Amizmiz & Erfoud.

The television show is ramping up now......I have travelled to the town of Erfoud in the Sahara, about 10 hours drive from Marrakech and near the border of Algeria (see map)... I haven't actually viewed much sand yet... but I do believe it is on its way!.... And Carruthers is readying himself to go to many locations all over the Atlas mountains (see map, nearest town is Amizmiz - pronounced Azmizzzz).
We will be apart for this time....very sad but necessary in order to line the pockets. I will be staying in purpose built camps all over the country, at undisclosed locations and Carruthers will be installing props all over the mountains including Jbel Toubkal which is rather high at 4,167m and has had rather alot of snow in the last week. He'll be taking the Rolls and is sleeping in the roof tent rather than hotels back down the mountain....he says its easier, but I think he's just missing the adventure!
So we may well be out of contact for the next few weeks.... but rest assured when we are back.... we are really back! By this I mean.... we will be shedding the citified pleasantries (or difficulties) that a modern bustling city provides and return to the simple life on the road.... where we are meant to be!

The Fun Bits.....

 

  

Essaouira

Brother Conor & I visited the delightful town of Essaouira on the Atlantic seaboard for a few days of fresh air. The town has a large dash of the colour blue, the tagines are extremely tasty and at a much more agreeable price than Marrakech, the sunsets are sublime and if smoking is your thing, the words 'hassssshhhh' are whispered on the wind all day long...

Marrakech

The Beautiful Atlas Mountains

We have been visiting the Atlas mountains every Sunday on Carruthers' day off.... it is absolutely wonderful and allows a much needed break from the madness of Marrakesh. This is a snap shot of our activities with some of the delightful guests who have been visiting....

Ice for the G&T!

 
Sunday  27^th February

We escaped the city in the Rolls to the Atlas Mountains. These beautiful mountains tower over Marrakech to the South and exude mystery and adventure. From the sometimes swelteringly hot city, one can see the snowy peaks quite clearly, and since it was high time we had some fresh ice for the G&Ts, we thought we would try and find the snowline…..

Ice for the G&T! 

The only way to get some peace and quiet

                 

          

   

     Local tow truck - Carruthers v.impressed!

Kings and Queens of the Tagine

Marrakech is a wonderful place especially if your purse is full of money and you don’t say no too often. You have to learn to be shrewd very quickly and play them at their own game. We went to the tannery in the souk which was extremely interesting and rather smelly, and we thoroughly enjoyed it until afterwards the guide wanted 100DH (10 euros) for a 20 minute tour. Carruthers explained that many people in Blighty did not earn that per hour, but it didn’t sway the guide, Oh no! Begrudgingly we payed him 30DH, which I thought still too much. Oh dear, it seems i am becoming bitter already.

 

We have become Kings and Queens of the Tagine and when we are not eating it at our favorite haunt on Place Djemaa el Fna, we frequently are cooking them on our little stove in the garden of the hotel (luckily we have a ground floor hotel room). We are entertaining guests most evenings, as they seem to follow their noses when they smell the home cooking, hotel food not being what it used to be!

Koutoubia Mosque Minaret

Carruthers and his new girlfriend