Morocco's Southern Coast

Today we drove along the coastal road from Mirleft heading back into Tiznit. The land along this Atlantic coast is rugged, almost uninhabitable, rocky, and windswept. A vast majority of the people here are Berbers of the High Atlas mountains and they much prefer communicating in Berber than in Arabic or French.


Even though I am now approaching the southernmost regions of Morocco, and I expected it to be unbearably hot, the weather here is very mild. Since we are in the mountains and near the Atlantic coast, mist, fog and cool air are the order of the day.


Here is one of the spectacular views of the High Atlas I was able to photograph on our drive:

Have you ever heard of argan oil? If not, it's probably because this tree only grows in the Sous valley of southwestern Morocco (where I am currently traveling) and in the Tindouf region of Algeria. However, the grains inside the fruit of the argan tree produce the most delicious oil I have ever tasted. The oil has an orange hue and is very light. It is highly valued as a cosmetic product, butit is also used in preparing a local treat called amalou, a mixture of honey, almond butter, and argan oil. Here is a picture of some homemade amalou (on the left) and a picture of argan oil (on the right:

  

You can dip bread into amalou or just in pure argan oil. It is very tasty!

In this picture that I took as we drove through the Sous Valley, you can see argan trees scattered everywhere.

 Here is a link I found to a slideshow from the New York Times about argan oil.

And here is a link to the Wikipedia article about the argan tree.

The Sous Valley, and indeed all of the High Atlas mountain region, is very remote. People live in what are called douar, small villages of just a few families who tend flocks of goats and sheep, cultivate small gardens for their own sustenance, and produce argan oil for sale at market. I wish I could show you pictures of the people in these villages, but they do not like to have their pictures taken. Here is a picture of a small douar with a few homes, a stable, and a high enclosing wall:

Once we got to Tiznit, we went to the local marketplace or souk to buy items I could bring back to show my students and as gifts for friends. Tiznit is well-known for its silver jewelry --- a tradition dating back to when there was a thriving Jewish community here. Here is a short film clip to show you the ambiance in the souk:

As you watch this short video, the drum-beating that you hear is a wandering music ensemble that are visible in the clip, but they are way at the back of the market. They perform for money and add to the fun and chaos of the market.