19th day, May 4th 2023

Aït-Ben-Haddou

Before going to bed, I wanted to buy a bottle of water. The campsite owner insisted that his son, Sami, accompany me. So off we went together. Luckily, because the shop was closed and the vendor only spoke Berber. But in the end, everything worked out fine.

Falling asleep was difficult,  the croaking of frogs in the river below was deafening. Thankfully, they too finally fell asleep around 2 a.m.

Just after waking up, a tray was brought to me with tea and freshly baked bread, still warm from the oven, an omelette sprinkled with spices, and a drizzle of olive oil. A very good start to the day! After a “cold” shower, I got ready to explore the surroundings.

I took the road towards Ouarzazate, then turned south on the P1516 to discover the Fint oasis(https://maps.app.goo.gl/wz4YjPzFS9NTWB6R8). This valley is surrounded by impressive, almost black volcanic rocks. The oasis, just like in the dictionary, is very green, with palm trees and a river running through it. An idyllic setting, and without a single tourist in sight!

While planning this trip, I came across a site near Ouarzazate: the largest solar power plant in the world. Two technologies are used there: traditional solar panels like the ones you see on rooftops back home, and a technology where mirrors focus the sun’s rays onto a point at the top of a tower, creating a halo of light visible from afar.

Having forgotten about this installation, I wondered what that glowing point surrounded by a halo could be, an alien UFO levitating? So I decided to go see for myself. About fifteen kilometres from the town, the Noor complex stretches across several thousand hectares. Unfortunately, visits are forbidden, but the guard kindly allowed me to take some photos - Noor Solar Complex Ouarzazate (https://ouarzazate.city/noor-ouarzazate-solar-power-station/).

I returned to town and stopped for a coffee, or rather, I drank a litre of water. It was 38°C, but surprisingly, the heat wasn’t unpleasant. The air was dry, so there was no sweating. I passed near the Kasbah, but seeing the crowds of tourists and buses, I quickly decided not to go in.

Ouarzazate, the gateway to the desert, is also famous for its film studios where movies like Lawrence of Arabia, The Mummy, Alexander, Sex and the City 2, Mission Impossible, Rogue Nation, not to mention Gladiator and Star Wars, were filmed. A new production is underway, but unfortunately, the studios are closed to the public.

I then headed back to the campsite, refuelled the bike, and stopped in the next village at the Bagdad café for a good coffee.

Back at the campsite, I discovered another motorcyclist from the Netherlands had set up next to me. He’s been travelling by motorcycle for two months. He left his university professorship to enjoy life. After Morocco, he plans to visit Georgia and Armenia... We’ll be dining together and will no doubt share some stories.

Today, I rode 118 km in 3 hours and 5 minutes.