ZIZ valley, souk in Rissani and the desert

This year I was lucky and could spent quite much time in Morocco, mostly in the desert and Erg Chebbi which I like very much. But I was a couple of days in ZIZ Valley, one beautiful place between Errachidia and Erfoud.

I call it for "a small Grand canyon"
because it lies like in canyon
and seems from above as a river
of palms. Incredible view.

 Morocco is full of surprises and also exciting adventures even by shared taxi.  We had a puncture but the driver was good and managed to stop before it happened an accident. After a while he repaired the tire and I could continue to Aufuss there I made friends for life, so to speak.

One part out of the family lived right there in the ZIZ valley, others in Khamlia, a small village in the Erg Chebbi  beyond Merzouga and another in Errachidia. These began I then visit quite frequently, every time I was in Morocco. Wonderful it was to be able to learn more about the life and habits there.

 

 

  

From Aufuss to Khamlia beyond Merzouga is about 2 hours via Erfoud and Rissani, one very nice interesting town with so much to see. Most visiting is souk which is really genuine because it is for locals purpose, not for tourists. There is also weekly animal souk with goats, sheep and donkeys.

I explored the desert between Rissani until Taouz and beyond also in Ouzina village. To explore the whole this area of Erg Chebbi the best would be to have 4x4 but with this car it was a little possible also. There is a tarmac road until Taouz town and some piste is possible by ordinary car, but not everywhere. It takes more days to explore the area around the dunes.

Nice to have a picnic in the desert. We had gas with us and made Berber omelet and "Berber whiskey" - green tea made on Berber way.

Eid al Adha (Eid el Kebir) - Feast of the Sacrifice

 

in Ouzina, behind Taouz

Sand dunes Erg Chebbi are very clean without dust and have they a wonderful color, which changes from orange to gold, red to yellow, but also grey to white when the weather is changing, and the storms is coming.  They are on the plateau with small black stones called Hamada.

One day we were also going into sand dunes and baked Berber pizza, it was funny event and very good pizza also, and drunk Berber tea.

 

 

 

I might elicit different events like floods or at least any accident but I was clumsy and jumped wrong on the ball when I was playing with some children.  I slipped on the ball as well and heard and felt a piercing sound from my foot. It made terrible pain so that I was almost faint, but overcame me.

However, the next morning I could hardly walk so I went to Rissani to doctor. He x-rayed the foot and said it's a small fracture and plastered it. But I could not walk at all, not one step I could do and because in two days it was time for me to go home so had to ask doctor to remove the plaster and add just bandage on. I managed it all the way home, I went to the doctor and it saw out alright so I could have only bandages on, so I was happy to avoid plaster.