A much easier day today; on the bus at 9am for the one-hour trip, up narrow roads that wound up and up, above lush valleys set amid the stark mountains, to the hamlet of Telouet. At first glance the Kasbah we have come to see, formerly the home (and fortress) of the powerful Glaoua family, looks to be run-down and in disrepair, which is the state it has sadly fallen into since Thami el Glaoua’s death in 1956. But once inside we were exposed to a stunning suite of rooms, all decorated with mosaic tiles and ornately carved doorways, ceilings and windows. It is to be hoped that this magnificent Kasbah will be returned to its former glory before it is allowed to disintegrate entirely.
Then a walk down the hill to the carpet shop, where owner Mohammed showed us a wide array of carpets and rugs painstakingly created by local Berber women. Elizabeth won another heart, Mohammed’s young assistant, who showed her how to assemble a head scarf in Berber fashion. Then back on the bus for the trip back to our accommodation at Ait Benhaddou for an afternoon rest and swim. Later in the afternoon we will go for a walk and see the local World-Heritage-listed Kasbah.
Tomorrow: the long drive through the mountains to Essaouira on the coast, so we probably won’t post a blog tomorrow.
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