There are insufficient superlatives for today.
Last night was interesting, we had the best couscous yet, then some impromptu entertainment when a Berber guide and some friends played a number of instruments. Defat Kasbah has a lot going for it, but our bedroom was not one of those things. Air conditioning, not needed as it was very cold, consisted of wind under the door (closed) and out of the window (also closed). We had what we thought was a very nice upper terrace room, but as well as the wind we were also next to the original 'rickety-rackety' bridge, loose wooden slates over a metal construction. Imagine the noise as each vehicle went over it. However everyone at the hotel was friendly, helpful and wanted to make us at home as possible. We had a lovely breakfast, the butter for our warm bread was more like solid cream, pale in colour with a slight cheesy taste. The honey was dark and rich with an almost caramelised taste, wonderful local stuff.
We got slightly lost in Ouzazarte, but with help found the right road for the Dates Route.
Extra comment: The Moroccan people are all so friendly, everywhere we have been people have been kind and helpful, there is a minute amount of 'hustling' in touristy areas, but in the main everyone has been kind, particularly as our French is poor and our Moroccan Arabic non-existent.
Using the Rough Guide, we turned off the road at El Kelaa des Mgounas and went a small way up the valley to find the Kasbah Itran, quite the loveliest place we have stayed in. It's built into a hillside overlooking the valley. We understand it is run by seven Berber brothers and we think we have met four so far, all enthusiastically wanting to make sure we are OK and we have everything we want. There are stairs and terraces everywhere on at least five levels. Our room is up a narrow, 50cm, internal staircase opening onto its own terrace with a view over the valley. It even has it's own fireplace and we have been told a fire will be lit for us tonight.
After checking in we took the road going deeper into the valley. The scenery was so specta ular I am at a loss for words to describe it and no photograph will ever show it's magnificence. We thought that some of the scenery in South Africa and Namibia would be a difficult act to follow, but we think they have met their match. Convolutions of strata, some twisted and vertical bordered the valley as the road wound up to a plateau at 2,000 metres. As we followed the bends of the river we occasionally came across villages with luxuriant oases, green and verdant, growing all manner of crops. The plateau stretched for kms, wide and flat with sheep, goats and cultivation. Children and adults waved to us as we went through the villages.
Back at the Kasbah we are sitting on a sunny terrace enjoying a beer, with spectacular views. About 500 metres from us is a large ruined kasbah which storks have totally taken over, at the last count John saw 40. Periodically they all take off and circle above our heads using the up-draghts.
It is so nice here we are going to ask if they have a room for tomorrow as well, and we will make a day trip into the Djebel Sarhro, unplanned but we have plenty of time left to allow for diversions.
We both think this is as good as it gets.
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