COOKING A TAGINE WITH MR ACTION COUS COUS

As I've said before, for me it's the people I meet when travelling that leaves the lasting memory… and Mr "Action Couscous" Hussein was no exception. 

Starring in Intrepid Travel's Middle East brochure, he proudly poses with his front page picture. He gave himself the nickname "Action Couscous" because of all the films he was an extra in, such as The Mummy, Gladiator, Alexander, Lawrence of Arabia, which were all filmed in the picturesque old town Aït Ben Haddou. On the edge of the High Atlas Mountains, this UNESCO Heritage site is one of the best preserved kasbah's (a fortified city) in the Atlas region. He runs a wonderful guesthouse, within walking distance of the granary which is definitely worth the walk to the top. 

Morocco is one of those places you need a decent amount of time, a good driver and a comfortable mode of transportation as there's so much ground to cover. The most common route is as below, starting/ending in Casablanca or Marrakech where most international carriers fly into.

The highlights for me were definitely in the latter part of the trip (all photos taken on  my iPhone so excuse the graininess)

• Sahara Camp - aside from halfway through our camel caravan through the dessert, my camel sadly fell ill dropping to his knees with me on top of him…this sandy backdrop made for a stunning sunset and early morning sunrise

• Aroumd - taking a donkey up the winding road through the village of Imlil, surrounded by such peaceful scenery and snow capped mountains; - staying at the family run 'gite' guesthouse right at the top, very modest, but a great way to experience the traditional Berber culture and hospitality

• Ait Benhaddou - cooking a lamb tagine and couscous from scratch with Mr Action himself

• Essaouira - said to be the inspiration behind Jimi Hendrix's "Castle made of sand" after his visit  to this seaside town in the summer of 1969; - walking along the waterfront offers quite a spectacle of seagulls flailing in the wind and the comings and goings of the blue fishing boats; - I stayed in a 'riad' where all the rooms faced inward to the courtyard in the middle, a characteristic of these traditional Moroccan houses

• Marrakech - the sounds of musicians, smells of spices and sights of colourful lanterns in the bustling souks

If you make it to Morocco, do give Mr Action Couscous a visit and he'll be sure you leave with a real appreciation of this country's magic and mystery!