Day113, Ferreirola, Spain

Sunset on the way home 

I must have passed my trial period for sure, as this afternoon Inger left for Copenhagen for 6 days. Her husband will be here for the breakfasts and checking guests in and out but she has left the rooms up to me, which I'm guessing is quite a thing, as she is very particular. Not too busy for the next few days though, so I think I will manage.

Still looks inviting 

I dropped Inger off at the airport, in Malagar about 2.5 hours drive away. It's on the coast, the dreaded Costa del Sol actually. This part of the Spanish coast is very touristy, with it being a very popular holiday spot for the English. €200 per person gets you a week here in a hotel on one of those all inclusive deals (sausages and eggs for breakfast!) .

Anyway, it is a beautiful part of the coast and the temperature still a lovely 25 degrees, so I think I might need to go for another drive soon to get a few swims in before it's too cold.

The motorways 

The motorway is huge, with mind boggling viaducts that give you the creeps looking down. But it sure gets you there quickly. An ice cream on the beach halfway and home before dark.

Day 111 & 112, Ferreirola, Spain

Inger (hates her photo taken)

Felt very strange yesterday not writing my blog! But not much happening, life is slow here. The B&B is busy though, Inger and I share the work, there's always washing to go out, all the sheets and duvet covers get ironed, one of those cool rolling ironing machines. It seems every afternoon there is a huge thunderstorm, with a big downpour, but then the sun comes out again. Temperatures have dropped, I'm stubbornly wearing shorts, but wear my sweater in the evenings and mornings!

Looking towards Ferreirola 

Yesterday Inger and I went for a long walk. It is trampers paradise here; around the Sierra Nevada the trails are over 1000 years old. Today we went to the next village up, Pitres, where we had a cuppa and there's a supermarket there also. Everywhere is quiet though, very peaceful. When I'm not working or walking I have a book to get through. 

Day 110, Ferreirola, Spain

Yours truly has started work! I think I passed my trial period okay. 

First a leisurely breakfast with Inger and then clean the rooms. Well, used to doing that in the motels so no surprises or issues there, very straight forward. Except there's a lot of steps about the place so I'll be pretty fit in a couple of weeks, haha. It was Inger's birthday yesterday but today we shared morning tea with some Danish guests as well, so that was nice. A couple of them have been to Christchurch so plenty to talk about. And everyone speaks English. 

Thunderstorm this afternoon but later cleared up nicely for a walk around the village. It's really small an quiet, reminds me of Vellano in Italy during my first two weeks there. 

The village is situated on a big walking trail around the Sierra Nevada mountains, so plenty of people passing. Dinner out with Inger tonight at a wee restaurant/bar ten minutes down the road, that'll come in handy! First beer in almost a week, tasted good too.

I will probably only post a blog update every couple of days while here, not much happening to report on!

Day 109, Algoz Portugal to Ferreirola, Spain

My long drive today 

I don't like saying goodbye, but sadly had to this morning to Bijou. Hopefully she can convince John to get off his bum and commit to some travel in a few years time to those cousins in New Zealand and see me at the same time. It's been great coming back to my 'home base ' in Algarve these last few weeks and Bijou has been most hospitable!

After a long and boring drive I arrived in a more interesting part of Spain (please don't anyone take offence who finds other parts more beautiful; the cities are lovely, but the countryside mundane). Granada is a mountainous area, and a lot greener than other parts I have seen. The road climbed quite steeply and suddenly with a temperature drop of 10 degrees in 5 minutes!

But luckily we got back up to 28 degrees, phew! The sights were quite spectacular and I had to stop a few times just to enjoy. The other thing notable (this is for my own benefit to remember) was the most impressive public toilet I have ever seen! It was at a petrol station, and absolutely spotless. Huge, with a couple of healthy looking pot plants, shiny tiles, beveled mirrors, a coat stand and a wee dish with wrapped sweets!

