Walking thru oasis. The irrigation is controlled by the chief of the tribe …..he is responsible for the community…..is the one who organizes the review system here between the families. Each family is responsible for maintaining their own section. Family has one hour & half hour or two hours,depending on how big the families and how long it takes to water the farm. At a meeting once a year between parties of the tribe plus the responsibility irrigation they sit down and talk about everything. Of course, global warming and climate change, farming is hard to make a living. Animal are important too but most of the families have turned their attention to work in tourism. You never forgot about the farming, but “I would say 99% of the families rely on tourism”. The national healthcare system during COVID, depending on income previously, got benefit of $150 per month for this job so it’s like a minimum wage for them that they wouldn’t be doing that.if this seems a little mush-mashy, it’s because I thought I would just record what Mustapha was saying but…. OMG… not a good idea. I tried to fix it.

Walls of the well/ irrigation lines round and rising from the desert, keep sand out plus some animals. They get a lotta wind here in winter

Mehya… alcohol made from figs. Camals have 12 months gestation …,one birth at a time. Live 30 years.

Erg Shabbi….the highest dune, is 160 metres high.

We stopped and had tea and conversation with Berber nomad woman and her family.

Goat skin bags containers ….shake for half an hour and it gives you cheese, you take the cheese out and you have whey.

Nomads gathering… Mona is mom, Omar and Ishmael ….her two kids plus the dad.

There is no crescent moon in Moroccan flags cuz that is sign of Ottomans who never ruled the country.

Nomad berbers when marry, bride wears white and face is covered before marriage. Ladies use kohl for eyes and henna on nails.

These people only shower every 15 days or so but no smell. They very seldom get sick.

Border between Algeria and Morocco closed since 1991. Border with Algeria to be avoided. Different culture, people, oil producers change attitudes.

Fossil yard … from 300 million years ago, the desert was under Mediterranean Sea…snails (ammonites) and squids.. sliced into slabs for table tops, water fountains and the like.

Stopped by an ancient 14th. Century irrigation system, under the desert. It had a well 5 metres deep to underground tunnel of at least 3 meters deep and wide with a gradual slope to it. It has dried up since droughts in 18th century and not been maintained by the state.

45% agriculture… tax exempt up to $50,000 USD; 40% in tourism. 8,000,000,000 USD worth sent home by Moroccans abroad. Last year 3,000,000 returned in summer last year after being not allow because of COVID.

High Atlas Mountains lots of minerals …. Biggest being silver. #1 tourist destination in Africa.

Ait…name of tribe or family. When woman marries she does not carry husbands name but retains family name. Children take father’s name.

35,000 people in Tinghir…. 20 kms oasis.., pretty town.