Japanese TV program “Sekai Bikkuri Ryoko-sha” (World Surprising Travel Agency) introduced the life of Ait-Ben-Haddou (on-aired on May 5, 2009). Yes, some families are still living there. On the program, Akane Ohsawa, a Japanese Actress, had an experience of Ait-Ben-Haddou’s life.
She got across the river on a donkey and arrived at Ait-Ben-Haddou. She needed a flashlight to see inside the house because there was no electricity. Each room has a dent in the wall to place the lamp.
They said the cool breeze from the small window was a natural air conditioner. But it might be very cold in the winter.
Then she visited the family actually live, to see life. Every morning they go to draw water. Recently, the new water outlet was built at 3 minutes walk from their house, before that they had to go 3Km away from home to draw water.
Since there is no electricity, they have a wash in a river.
Sometimes tourists come, they should let them show the house with a smile.
As an essential duty of the people, they have to restore Ait-Ben-Haddou. Ait-Ben-Haddou is made of sun-dried bricks, they are needed to replace every five years. It is essential to do it in a traditional way. Sun-dried bricks have to be made of the soil around there.
They have another rule such as they must not have an entrance because it is a fort.
Anyway, it seems that living in an Ait-Ben-Haddou is very difficult.
