s/v Milly: Sat., Feb. 2, 2018

Ait Ben Haddou,
Morocco

Little boys seemed to be attracted to the company of Samir in every small town we took a walk in. He was so sweet to each of them, you'd think they were his grandchildren. They obviously loved the attention.

Samir, our guide, was an excellent model and teacher of Muslim values. He was very willing to answer questions and explain features of a faith that he obviously valued and abided by but could also see it's limitations.

Charity is one of the five pillars of Islam and Samir was generous not just in tips but in time, attention, kindness and friendly affection to males who greeted him like a long lost friend, even if strangers. Here, there was a gender difference as well. Little girls were not as often among the children who followed us and women definitely were not seen as often, if at all, in the small country villages. They were inside. When visible they most often averted their eyes and avoided looking at us. When appropriate Samir greeted them but respectfully kept a distance. Such interesting but, for me, very difficult gender difference in this society. The few Muslim men who we have felt comfortable asking as well as some of the books I have read while here, ascertain that women are equals in the household, are respected as mothers and grandmothers, own property, run businesses, etc. However, it is hard to reckon this private life to what we see around us in public places. Granted, we are looking through Western eyes but still...

Zagora is the beginning of the Sahara. From here signs traditionally marked distance in camel days. Fifty-two days by camel to Timbucktu. And my legs and bottom told me that an hour and a half was enough!

Another village stop and walk. The mud bricks are drying in the sun. All the buildings in the south are made this way, completely camouflaged by their earthen colour.

Art is not allowed to have images of animate objects - human or animal - in Islam. Hence, graphic design in ceramics, architecture and tiles are everywhere. Simple on these mud plaster buildings but often incredibly intricate on cedar ceilings, for example, or mosaics.

Copper in the earth made the slopes a pale green. They looked like they were covered by a fine moss but nothing grew on them there hills.

A dramatic setting for this kasbah.

Interesting land formations, topped by natural plateaus tipped by copper green.

Ait Ben Haddou, a village so spectacular that scenes of Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator and Alexander were filmed there as well as earning a UNESCO World Heritage Site title. Families still live and work in the old town while the new town is equally ancient looking across the river. Not a castle on the top of the hill but grain mill at the top of the hill the town is built on. When invaded by nomadic Berbers when drought dried up any sustenance, the village inhabitants would protect themselves and their bread making by living within the walls built around the mill. As an aside and as I remember the story told by one of the guides, bread was so valued by the Berbers that any crust that spilt on the earth was picked up by the next person to spy it on a road, for example. This person would place it high on some windowsill or ledge to prevent it being stepped on. This is still done by some - we saw several crusts sitting high above the lanes or roads.