Welcome to Algeria Vol.3 - TIMIMOUN | Sand dunes, sun and serenity in the Sahara desert!

Join us as we explore a world of sun, sand, and serenity. Located in the heart of the Sahara Desert is the oasis town of Timimun, known for its distinctive red ochre buildings, delicious dates, and stunning surroundings. It is believed to have been founded in the 10th century by the Tuareg people who were known for their nomadic way of life. The town became an important trading post along the caravan routes connecting Sub-Saharan Africa with the Mediterranean. We made it to Timimun. Yesterday we had quite a long bus ride. It was really nice actually. It was really nice. It took eight hours. We arrived here in the dark. It was a bit of a hassle to get to our place because no one knew where it was because it's very new. We worked it out quite easily in the end. And yeah, the host was super nice. There's a waiter there that speaks perfect English and we talked to him for five hours. Yeah, we went to sleep quite late. We're exhausted now, but it was so worth it. He was so knowledgeable. He is so knowledgeable. He's such a kind person. So we'll put the location so that you can come here because it's really good. Nice spot, huh? Yeah, and then waking up was amazing because yesterday, of course, it was pitch dark when we arrived. And today we walked out of the room and you just see the whole palm grove and desert in the back. You just have the view everywhere. It's just a beautiful spot. Now we're walking to the cultural center to see how they are actually constructing the houses here. And we'll go to the market, see if we can find some really nice baskets. We're very lucky because we've heard that many of the tourists that come here have to be escorted by the military just for security reasons. If it's bigger groups, yeah. But so far we're being let alone, which is very nice. Because I didn't want to do this walk with two men in the background. Yeah, so that's the story. Some tourists are followed by policemen just for their safety, supposedly. But it is a bit awkward, of course, if there's two people walking behind you all the time with guns. We luckily don't have it. Let's see how it goes today. So far, we're good. CATTER is an organization responsible for promoting the traditional adobe architecture and cultural heritage of the region. The organization is based in the city center of Timimun in a historic adobe monument built in the beginning of the 20th century. The interior walls of the building are decorated with stunning Berber geometric patterns. As part of their work, they carry out various workshops on traditional adobe and red brick techniques. Here, you can see some examples of what past participants have created. Jesse here. Not very creative or artistic. Finally feeling a bit better. So we're going out on an excursion. We're going to see the sunset in the dunes. We're going to a little town. Called Tala. And then from Tala, we'll walk into the desert. Very excited. Very excited. After a few hours of rest, we decided to hire a local taxi driver to take us to his home village and show us around. We also invited our new friend to join. The locals practice a type of agriculture that is well suited to the arid conditions of the Sahara desert and use a combination of techniques to conserve water. The old town, which is mostly uninhabited now, is a sight to behold even in its various stages of deterioration. Walking through the narrow corridors, one can only imagine its former beauty. Look at Werner, you blend in perfectly. You chose the perfect color. Apparently my head is too big. Something about the desert that just makes me incredibly happy. People always ask what do you do when you're there? You just sit and stare. In awe of the beauty. It's very peaceful. We went to the town or little village called Tala. We walked around the old town with the taxi driver who actually lives there. So he knew a lot about the place and how they lived. And his parents actually lived in the old town. They have all moved out. So they all moved to newer buildings that are building concrete. The old town is still there and it was absolutely stunning. And it's surrounded by dunes which is really nice. So afterwards we went to watch the sunset up in the dunes. Randomly we decided with our friends. We saw the whole group that we stayed with in Algiers. So it was great. It ended a bit strange. We'll talk about that another time. Basically the police escorting our friends decided to grill us with questions about what we were doing and why we were there by ourselves. They made us show all our documents and even called our hotel. Luckily it was all fine in the end. And we were able to continue the rest of our stay unbothered. But this was the one and only moment in the whole trip in which we felt really uncomfortable. And we wish the situation would have been dealt with differently. And now we're gonna have dinner. I think we're gonna get lentil soup and we're gonna get a vegetarian couscous. We're super excited to get some veggies in. We requested the cook of the hotel to prepare various vegan traditional dinners for us whilst we were there. This was by far the best food we had in Algeria. It was all so delicious. Good morning, good morning! The sun hasn't even risen. And now it's like 6 30. We left at 6. To walk to the dunes. From our hotel. We're excited. When we got out in the dark I was a bit like... Oh, it's scary. Is this the best idea? But now it's cool. We have Timi Moune in the background. There the sun is gonna rise. And over there the dunes. We made it. We are actually looking at the sunrise right now. It's gorgeous. It's absolutely stunning. We woke up really early and walked here to see the sunrise. And also because it will get really really hot here. A couple of hours. We need to get back as soon as possible. We're gonna just sit here for a bit and then take some photos. And some video. And then return. Head back. This is absolutely stunning, no? I think sitting amongst the dunes is one of my favorite things ever. We've been lucky enough to do it another two times before. Once in Morocco and once in Oman. And both were beautiful experiences. So I'm glad that we got to do it here as well. It's really really lovely. Look at these itty bitty footprints. Look how small they are. Finger for reference. You see the little paws and everything. Oh, so cute. On our way back. It's still morning but it's getting pretty hot already. Happy to walk back. It's not too bad. What do you feel? The only sad part is that the dunes are quite filthy to be honest. Yeah, so there's a lot of people coming here. There's trash everywhere. It's a bit of a shame. Take your trash. It doesn't need to be here. Or don't generate it. Don't generate it is better. But if you do, just take it with you. Just sitting here waiting for Warner because we forgot something. We're going into town to the market and to a couple of handicraft stores to see if we buy some souvenirs for our future home. The rest of the day is gonna be pretty chill. We're gonna just relax. No plans for this evening. Have a nice dinner in the hotel. Which we've already arranged. And then tomorrow we take the bus back to Gardaya. So our time in Timimun is coming to an end. It is a really cool place. It's very interesting. The people of Timimun have a long history of trading with other communities in the Sahara and beyond. And are known for their craftsmanship which includes weaving, pottery and leather working. It's one o'clock in the afternoon. Pretty hot. I actually bought this not to blend in but to protect my head. The sun is so strong that I felt my scalp. I'm on my way to the market just before everything closes up for the afternoon. And I'm gonna buy some lunch, fruit and veg. Let's see what they have. The way of living in the region is shaped by the harsh environment of the Sahara desert. Agriculture and animal husbandry once was the sole means of livelihood. Leading the people to develop a number of innovative techniques that make life here possible. Agriculture is possible thanks to ingenious underground irrigation systems known as canads or fogadas. The canad is a series of wells and tunnels that tap into deep groundwater sources. And distribute the water through a network of smaller channels to individual crops. In addition to dates which are a vital source of food and income, the people of Timimun also grow other crops such as wheat, barley and vegetables. Unfortunately, the distinctive adobe buildings of Timimun are mostly being left behind. Instead being replaced by concrete. This transition has led to the rapid deterioration of the czars that once dominated the towns of the region. Here, one can still deduce the blueprint of this fortified town. Which consisted of closely stacked houses and corridors that could reach multiple stories in height. It is remarkable to consider that this architectural feat was accomplished solely using mud and palm wood. The city is beautiful. The old city is a bit ruined. There's not much left of it. But you can still see how amazing it must have been. Yeah, it's just gorgeous. This is the last video we have of our travels through Algeria. Although brief, we really enjoyed discovering this country that is so full of heart, pride, history, culture, beautiful sights and welcoming people. We wish we would have had more time to explore the many gems it hides. But now know we definitely want to come back in the future. Inshallah.