My wee room

Anyway, on with where I am now! So, I have two weeks at a B&B (http://www.sierraymar.com)

and I work here in exchange for room and board. I arranged it through a website called Workaway.info and it's just great! Inger and her husband have run this B&B since 1985 and it's very cute. Lots of little rooms almost like a wee village, whitewashed and blue doors. I have my own room at the top of the 'village', just small but has all I need including a bathroom and a wee outside sitting area.

My own terrace

Oh, and wifi! So, that's me for the next two weeks. An early night, it was a 6.5 hour drive so quite done in. But happy. And I can't believe that only yesterday morning I was in Morocco!

Day 108, Marakesh Morocco to Algoz, Portugal

Processing Argan Oil

I think I can honestly say I have never felt that miserable in my life. I'm just pleased I wasn't sharing a room with anyone.

Anyway, thank goodness I felt better this morning, especially after a nice long shower. 

Cup of tea for breakfast and then shared a cab to the airport with Kathryn and then on my way back to Lisbon.

I had a most wonderful time in Morocco. And feel we got to see the real people and country, including the not so pretty sights. Certainly places I never would have gone on my own, just wouldn't know where to go. So my decision to go on the tour was 100% the best.

No wonder the wifi doesn't
always work!

Bijou was there to pick me up from the airport, and had all sorts of of yummy foods in the fridge for me, especially good for upset tummies. Wish I could stay here longer but am onto my next adventure. Collected my car from Sir Richard's neighbour (throw that in when I can), repacked my big suitcase again and had dinner with the family. Taken no photos today but have added a couple from Morocco that are still interesting. Tomorrow a new adventure in Spain, stay tuned.

Day 107, Marakesh, Morocco

Unfortunately the shortest and most boring post today, as I spent the entire day in bed sleeping. Thank goodness for the lovely Brenda who made numerous house calls to check on me, bring me meds from her supplies and drinks.

So didn't get to see much of Marakesh. I'm just grateful that it was the last day of the tour and there was nothing planned for the day anyway so I didn't miss out on too much. Luckily this didn't happen half way through, hate to think what would have happened then.

Anyway, that was the day 

Day 106, Ksar Ai-Ben Haddou to Marakesh

Highest point of the pass, 2260 mtr 

Early start today, on the road before 8 to drive to Marakesh over the high Atlas. The highest point of the pass (Tishka) is 2260 meters, so quite chilly when we got out for some photos. The roads are really busy, with lots of people on the side of the road waiting to be picked up, ready with luggage and bags of food. Also vans, loaded up to the hilt, sometimes with men hanging off the sides! The reason everyone is traveling is because tomorrow is Sacrifice Day, a holy day in Morocco, where the whole family gets together, a beast gets slaughtered and food is shared (in thirds, one part for your family, one part for friends and family, and the last third to give to the poor). 

Souks in Marakesh 

Unfortunately when we go to Marakesh I was feeling quite unwell so skipped lunch for a sleep. Managed to drag myself out of bed for a walking tour of Marakesh but had to bail halfway through. Fever and other unpleasantness so tucked up in bed. Luckily Brenda, our GP on the tour is looking after me with drugs and drinks.

Day 105, Mgoun Valley to Ksar Ait-Ben Haddou

Kasbah Amridil

It was Dawn's birthday yesterday, and Abdulah had organised a beautiful birthday cake for her, quite a feat in a place like we were, I wouldn't think he just popped down to the local bakery!

First stop today was Kasbah Amridil dating from the 17th century, in the Skoura Oasis, a Kasbah classified by Unesco. A Kasbah is a safe house, where many members of one family live together, with many rooms around a central area, like a garden. The Skoura oasis was chosen as a rest point for the caravans trading goods from South Africa to the North.

Bricks are either small and easily laid for the finer work, but the large walls were made by using a mould, which was hoisted up, filled with stones, then mud and straw, and when dried and set, the mould was removed. Steps up to the top were uneven and high, to make it hard for enemies to run up them. The distinguishing feature of an old kasbah is that the towers are wider down the bottom than the top, to keep them from toppling! This particular one is actually on the 50 dirham note, and being restored, which is wonderful to see.

