Azrou - Meski (MA) : over the Atlas towards the desert
Azrou - in the Atlas Mountains
N 33°26.011' W 005°13.574'
As we back-tracked the 200 km past Meknes towards the Middle Atlas the sky got clearer, but the air steadily colder. Going over the Middle Atlas at 1900 m the mountain scenery stated to impress with traces of the first snow falls on the mountain tops. It was our first real taste of the Moroccan winter as I had the bike´s grip heating on all the time and our hotel even had central heating.
Meski – towards the desert
N 31°51.407' W 004°16.965'
Going over the High Atlas on a good tarred road with almost no traffic was a dream. It was a pleasure t be able to put to use the bike´s power and agility despite being fully laden going through the many tight curves and long gentle sweeps. The pass itself was not very dramatic, but the views fantastic especially winding down towards the desert plain. The vegetation practically disappeared and gave way to an arid flat expanse of what farther on becomes the Sahara Desert. The next patch of green was the palm groves, almost hidden, in the shallow canyon of the Meski oasis where we camped for the night – totally outnumbered by camper vans, motor homes and trailers. Their number and in some cases exaggeration of all the brought along paraphernalia such as bicycles, carpets, satellite dishes and the chained dog to guard it all made us feel almost uncomfortable and out of place. A walk to the nearby ruins of an adobe town with fantastic views of the cultivated river bed restored the atmosphere of being in a different world and a long way from home.
N 33°26.011' W 005°13.574'
As we back-tracked the 200 km past Meknes towards the Middle Atlas the sky got clearer, but the air steadily colder. Going over the Middle Atlas at 1900 m the mountain scenery stated to impress with traces of the first snow falls on the mountain tops. It was our first real taste of the Moroccan winter as I had the bike´s grip heating on all the time and our hotel even had central heating.
Meski – towards the desert
N 31°51.407' W 004°16.965'
Going over the High Atlas on a good tarred road with almost no traffic was a dream. It was a pleasure t be able to put to use the bike´s power and agility despite being fully laden going through the many tight curves and long gentle sweeps. The pass itself was not very dramatic, but the views fantastic especially winding down towards the desert plain. The vegetation practically disappeared and gave way to an arid flat expanse of what farther on becomes the Sahara Desert. The next patch of green was the palm groves, almost hidden, in the shallow canyon of the Meski oasis where we camped for the night – totally outnumbered by camper vans, motor homes and trailers. Their number and in some cases exaggeration of all the brought along paraphernalia such as bicycles, carpets, satellite dishes and the chained dog to guard it all made us feel almost uncomfortable and out of place. A walk to the nearby ruins of an adobe town with fantastic views of the cultivated river bed restored the atmosphere of being in a different world and a long way from home.
posted by Retobados at 9:47 AM
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