Published: 29.02.2020
Yesterday I was thinking a lot about begging. It's not surprising, since people with tourism naturally get a glimpse into an unknown world for them. And who doesn't strive for money? The Berber people in the High Atlas live very simply. They can grow some things, have water, electricity often through solar power, no electrical machines, or rarely a tractor. The donkey dominates here. They collect wood for heating. Laundry is washed in the river. For us, it may seem idyllic, but I believe it's a damn hard life. After leaving the high mountains yesterday, we continued through a hilly landscape that often reminded us of Greece, until Kasba Tadla. Nothing special, just for refueling. For shopping, we went to Benni-Melall. Here, there was once again a proper supermarket with an alcohol license. The department is separate and it was Friday evening. Unbelievable what was going on there. No tourists, only young local men and me, the grandma in the middle. At the cash register, a staff member took me aside and made sure I was quickly checked out. An experience worth it. In the morning still in poverty and tradition, in the evening in a city striving for a Western lifestyle. Alcohol is actually not compatible with faith, but there are large plastic bags for that. On the streets, we even saw a woman jogging with a headscarf, we also saw cyclists. By the time we got past the hustle and bustle of Benni-Melall, it was already dark. So, for once, we drove about 40 kilometers in the dark until we reached the Bin El Oudane Dam. Thanks to the app, we soon found our overnight spot.