The guide who took us through was absolutely hilarious; Reda had a unique style of explaining everything, a fun experience.

Our funny guide

Lunch in Ouarzazate and then onto our village for the night, and a pool again, luckily we had a couple of hours to enjoy it.

We're staying next to the oldest village in Morocco, dating from the 11th century, founded by the nomads on their way to Marrakech: Ksar of Ait-Ben Haddou.

Inside Kasbar Amridil

The chief of the village would charge a tax for staying there overnight, but in return send soldiers with the caravan to keep them save until the next village. Being a Unesco site, it is being restored, and was also used for the Gladiator movie, Indiana Jones 3, Cleopatra and many more.

Day 104, Mgoun valley, Morocco

A long and hot but beautiful walk

Okay, a couple of things that stand out in my mind about Morocco are the absolutely lovely fresh food with so many vegetables and fresh bread, as well as the simple way of life that still exists here. 

Mud and straw houses

Red rocks and green valleys

This morning we went on a ten kilometre walk (and yes, I managed it!) through fields of corn, patches of land with alfalfa, fig trees, to the next village. People are almost self sufficient in this valley, Mgoun valley, electricity only came in 2006. Everyone grows their own vegetables and fruit and washing is still done in the river. So all along our walk, which crossed the river a number of times, we saw girls and women doing their washing, happily saying bonjour to us, and laughing and carrying on.

Washing drying on the rocks 

Noticeably the boys were just hanging around, doing nothing, haha! A cup of mint tea halfway, and then back again, lovely views of the steep mountains surrounding us. Back for lunch, another Berber Omelette and salad and then some free time and wifi, so catch up on blogs etc.

We're actually staying with a Berber family. Up until two years ago accommodation here meant one large room that all the tour shared, but then the tour company and the hosts put together and extended the Kasbah (Moroccan style house), so now we have private rooms. The walls are made with a mixture of clay and straw, and although basic, there is hot water, so quite luxurious.

Preparing veges for the tagine 

We get the opportunity to watch the hosts cook, so four of us decided to find out about cooking tagine, our dinner tonight, which was very interesting; we even got to join in and peel the vegetables.

Day 103, Sahara desert to Magoun Valley, Morocco

The views are just great

Up at 6.00 and on the camels by 6.20. Unfortunately it was cloudy so we didn't get to see the sunrise. Back at base showers and breakfast and on the road again. Abdulah our guide is great at explaining things along the way. We're winding our way through little villages where the traditional way of life still exists. There are many Allouits here, and women keep the old tradition of being fully dressed in black, including the face covered. When the husband dies the women wear white for 4 months and 10 days. Many co-operatives organised by the government to especially help women who may have lost a husband or got divorced, as well as to help artists and keep old crafts alive. There are so many palm trees everywhere, loaded with the plumpest dates. Transport seems to be bicycle, feet or donkey. You come across people walking on the side of the road, who must walk for hours to get anywhere. Donkeys are loaded up, transporting both people and goods.

First stop is at an 11th century underground irrigation system, called Khettara, where huge channels were dug approximately 40 metres underground, and wells intermittently placed. The water source was 50 k's away, so a massive effort to dig. They had to be cleaned out every year and were used as recently as 15 years ago. We got to walk through the underground channels, very interesting.

The irrigation channels 

Lunch was with a Berber family in Tinerhir, a lovely home cooked meal, and a wee weaving demonstration. I almost bought a rug, but it turned out too expensive to ship home (even a small one), so decided against it. This was in a village where we had to cross a small river over a half log and the women were washing their clothes in the river. 

Todra Gorge was the next stop, a refreshing walk in the gorge. I have included photos of this beautiful place.

