We made stops at a couple tourist spots including a cafe and an argan oil place that seemed more about kickbacks for the tour company than interest by tourists. Oh well...
Then we arrived at Ait Ben Houdda Kasbah (village). It is a UNESCO world heritage site that is an example of an old Berber village.
I knew it was a mid-day stop and the light for photography would be flat so I had asked about stopping off the tour and picking it up the next day. They said this would be fine. Meet in the same place tomorrow, no ticket required. I arranged to stay in a hotel (only 250 Dinhars (25 Euros or $30) including dinner and breakfast. Then I enjoyed exploring, seeing some local sights, and catching the kasbah in the setting sun.
The next day I waited around to catch up with the next day's tour. As near as I can tell, it never came. Hmmm... Stranded in Morocco with my plane leaving the next day? That wouldn't be good.
So I hopped a "grand" taxi. After a bit of discussion the taxi driver suggested I would be better off (it would be more relaxing) to catch a ride to Ouzazate and there a regular coach instead of the informal busses that cruise from town to town (I was impressed with myself for having conducted this conversation in French!). So I paid 100 dirhams (€10) for the 40 minute cab ride. The bus ticket cost only 60 dirham (€6) for the 4 hour ride back to Marakkesh on a nice large bus. It was a rainy evening in the Atlas mountains and the bus seemed to leak from every window. But after 4 hours we arrived safely in dry but chilly Marakkesh. It was nice to be back in familiar territory and I treated myself to a nice dinner (salade nicouse and seafood patisse).
The following morning I was off to the airport, a flight direct to Lyon, the bus Grenoble, and the tram home.
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