The overnight stay at the Auberge du Sud was uneventful. When I had breakfast at around 9:00 I noticed that I was one of the last. Hamid told me to start it slow because we just had some visits to the Nomad villages planned. The highlight of this day was to spend a night in the desert which would start in Merzouga.
After a while I took my coffee outside and sat down in a chair which stood high on a sand dune. Time to relax and read. I started a new book called ‘Amazir
Roughly around 10am we left the hotel and went for an off road drive to an oasis. Amazing watering system with lots of little channels and apparently there is one person who is in charge of equal distribution.
We also bought some bread hot out of a nomad oven. They are shared by different families and spaced in between settlements.
After that off to a village where I endured a Sudanese band and then either had to tip or buy the CD. Bought the CD, still have not decided who will receive it for Christmas…
At around noon we went into Merzouga and Hamid told me that we would have Berber pizza for lunch. But not bought in the restaurant, no we would make it ourselves. For this we went to the market to buy some meat at the butcher’s. He cut the meat into very small cubes and mixed it with onion, spices, garlic, parsley, and almonds. He also used three chilies that I had taken from one of the gardens in the oasis.
It really sounds delicious just writing about it, but actually seeing it was not quite so tasty. Whatever sometimes one has to trust one instincts and I decided that the chilies will take care of all bacteria.
With the meat now packaged we were on our way to the bakery. The baker wrapped it in dough and pressed the whole thing flat. Then my name or something similar sounding was written on paper and stuck on the pizza. We were told to come back 40min later. And this was the result.
While waiting for the pizza we walked around a bit more at the market of Merzouga. I saw the parking place for donkeys (1 Dirham to leave it there), sheep and cow market, lots of stalls which were selling dates and other stuff.
The pizza btw we ate at a tea house where we just bought tea and got a plate for me and some cutlery.
After lunch it was back to the hotel to get ready for the night in the desert. There is more to come. Yours, Pollybert
