Ouarzazate square

Our accommodation for the night was at Hotel Amlal, which we picked because it has Wi-Fi and offered half-board meals. Unlike Hassi Labied though, there were plenty of restaurants and shops in Ouarzazate, so finding food was no problem. Nevertheless, the were glad for the decision to go half-board as Hotel Amlal served the best tagine I’ve tried in Morocco.

After dinner, we made plans for the outing to Aït Benhaddou the following day. We were referred to Desert Dream, who tailored a tour based on what we wanted to do (go to Aït Benhaddou, that’s it). We agreed to a price and meeting time, shook hands and went to bed.

Going off the road to Aït Benhaddou

The following morning, we wandered around Ouarzazate. It was a small, quiet town and in the not-so-early morning, it was practically deserted. A lot of tourists pass here on the way to Erfoud or Merzouga, but not a lot of them stay. There were calls from a handful of shopkeepers to try their food or buy their wares, but they were quick to stop once they were ignored.

Our driver and guide for the afternoon was at the Hotel by 1:30pm and Cla and I were surprised when he led us to a Toyota Land Cruiser. We certainly wasn’t expecting a 4×4 for this trip! As we drove through the town, we were struck at how quiet the entire town was and how everything seemed to be in order.

Aït Benhaddou as seen from a distance

Nicknamed “Ouallywood,” Ouarzazate is home to two film studios, Atlas Studios and Cla Studios (much to the delight of my travel companion). This is where movies like The Mummy, Gladiator, and one of my favorites, Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra were filmed. Maybe that’s why the town feels like it’s a huge movie set.

The driver veered off the main road and we realized why we’re on a 4×4. He drove a path on the trail and soon we were bumping to a stop next to a gorge. While it wasn’t terrifyingly high, it was still pretty impressive and opens to even more vast expanses of nothingness. We huddled back to the SUV after several photos and drove up, down and across streams, passing a herd of goats and a small oasis village. Finally, we got back on the tarmac and followed the road to the fortified city.

Sayuri at Aït Benhaddou

Unsurprisingly, the road to Aït Benhaddou was lined with souvenir shops and cafe. About 5 minutes’ walk from the car, we came upon a shallow stream that we crossed using a makeshift bridge made of rocks and then a second stream that we crossed by stepping on bags of gravel.

The kzar of Aït Benhaddou is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a traditional pre-Saharan Habitat and a great example of southern Moroccan architecture. The “earthen construction” ensured that the buildings adapt well to the seasons and provides a cool respite from the dessert heat. Aït Benhaddou has within its walls houses, a mosque and even a public square. Up on a hill was an observation tower, which gives you a 360° view of the surrounding area.

View from the observation tower

Its Word Heritage status meant that Aït Benhaddou is in every tourist’s Moroccan itinerary. If you’re planning to go here, plan your trip on a weekday to avoid the crowds.

I arrived this morning on the 8am bus from Singapore. The trip took four hours and thirty minutes, including the immigration and rest stops. I was only able to sleep for two hours out of four, and I was already tired when I got off the bus. I was revived when I saw the historic city again, specially when I found out just how central Twenty’s location was. I passed the time in my room, waiting for the sun to go down. The weather was gorgeous — it was bright and sunny, with gentle breeze wafting from the sea.

It was a joy walking around Malacca. Since it’s a weekday, the streets aren’t as congested with tourists. In between walks, I rediscovered a skill I acquired in Luang Prabang: watching the world go by. However, Malacca has a much faster pace than Laos, and soon I was back on my feet, walking away lest the man with a huge snake draped around his shoulders get too close.

Our four hours in Malacca before was too little a time to be spent in this charming town. You can actually see most of the important tourist spots between the time the first bus from Singapore arrives until the last one leaves. I’ve gone up and down St. Paul’s Hill, got lost and found Capitol Satay Celup and cruised through the Malacca River. I’ve no clue what else to do tomorrow, but I’m not bothered. I’m quite happy just sitting down and watching the world go by.

** Pictures to follow. I’m too pooped to edit and upload.