After the departure of our visitors we had the most horrible weather we have encountered up here. Constant heavy sleet, thick fog and whipping icy wind non stop for three and a half days. It felt winter had arrived in force. It saps all inclination to do anything. School is extra hard work as the kids can't set foot outside all day.
The following weekend we woke up to clear skies and warm sunshine. Just as we were thinking our weekly planning day in school wasn't looking so inviting, I answered the phone to Zaid, one of my 6 year old students. Apparently he had been pestering his dad for the previous two hours to let him call us to invite us out hiking. Thankfully his dad being the conscientious man that he is let his son's teacher enjoy a bit of a lie in on a Saturday morning before letting him phone. He and his dad go out walking most weekends and knew we were keen to explore the area. Although we are surrounded by open countryside and forest it is really hard to know where to go. Is it okay to just hike off into the hills or are we likely to encounter some aggressive shepherd, rabid dog or grumpy donkey?
We set off in Nicholas, Zaid's dad's car. From the minute we set off to when we arrived 20 minutes later Zaid did not stop talking to me sat in the back. His dad was highly embarrassed at his overexcited son and apologised profusely. Thankfully Zaid is one of those refreshing kids that you're always happy to be around, even when he doesn't even stop talking long enough to breathe.
On the way to the hike we pulled off the road at a rustic Berber camp. Nicholas had been giving clothes and toys to a family out there for a long time. One day when driving past the ramshackle make shift home made of rocks, hay bales and plastic sheets, Nicholas said to Zaid how little the people living there had. They decided to raid Zaid's room and go back with any unused clothes and toys. They now stop by regularly to drop off baby clothes for a new baby. These people eke out an existence from the barren land, have no access to school and live through extreme heat and bitter cold. It was so nice to see something positive being done for people who really need it.
Further on, in the middle of nowhere, Nicholas pulled off the side of the road and parked in the scrubby grass. We then set off to visit a place Zaid had talked about a lot in class. Ifrane and the surrounding hills have a lot of volcanic history. They led us down around scree piles and through a forest into a big collapsed crater known as Foxhole. Now ringed with trees around the rim and lined with grass, walking the flat interior was so peaceful. Sheltered from the bitter wind and surrounded by the calls of birds we walked in waist high grass across the 200 metre hole. Ancient cedars can be seen towering over the rest of the trees. Sadly these enormous old trees are dropping like flies and we passed a few of them recently laid out flat, shallow roots failing to keep these old trees upright against the battering Middle Atlas winds.
After crossing the crater we hiked up the other side. Even the steep hill didn't stop Zaid talking. That boy could out walk and out talk anyone else his age. Thankfully he has been brought up to be a really lovely kid and his observations are highly entertaining. Once up and out of the shelter of the crater we were faced with the wind whipping across a flat, rocky and barren plain, typical of the harsh land that people have to live off here. Nicholas then searched for another crater that is hidden from view in the flat land. Dropping vertically 200 metres, this old crater is a geological wonder. Tall trees cling precariously to sheer rock faces. Climbing down as far as we safely could it was possible to see a small collection of trees growing on moss lined floor of the crater. This place is out in the middle of nowhere seen only by shepherds and the occasional wandering professor.
Tired and rather chilled, we headed back for home. While we had been walking Nicholas had told us about a car that was for sale at the Residences which we could actually afford. All through the walk he had been trying to phone the owner so we could put an offer in. Arriving back at the Residence he saw friends of the vendor and went to ask them about it. At that point one of them put down the phone having just bought the car. We were devastated. We had missed the deal by 5 minutes. Surprisingly though one of the other friends immediately offered us their car for sale and gave us the keys so we could test drive it for a few days. This is just another fine example of how unusual the community is here. The trust and generosity is forever taking you by surprise. Anyway, we are now the proud owners of a old, overpriced, battered and falling apart car. We have freedom... this is life changing.
We seem to be experiencing the best time of year for sunsets. Here are a couple of the ones from our window this week.
No comments:
Post a Comment