Tours Gorge

We finally arrived in Magoun Valley, our home for the next two nights. The valley is long and green and the rock is red, it's out of this world, I have posted the view from my window, more to come

View from my window 

Day 102, Sahara Desert, Morocco

Sahara

A drive from the Middle Atlas, over the high Atlas, through the longest valley, Valley de Ziz, and a stop at the Oufous Oasis where the most beautiful dates come from. The nomads live in the high country during the summer, taking their animals to the green pastures every day and corralling them in the evening near the camp, where they live in tents.The women walk to the nearest spring in the morning with water containers to collect water for the day. In October they move back to the lower country. Abdulah told us about Algiers and how you can not cross the border into Algiers from Morocco. In the desert it is monitored by satellite.

Lunch was a beautiful Moroccan salad, meatball tangine and fruit for dessert. Lovely food here, very fresh and healthy.

Getting ready to hop on

This morning it was foggy and quite fresh, I think due to the altitude. We crossed the High Atlas at 2000 metres. By lunchtime all the cloud had lifted and we were up to 32 degrees again. Finally, finally, after a very warm and long drive, and the excitement mounting in the van, we arrived at Auberge Yasmina, our 'base' where we are leaving our luggage and re-packing to just take what we need overnight. There is a pool, so a blissfully refreshing dip, then it was time to head over to the camels!

This is great!

It was everything I hoped and more. So cool, a trail of us on the camels. Slowly and steadily, a beautiful sunset while we're riding through the Sahara. Camp was an arrangement of 6 tents, 4 of us per tent. A huge climb up a hill to get an amazing view, and back to camp when it had just got dark. Dinner, mint tea, drum music by some locals, and gazing at the night sky, stars don't get clearer than this. We slept under the stars, the tents were so hot and the evening was mild. What a special night.

Sunset

Day 101, Fes to Midelt, Morocco

Village children 

Happy birthday to my lovely lad, Aaron's 23 today.

A fair bit of driving today, to get to our stop for the night, Medelt, a village in Apple Valley, on a huge plateau between the mid- and high Atlas Mountains.

Our first stop was in a beautiful town called Iffram, also known as Switzerland of Morocco. It's a town where richer people have their summer houses as generally the temperatures are considerably lower than in nearby Fes. Everything is beautifully manicured and irrigated, so lush and green. A refreshing change from the cities we've visited so far. We only stopped for a coffee and to get supplies for a picnic, which we had at a lovely little stream. Then on with the drive, had Kathryn from Berlin next to me, and we had some lovely chats, so time went fast. We did stop and saw Barbary Apes (from Gibraltar) with babies, so cute.

Barbary Apes

We got to our town and accommodation for the night early, so there was time for a swim, such luxury, then after that a walk in the country to see a local Berber village and apple orchard.

Coming into the village 

Great to stretch the legs, the weather was perfect and Abdulah our guide told us about the

hierarchy of a Berber village; Irrigation man, Mayor, Government representative, Call to Prayer man and calling the prayer man. These are all considered very important positions. The visit to the village was certainly an experience to remember, children following us, wanting to hold our hand and have their photo taken. As basic as conditions are, people looked happy and somehow...the children knew to swipe my iPad to look at the photos.

the village

It felt strange going through, did they consider us an oddity as well, is it respectful for us to visit them to see how they live or do they feel 'on show'?

Day 100, Fes, Morocco

The guide's daughter 

Ah, a late start this morning, breakfast at 9.00! Then on the bus to Sefrou, a nearby town nested  in the slopes of the Middle Atlas, and well known for its cherry festival which is considered one of Morocco's oldest and most prominent regional celebrations. The local guide took us into the medina and then to the old Jewish Quarter (every town has one). Okay, so before we go in our guide tells us to make sure any backpacks are worn in the front and to stay together. Then you know it's going to be interesting, especially when you find that a local policeman is following the group, keeping a watchful eye out! We crossed over a little bridge to get into the Jewish Quarter. There was a bad flood through the city in 1950, which killed 21 people. After that a lot of the houses were considered unsafe and because people kept living in them the local government decided to destroy them to the point of being uninhabitable. Unfortunately they've left the remains standing, which has become almost a ghetto. We went single file, over uneven paths, rubbish, rubble until we got to the 'other side ' and that's where the local Thursday market was.

