We started with a drive up the Toudra gorge. This is spectacularly rugged and often used by mountain climbers. We saw two in the process of going up. They were just specs on the rock face.
It was hard to see the second climber! The gorge was so impressive. 
Then we drove up to a wonderful vantage point to see the road called the intestines because of its steep bends. Mary pulled the curtains across so she couldn’t see the sheer drop to the valley. We had passed other strange rock formations that were like monkey’s fingers.
On we went then driving across a desert plateau with the snow covered Atlas Mountains on the horizon. We passed through many dusty little towns, past salt plains and the largest solar farm in the world.
We stopped for lunch in Ouarzazate before we visited the Atlas Movie studio. Many famous movies were shot here, like Gladiator with Russel Crowe, Babel, Black Hawke Down, and more recently Game of Thrones. It was a fun visit and our guide was so handsome we women were all impressed. He had been one of the extras in Game of Thrones, Season three, episode five. He is actually a film maker himself but he told me he only made small indie films with his friends.This is the cage in Gladiator and our gorgeous guide.
Along the roadside we often see women carrying bags of herbs or grass for their animals 
. Irene became fixated with trying to get a donkey and driver shot so we all were on donkey alert but she couldn’t get the camera to work fast enough and got legs, heads and tales. I was luckier. The humble donkey and mules are everywhere pulling carts or carrying produce and owners. They are essential in this country.
fleetfootkath 