North Africa Morocco Tunisia Tour (14) World Heritage Site - Ait Benhaddou

North Africa Morocco Tunisia Tour (14) World Heritage Site - Ait Benhaddou Ouarzazate - Ait Benhaddou Dec 19, 2024 Sunny, 4-20°C. Today we drove over the 2,260-meter-high Atlas Mountains to Marrakech. In the morning, we visited the World Heritage Site - Ait Benhaddou. The village is simple and rustic, full of humanistic colors. Ait Benhaddou, backed by the Atlas Mountains and facing the desert oasis, was built in the 12th century and was originally a Berber village (Figure 1). The village is made of adobe bricks unique to Morocco, with houses and arrow towers, surrounded by walls and watchtowers, with strong defensive functions. For centuries, these buildings have been one of the most outstanding architectural models in Africa. Although it is now almost abandoned, it is still well preserved. Many residents have moved to new homes, but some families still live here, retaining their traditional way of life (Figures 2-4). Due to its unique architectural style and historical background, the village has become a popular location for many films, which has made it more internationally known. Climbing the 50-meter-high sand dune behind the village (Figure 5), you can see the distant mountains and nearby continents (Figures 6-9). In a distant country, the locals cannot tell our nationality, but when they see an Asian face, they will greet us warmly with "Ni Hao". I remember six or seven years ago, when locals saw us, they often couldn't tell if we were Japanese or Korean. Now, when they greet us with "Ni Hao", they are usually right, which shows that the influence of Chinese tourists in the world is not what it used to be. As Chinese people, we should cherish this humanistic ecology, respect the laws, beliefs, and customs of the country we are in, treat others kindly, and demonstrate our civilized qualities.