Moroccan Gourmet Cooking Holiday
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
The ksar - an acient 'house' in an ancient ksour, claimed and renovated with particular thought to the environment and our neighbours. Foresaking en-suites for eco friendly porta potties, albeit de-luxe ones, rather than having to reinforce floors and ceilings with cement to bear the weight of bathroom fittings thus destroying what the building has been about for 900 years. The digging of a sewerage pit would have compromised the building, housing neighbours, all around us and required us to use cement thus damaging the make up of the soil. We have included a traditional bath house on the ground floor with water run off going to existing drains. We have used taps that minimise leakage and a hot water system safe for the environment although not wood heated because of the age of the wood in the building's construction and the problem of sparks. We would also, have been taking wood needed by our neighbours for cooking. The ksour is lived in by relatives of my husband which allowed us to buy the ksar. We were very mindful of what we did to our ksar so as to maintain harmony within this very special place. We are yet to bring a washing machine into an area where the river is still used but white cotton sheets are not! It may live at my mother-in-law's home in Errachidia!
There is no council waste collection and so we are careful to be seen taking our rubbish with us although we have been invited to use the open area which is looking a bit grim! A Gap Year project maybe!
There is a well which we have recently had tested and it is suitable for all things although we will be serving bottled water for drinking and donating the empty bottles to the oil press.
We have employed a local builder and his sons and bought all that we required locally apart from the Simmons beds which did come from Marrakech!
Community
Shopping locally not only in shops and markets but from the looms in the courtyards of the village ladies, dates from the neighbours roofs where they lie drying, embroidered delights from the girls who sit stitching, tajines from the potter who sits daily in his pit pedalling. As part of our travels with guests, we suggest the best possible spots to make purchases where the money paid goes into an apron or shirt pocket and we leave knowing that our purchase has made everyone's heart sing. We avoid the 'co-operatives' mostly foreign owned and not supporting divorced and widowed ladies as is the claim, we ask that guest take a photo, once home, of things bought and in situ to send to the artisan. We offer employment to those whose opportunities for work are limited.
Moving around this geographically glorious country being invited into the sitting rooms of people who call where we are only travelling through, home, we are mindful of the things that are deeply rooted in tradition that we may find celebratory or at times, confronting. The knowing of what pertains to us and what simply, does not.
To compost what we can in our ksar to give to our neighbours and to take what we and some of our neighbours cannot recycle, away with us.
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