Morocco

**N.B lots of writing & no pictures for this post, bad internet connection!  You can view our pics here though: CLICK HERE!


Hello again readers, its been a while for me here since last post, and its a good job i'm typing because I was filling in a visa form the other day (with a real life pen) and think I might be losing that ability to write.

So, as I sort of mentioned above, we took a trip into Morocco for 3 days, which I found incredibly exciting. I'm sure plenty of you have been to the wilder countries in the world, and i've travelled a fair bit too, but for me at least, that place was very different to anywhere i've been. After stepping off the FRS ferry (FFS I should rename it if given the chance), the barrage of scamming and hustlers, babbling crowds of arguing Arabic women and general pushing and yelling began!

We blindly found our way into the hands of our shuttle driver to the hotel (part of the ferry deal, first hotel we've been in- what a treat). He was a friendly sort, looked a bit like Goldie, but with black teeth, made of more rotten stuff. And so after offering us drugs and giving us his number, just in-case we needed anything (anything at all, I got the feeling) during our stay, we were soon on our way.

Now I'm pretty sure Tangier has a bit of a rep for being a bit edgy, a bit like Tijuana has, and I'm proud to say it was on fine form for us. It is a bit sad that talking to anyone there ends up with them wanting some money off you for some perceived favour they've just done you, and so making you feel constantly on guard, and pushing you into being rude basically. We did get the odd brush with genuine 'for free' help and advice which was brilliant, and I'm sure there's tons of it about- just not in Tangier I think.

Saying this, we had a superb time exploring. The Medina is an old town market area, an actual labyrinth in fact. Except at the middle was probably another man selling you a 60 foot rug or something. Tiny tiny streets and dead ends, sewing machines, kids on play stations, monkeys, pipes, bags, fruit n veg, cotton and silk, music. Children even make a bit of money by leading people back out of the Medina into the normal streets. Very amazing, but very very intense. Exiting the Medina brings you into a different sort of chaos, but chaos non the less.

We enjoyed lots of Moroccan mint tea, something I'll have to try and remember back home. Many cafe stops for tea to escape the heat were made. I did have the Best Taxi Ride of My Life though, which for £2 was better than anything Alton Towers has. We even bumped a pedestrian at one point, almost missed about 50 other cars/kerbs/lorries/people, and my personal high point was the kid on a motor scooter doing a 200 metre wheelie along side us right by my door. He did everything but handbrake turn into the lobby. Anyway I loved this, and tipped the man kindly as he blasted off into the night. I think for a moment we were the fastest people in Africa.

Day 3 we needed something else, and took a train to Asilah, 45 minutes west of Tangier which was an absolute oasis of calm and we both agreed it was probably the most beautiful town we had ever been. It started with a horse and cart taxi ride which worked out brilliantly and was tons of fun. It is a brilliantly white washed town, which is decorated each year with fantastic wall paintings, and then painted over for the following year. The mayor has a bit of a thing for cleanliness, and even dust is literally swept away manually by women in funny hats. Somewhere we will be sure to try and visit again, and you should too! A lovely lovely day. Then we dashed for the train back (which was late), dashed into another taxi to catch our shuttle back to the port with 1 minute to spare. That didnt show up anyway, dont know where Goldie was, so we got another taxi and joined the mind bending queues for the passport kiosks. Im not going to detail the return ferry and late bus back to La Linea, as this is already long, but it was pretty bad and thoroughly confusing (the queue took so long, that our boat which we could see through the windows gave up, took in the ropes and car door and left without us). Excellent!

So presently we are in Granada stopping for 2 nights I think, and shall wander into town later this evening and explore. We have a pool!

PS well done if you have read this far :-)