the air, a whiff of olives here, a whiff of
lemons there. We savor the smell of spic-
es.  Nuts, apricots, sweet ripe figs and or-
anges overflow from wooden carts. Color-
ful doors lead to local hamams, people
sit in cafes drinking Moroccan tea served
from silver teapots in colorful little glasses.
The souks are a universe in their own right.
There is order in chaos, and the only way
to enjoy this chaos of colors, sound and
smells is to embrace it.
At the souks one quickly learns to haggle
and how to say “no”. To haggle is fun but
exhausting.   It seems to be a   tradition
shopkeepers engage in and eventually en-
joy. At the end of the day, when we were a
little tired, we just agreed to the first price
offered by a merchant. But then he refused
and said we must play the game of bar-
gaining. He took out his paper and pen and
started drawing a chart. And so we played.
The souks are a beehive of activities an
full of life just like Morocco. We felt like
we were walking in a beautiful dream of
the Arabian Nights that have come to life.
Morocco is a vast magical land stretching
from the Atlantic Ocean to the vast Sahara
desert. There is a lot to cover and we hope
to return and explore this beautiful country
some more one day.
G U I D E