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W’as ‘Is At?

Reda, manager/guide/chef at the Kasbar Amridil
Camera: Panasonic DMC-GX7 | Date: 15-11-2013 13:11 | Resolution: 4592 x 3448 | ISO: 1600 | Exp. bias: 0 EV | Exp. Time: 1/125s | Aperture: 5.0 | Focal Length: 84.0mm (~168.0mm) | Lens: LUMIX G VARIO PZ 45-175/F4.0-5.6

We started the day with a short drive to Ouarzazate (pronounced “was is at”) which turned out to have very uncooperative banks: none would cash a travellers cheque, and one even refused to change sterling and dollars into dirhams despite a big “change” sign outside. Fortunately the local Credit Agricole was more helpful, so at least I should have enough cash now.

A few miles up the road we got to Skoura, and visited the Amridil Kasbah. This is a famous kasbah which appears on the 50 dirham note, and has recently been substantially and sensitively renovated. An excellent short photography stop turned into an even better lunch… It’s hard work, all this photography.

The kasbah was run by Reda, who not only spoke excellent English, but also turned out to be a mean cook and a handsome model!

After lunch we headed up to the Dades Gorge, and photographed a ruined kasbah in front of interesting rocks. The light was a real challenge, with strong sunlight almost directly into the lens but the subjects in partial shade. I found it difficult to capture what my eyes could see, and these could need even more work than some of the complex interior shots of the last few days.

As I write this we are rattling along over multiple miles of main road which has been stripped ready for resurfacing, which is delaying our arrival at the night’s stop in the Todra Gorge. On the positive side the results will probably be worth it – I was only commenting this afternoon how most of the roads have been very good. On the downside it’s very dusty and slow in the meantime.

Early start for dawn shoot tomorrow.

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Mountains, Trains…

On the Durango and Silverton Railroad
Camera: Canon EOS 7D | Lens: EF-S15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM | Date: 08-10-2012 09:42 | ISO: 200 | Exp. bias: 0 EV | Exp. Time: 1/250s | Aperture: 8.0 | Focal Length: 85.0mm (~137.7mm) | Location: Durango Fire and Rescue Authorit | State/Province: Colorado | See map | Lens: Canon EF-S 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM

Day 9

A very pretty steam train runs from Durango up to the mountain mining town of Silverton, 50 miles and 3,000 vertical feet away. You can spend a pleasant day on the return train trip, but the problem is that you won’t actually get any pictures of the train when you’re on it. We decided on a different approach, and drove to meet the trains, first at a point where the track crosses the road, and then at Silverton itself.

This worked brilliantly. We caught each of the two daily trains at each location, with the puffing loco and orange rolling stock pictured against Colorado Fall colours and the old buildings of Silverton.

The town is itself a great find – very photogenic with lots of fun shops housed in buildings which date back to the late 1800s, but clearly a community which “works” rather than slowly dying like other ghost towns.

Nice Elk burger for lunch, and a great drive over an 11,000 ft pass to get back to Durango.

Dinner in Diamond Belles Wild West Saloon. The food was fine and the costumed floozies both decorative and effective waitresses, but the vaunted gunfight was a bit of a washout.

Photography 7/10
Shopping 7/10
Food 7/10
Large animals 2

 

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