Monday 7th January 2013

Last Friday was my first full day back in Morocco, Nigel had found a much nicer campsite than the one we were at before Christmas. My throat was quite bad during the night (wish I’d had some strepsils!!!!) so we decided to not rush anywhere today. We got packed up mid morning and set off towards the big supermarket to stock up for the next couple of weeks. We also needed to get some fuses for the MH as two of the 12v sockets had blown not to mention a third deodorant for me in as many days!

The supermarket in Marrakech is vast and by the time we had found all we wanted it was lunchtime so we had a bacon sarny in the car park…yum yum! After finding out that despite the size of the place the auto aisle did not have any fuses at all, Nigel walked to the local Mr. Brico but they had none either. Eventually we got hold of a couple from a Kia dealer whose mechanic fished a couple out of his pocket and was quite satisfied with the 20 dirhams (about £1.50) we offered him. Now we were able to use Tom Tom again but as it was  approaching 4 o’clock we thought we’d stay in Marrakech another night rather than arriving somewhere unknown in the dark.

Comfy seating area next to our pitch
So Saturday morning we set off for the Cascades D’Ouzoud, 170 km northeast of Marrakech. Not a pleasant journey with some very bad road surfaces, however we were delighted when we arrived at Camping Zebra, one and a half kilometres from the cascades, to find a lovely campsite owned and run by a Dutch couple.
Conference area, planning meeting postponed!

On the way up this valley we were amazed to see almond blossom on the trees in January!
Almond blossom
No idea what these pods are but very pretty
Will have to ask the owners
On Sunday we had a domestic day, washing, tidying etc and Nigel went for a brief recce on his bike in the afternoon. He found the cascades but was sorry to find it surrounded by all the usual souvenir stalls that we have come to dread. On his bike he could whizz past quickly without being hassled!
We decided we would walk down to the falls on Monday with the dogs. It was an easier walk than I was expecting, not too steep and the views were very worthwhile. On the way down we saw the olive harvest taking place but again people here don’t like their photographs being taken. Men were up in the trees hitting branches with long sticks and the women were gathering the fallen olives and putting them into sacks. Laden donkeys were taking the olives off to be processed.

Edge of the falls
I was standing next to the tree on
the left in the previous shot!
Permanent rainbow caused by the spray
From part way down
Barbary Ape, glad of a brown banana
in Nigel’s rucksack
It was a good afternoon out and an enjoyable walk with lovely views Back at Camping Zebra after our showers and a rest, we ate an evening meal in the restaurant, pancakes filled with chicken and with a lentil sauce and lovely crunchy almonds on top. Very filling!


Spot the baby!