Ait Benhaddou, Morocco
I wrote a piece a few weeks ago about a planned visit to Timbuktu. My conclusion was that the danger involved in travelling to a salt mine in the desert of Mali was beyond my personal security threshold by a wide margin.
Ait Benhaddou is probably the closest I will ever get to Timbuktu.
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Ait Benhaddou is a Kasbah on the south side of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. From the 11th century until the end of the 20th century, it served as a trans-Saharan trading fortress. Gold, salt, and slaves from as far south as Timbuktu passed through here en route to Marrakesh and on to Atlantic sea-trading posts.
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Bear, our guide Hicham, and I hiked to the pinnacle of the fortress today.
Traders have watched for raiders from this lofty vantage point for almost 1000 years.
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Today, only tourists were invading the fortress.
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Russ and Bear, looking south toward Timbuktu, on a trail paved by …
… Gold, Salt, and Slaves.
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Shelagh Benning
Ah! I’ve been there – brings back memories! You guys are looking good!
Russ Paton
Thanks Shelagh! I thought you might have been. We are enjoying everything about Morocco. Let’s swap stories when we get back. 😎👩🏻