We left at 9:30 AM and drove a few miles to Atlas Studios, a ready made set for making all sorts of movies that require a desert scene, a Roman scene, a Greek scene, an Italian scene, Egyptian, etc., etc. Complete with 4000 swarthy people that look like Romans, Greeks, Italians, Egyptians, etc., etc.
I am not sure if they make current blockbusters but it sure is convenient to make a low budget movie without horrendous costs. The hour we spent there was a very different and pleasant way to start the day for sure.
There was lot of driving today but in pleasant circumstances and through some interesting countryside ranging from winding switch back roads as we passed over or through the Atlas mountains emerging on the Atlantic side of Morocco for the first time in about a week. It was bit like moving from the 17th century to the 21st century in an hour.
It appears that the coastlines of Morocco, both Atlantic and Mediterranean, are much further developed than the vast interior. It does seem strange to see a young boy riding on a donkey with a load of sticks in the hills while working his Cel Phone!
The rivers or now streams should be tumbling water now, this is spring, but there is a drought and sometimes there is nothing and sometimes a trickle. In the interior, water is life. We can see where there is water from miles away because of that little stream there is a ribbon of green vegetation and that is where the adobe buildings have been built for thousands of years. If the water goes, there goes the people, all over the world.
We stopped for a light lunch at 7000 feet today, that turned out to be a Pizza, boy was that good! At the restaurant we engaged in conversation with six burly bikers, all quite hefty. They were outside, we were inside and speculated on where they were from. It turns out they were from England, very nice chaps, contrary to their appearance and attire.
We did encounter a healthy bit of construction in the mountains today, there is a massive project to straighten out some of the older road curves and make the highway a bit safer and easier to drive. However it does not look like decent guard rails or shoulders are in the budget!
We arrived at a very, very nice hotel in Marrakech at 4:30 which is a decent time and gives us a chance to relax and get cleaned up before dinner. It is nice to be here and quiet as we have very, very busy days. [It is now quiet after the hammering stopped when we booked in.]
In the movie set at Atlas Studios.
In the Pharaoh's Seat!
Outside the studio.
Westerns?
Obviously Egyptian all made of styrofoam!
The real picture is behind us on the hills. A village living in the past.
Another, but with a trace of water there.
Where there is water there is life. Note the small cultivated rectangle, fodder for animals, maybe a cow or donkey. Almost Biblical.
A thread of green along a stream, it should be much larger.
Again, a distant shot of some humans making a life down there.
Gail bartering for a bracelet from a Berber at a view point.
Six Bikers from Britain, six days in Morocco. Cool talking to them.
Some folks still live in those derelict houses. It is home!
Another strip of green, like a miniature Nile Valley.
From the van.
That is a blurry shot of a 13,000 foot mountain, with snow, the highest in North Africa.
The sun was in Fellette's eyes. Taken on the balcony.
Same place, four hours later. What happened to sleepy Marrakech?
Two nights here.
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