Ait Benhaddou has been in the Moroccan landscape since at least the 11th century. The city was important because it was on the trans-Saharan trade route from Marrakech to the east, offering a fortified tribal village as a place of refuge for the camel caravan. The new French road built over Tichka Pass in the 1900s led to many families leaving the town for more prosperous areas. Now only a few families live in the kasbah and earn a living from the valley's agriculture (date palms) and tourists. Entry is through a gateway and one can follow a network of lanes uphill, eventually arriving at the granary on top, which offers a great view over the surrounding desert. The buildings are of the mud clay from the riverbank. Typical of Berber towns, many walls are beautifully decorated with bold geometric designs. When we were there, the stream was almost dry and could easily be crossed; however, in winter, snow-melt increases it to knee-depth.
"To love another person is to see the face of God" - Victor Hugo
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