Moroccan Odyssey Day 12

Morocco Day 12: Travel to Erfoud- Gateway to the Sahara

Today was a VERY, VERY long day.  We left Fes around 8 am heading for Erfoud at the edge of the Sahara.  This was going to entail crossing the Atlas and the Antiatlas mountain ranges that divide Morocco.  Our first stop was Ifrane also known as "Little Switzerland".  Built by the French in the 1930's,  it has a distinctive  European ambiance with Alpine-style chalets with sloped roofs, flower gardens, and lots of green space. It is also home to Al Akhawayn University, modeled on American liberal arts universities. Nearby Michlifen hosts  Morocco’s main ski resort.

In the park in the center of Ifrane there is a statue of the last Barbary lion.  The statue was carved by a German prisoner of war who was held in Ifrane during World War II (around 1940–1942).

Adjacent to the restrooms at a coffee shop here was something you don't see everyday in the U.S. (or most places for that matter).

We continued our journey for another couple of hours and stopped at a small turn-out in front of a flock of sheep.

Just behind the flock was a small, ramshckle compound, home to a nomadic family of shepherds.  They graciously invited us into their home for tea and an opportunity to ask them about their lives.

Bedroom

Bedroom

Unmarried daughter

Solar batteries provide modern conveniences

We had yet another brief stop to view some roadside Barbary Monkeys.  They are quite knowledgeable about tour busses, and have no fear of humans (their main source of income).

Lunch was at a roadside bbq that specialized in lamb, but after seeing their ad, we stuck to chicken!

The butcher, Mohammed (big surprise) was a real card, and got us behind the counter to help.

Lunch was actually great.  

Mohammed and I

After lunch we pressed onward passing through Imouzzer Kandar, famous throughout Morocco for its apple orchards and cool mountain climate. The fertile soil and altitude create ideal conditions for apple  growing.  Giant Apple sculptures adorn the roundabouts in the town.

We continued through the Mid Atlas Mountains

passing an enormous reservoir.

As the sun set, we approached Erfoud, the Gateway to the Sahara, nearly 12 hours after the journey began.  The trip was prolonged due to our several stops lasting a bit longer than planned as well as getting stuck for miles and miles behind very slow moving trucks through the windy, narrow mountain roads.

When we finally reached the hotel we were all pretty bussed out!