Mauritania Train Tour

02/05/2024

The divorce market in Mauritania.

https://fb.watch/rPH06F0Ily/

13/03/2024

A new road, not coastal, from Morocco to mauritania.

Morocco has dusted off a project that, although officially announced more than f...

11/03/2024

Mauritania's tourism is booming!

Discover how Mauritania's focus on security has led to a 166% increase in tourism, transforming it into an emerging African destination.

08/03/2024

Mauritanian director Abderrahmane Sissako premiered his new film ‘Black Tea’ in this year’s Berlin International Film Festival.

Mauritanian director Abderrahmane Sissako premiered his new poetic film ‘Black Tea’ in this year’s Berlin International Film Festival.

04/03/2024

Did you know about the Queen of Mauritania?

The only child of Cleopatra and Marc Antony’s to reach adulthood, Queen Cleopatra Selene (40 BC- 5 BC) of Mauretania was one of the most important women of the Augustan age— exceptional in and of itself considering the animosity in Rome against her parents.

29/02/2024

London to Lagos: Pelumi Nubi Crosses ‘The Land of No Return’ to Mauritania

It’s a new week and a new destination for Pelumi Nubi, the London-based Nigerian travel content creator. After 6 days of solo driving through the Sahara Desert, Pelumi has arrived at th…

27/02/2024

Morocco Advances on Strategic Road Project to Strengthen Ties with Mauritania Amid Regional Tensions

Explore Morocco's strategic infrastructure project linking Es-Smara with Mauritania, amidst the complexities of the Western Sahara conflict. Dive into the diplomatic maneuvers and regional implications of this significant undertaking.

25/02/2024

A giant meteorite has been lost in the desert near Chinguetti since 1916, here’s how we might find it.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/02/a-meteorite-has-been-lost-in-the-sahara-since-1916-heres-how-we-might-find-it/

19/02/2024

The cuisine of Mauritania has been influenced by Arab, Berbers and African peoples who have lived in and traversed the "stark" landscape marked with Sahara desert dunes in caravans. There is an overlap with Moroccan cuisine in the north and Senegalese cuisine in the south. French colonial influence (Mauritania was a colony until 1960) has also played a role in influencing the cuisine of the relatively isolated land. Alcohol is prohibited in the Muslim faith and its sale is largely limited to hotels. Mint tea is widely consumed and poured from height to create foam. Traditionally, meals are eaten communally.

Some of the most popular dishes:
- Tawarikh (dates);
- Thieboudienne (cheb-u-jin), a coastal dish of fish and rice, is considered the national dish of Mauritania, served in a white and red sauce, usually made from tomatoes;
- Méchoui, whole roasted lamb;
- Samak mutabal (spiced fish);
- 'araz Bialkhadrawat (rice with vegetables):
- Fish balls;
- Dried fish;
- Dried meat;
- Couscous;
- Goat stuffed with rice;
- Camel (unusual, made from dromedaries);
- Caravane cheese;
- Yassa poulet, chicken rotisserie with vegetables served over French fries or rice, originally a Senegalese dish from the Wolof and Pulaar tribes;
- Mahfe, goat or camel meat in a peanut, okra and tomato sauce, served over rice and can also be made without meat (for vegetarians);
- Yassa fish;
- Hakko, a sauce made from leafy vegetables served with beans over couscous;
- Lakh, cheese curds or yoghurt with grated coconut served over sweet millet porridge;
- Marolaym, one-pot dish of lamb or goat meat with rice in an onion base;
- Bulgur wheat with dried fruit;
- Maru we-llham, meat with rice and vegetables;
- Mauritanian terrine;
- Camel chubbagin, a stew;
- Cherchem, Mauritanian lamb couscous;
- Chubbagin lélé et raabie, fish stew;
- Fish pastry;
- Mauritanian vermicelli;
- Harira, Mauritanian soup dish;
- Mauritanian pepper steak with coconut;
- Banaf, meat and vegetable stew;
- Leksour, Mauritanian pancakes with meat and vegetable sauce;
- Bonava, a lamb stew;
- Al-Aïch, chicken, beans and couscous;

Beverages
- Mint tea;
- Zrig, milk or water mixed with fermented milk;
- Baobab fruit drink (jus de bouye);
- Roselle drink (bissap);
- Sadza (cassava).

Photo: Camel couscous
(by Ji-Elie from Wikipedia)

12/02/2024

An interesting article about our "specialty of the house":

The 'backbone of the Sahara' is an epic journey unlike any other, and proved to be a memorable end to a long adventure

07/02/2024

Traditional wear of Mauritania

Daraa
The Daraa, also known as Moorish Boubou, is an elegant flowing piece of clothing with embroidery worn by men. It is a long sheet of cotton or synthetic fabric, reaching knee or ankle length, often in blue color. It features two large opened-sleeves at each side that can be rolled up to the shoulders, and with a neck opening.

Haouli
Haouli also known as cheche is a versatile headscarf or turban worn by men. It is worn by skillfully wrapping the piece of the fabric in layers around the head. Haouli is not only worn for cultural or ceremonial purposes, but serves as protection against harsh weather conditions and sandstorms.

Melhfa
This, also called mulfa, is a substantial piece of large fabric worn by women, particularly Moorish women. This is worn by wrapping the loose fabric around the body from head to ankle to conceal the body except the face. Melhfa embodies cultural identity, modesty, and serves as a form of protection against sunlight and sand.

These traditional garments not only serves as a cultural tapestry but also serves as a form of protection to the challenging climatic conditions in Mauritania.

Picture: A man with "daraa", the traditional men's wear, on a narrow street of Chinguetti.

07/02/2024

Mauritania is not the easiest place for drivers.
Have a look to this nice documentary.

Mauritania: Drivers of the desert
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNGMOwV4skw

07/02/2024

Discover more about Chinguetti at:
https://www.mauritania-train-tour.com/chinguetti

07/02/2024

Mauritania: Where The Sahara Desert Meets Ocean

Enjoy this beautiful video:

In human cultures in general, and perhaps particularly in Africa, the landscape is the first shrine of tradition. From the sand dunes of Mauritania to the cu...