Taroudant by horse and carriage

Hello folks, don't think that we have met, but I too live in this tin box on wheels and keep an eye on what these senior citizens  are doing on their foreign jaunts. Every time they change their motorhome, I get a new jumper and a new name. I am Smiler.

 Ok , that's the introductions over with. So what have we been doing so far today?Well, we drove the grand distance of 21kms from our beautiful farm site to park up by the city walls at Taroudant. No camping tonight but an elderly" Guardian" will watch over us for the princely sum of £2. No electric hook up but power from the solar panel for lights and water pump and we always have gas available for cooking. By the way, last night's tagine meal was tender and tasty.

The girls negotiated a good price for a horse and carriage and set off to explore the town and see places that they would have missed on foot, as they were so far away. This evening, when it's cooler,they can walk back to the souks, having some knowledge of what to expect.

This huge square with the beautiful fountains, was once a wild garden area, used by the townsfolk in the cool of the evenings, but now the heat even scorches the stones!!. There are 7 kilometres of city walls, both old and new.

Once again we were intrigued by the beauty of the carvings and colours in the doors.

At last, the arrival of the horse and carriage and away we go. Not a bit like Red Rum!!

There are 11 gates in the city walls, all wide enough for traffic to come and go, but the narrow lanes of the souks were barely wide enough for handcarts.

The old walls, which date back to the 17th century, are in need of restoration in many places

This is the Mercedes taxi repair square. No matter what the age of the car, spare parts can be found or made. This avocado green is the colour for Taroudant's antiquated taxi fleet.

The children leave  school at midday and return again in the evening and the King is so keen on education, that any child who has to travel from an area away from the bus route, is given a bicycle.

 Busy streets

 Fresh fruit and vegetables around every corner ,along clothes and spices. Red paprika, yellow turmeric and white ginger. Also dates, figs and apricots.

 

In the middle of an impoverished housing area, we saw this huge mountain of firewood. Despite daytime temperatures of 36*C it can be quite chilly in an evening. Daphne thought these were antiques but our  guide said, trying hard not to laugh, that they were just dusty!!  This is a skilled silversmith and he is making a pendant out of cedar, ebony and silver which will hang on a thin, leather neck band.

And here is the finished article, with the craftsman or artisan logo on the reverse.Better make myself scarce now and return to  my perch. I just wanted  you to know that there is quite an Intrepid Duck on this trip too!