0096 The Lion Face Mountain (Mor 007—new)
At 7 AM we were off to Tafraut--riding a grand taxi through twisted, tortured one lane highway up the mountains. I enjoyed the little villages tucked into the mountains with their terraced farm plots. Back in 98 I traveled this route with an English fellow to see the fantastic Si Hamid o Mussa Moussem (Moroccan Carnival). I vividly remember the sight: after miles of a desolate, barren landscape, suddenly crossing a ridge and seeing this sprawling oasis bursting with life... tents, performers, musicians, men on horseback racing and firing guns (the old "fantazia" tradition), folks selling everything you can imagine--from sheep to magic potions... It was a scene straight out of the Wild Wild East.
Anyways, that was another story...
Today we're headed to Tafraut, and we are not to be disappointed.
Youssef and I immediately set out to explore, climb and clamber about. Youssef went a little picture crazy, thus I've got more photos of Tafraut than anyplace else. A mile or two to the south we discovered another cool town: Aguerd Oudad with beautiful mansions built in the shadow of a majestic butte. My guess is these homes belong to folks who have worked in
But not all folks here are prosperous--women in black (typical for Tafraut) still carry jugs of water from the wells up the steep hills.
After exploring Aguerd Oudad, we headed back to Tafraut and stopped by a small restaurant for the best beans and brains I've ever had--I'm serious! They were delicious! It's the place on the left right before you reach the bridge as you leave the grand taxi station, if you ever go there.
Afterwards... "Let's climb a mountain" I suggested... so we did.
We picked an interesting looking peak to the west of town and started the ascent. The climb was a little bit of a challenge--but mainly just fun. The boulders were very rough, allowing you to get a good grip--but likewise pretty nasty if you fell! Along the way we had to crawl under a massive boulder lodged in a crevice... climb through a cave and out a hole on the other side... and finally to the peak...
I figured I had the right to name the mountain. Decided to call it "Jbel Kamanja" or "
Far away we could see the famous “Lion Face” a stunning natural carving in the mountain.
Tafraoute with its amazing rock formations is definitely a cool place to explore—different from what I’m used to seeing here in