At the market 

A lot of women at the markets, mainly to sell goods they've made or grown. A lot of haggling going on, it appeared that they were negotiating a price for buttons they make and then sell to the tailors to go on the Djellabas and caftans. Poor tailor being yelled at by 6 woman once

The price of buttons 

Then local women also come to sell their wares; vegetables, olives etc. Very different from our local farmers market for sure. Took photos, but at times it feels almost voyeuristic, an intrusion. This is their day to day life and we're snapping pictures. There are no other tourists here, we're quite a rarity.

lunch in the cave house 

Next a visit to the guide's hometown Bhalil, where we had a 'picnic ' lunch with a local family, who still live in caves. Granted, they have a toilet (squat, strong legs!!) and power, and yes, she is on Facebook , but caves none the less, see the pictures. Children everywhere following us back out the village, very different experience for sure.

Day 99, Fes, Morocco

Donkey coming through 

Fes is the oldest city in Morocco, dating from the 8th century, founded by the 5th descendant of the prophet Mohamed, consisting of a 9th century, a 14th century and a 19th century part. First thing this morning we visited the Jewish quarter where up to 14,000 Jews  lived up to 1948, when the holy land was returned to them. Our guide for the day was superb, very knowledgeable but with a great sense of humour and timing. Told us so many interesting things about Fes, but also Morocco in general, fascinating facts about harems of all things, and how they were actually political manoeuvres more than anything, showing not only power but also ensuring solidarity from the women's fathers, being influential men. The women themselves were carefully chosen by the tribe, ensuring the brightest and cleverest one would be chosen, to try and become one of the king's 4 wives. A lot of scheming and plotting would have gone on. 

Beautiful mosaics

Unesco supports the artists in Fes, ensuring the old arts don't die out. A co-operative is financially supported by Unesco, paying the artists a fair wage and good working conditions and apprentices are taught the old crafts, among them the mosaic art. We visited the workshop, which was very interesting, and off course all bought something little to take home. Next a tannery, smelled terrible, a copper plate shop, silk weavers.....and on it went.

Delicious Moroccan lunch 

The medina and souks are so fascinating though. A cacophony of sounds, smells, sights; donkeys being used to carry goods in the narrow alleyways, live chickens (and some not so) sheep, herbs and spices, food cooking, the tiniest 'shops', old men hand sewing dresses. Alleys that never see the sunlight as there is permanent scaffolding propping the houses up, don't forget these have been here since early 800's. It's an overwhelming experience, absolutely crazy, but so cool. You feel part of it, this feels real, the hustle and bustle of live in Fes. The alleys are winding, narrow, a lot have dead ends. Without a guide you'd be lost in 5 minutes.

Cats everywhere!!

A very tired group returned to the Riad for showers before a quick dinner out. A great day!

Day 98, Meknes to Fes, Morocco

Volubilis archaeological site

Some very good news last night, Shaun's visa into the UK has been accepted, so happy campers we all are. I'm meeting up with him early November in Sheffield, near Manchester.

Oh my, been a long day and we've done so much, finishing with a wonderful arrival at our accommodation, so let's think where to start.

Granary 

First up, a drive to the most southern Roman archealogical site in all of Europe, Volubilis, where we had a guide take us through the Roman city remains. Very interesting, most of all the mosaic that survived. A lot of damage was done to the site by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. 

Next up, back to Meknes, where we visited the local markets. These are the markets where the locals come daily to buy there fruit, vegetables and meat, as well as spices. Oh, if I could bottle the smells and take it home, how wonderful that would be. There were huge displays of olives, sweet cakes, but also pigs trotters, goats heads (!) and live chickens. I loved the buzz of the markets. Later we visited the grain stores (granary) from the 1700's, which were built to ensure the 12,000 horses, owned by Moulay Ismail, the ruthless leader of Morocco at the time. There was enough grain stored to feed the horses for 10 years!

Welcome at the riad 

Then a visit to the burial place of one of the Kings, but by now we're all getting a tad tired and hot!

Tonight we're staying in Fes, well, 3 nights actually, so that's nice. It's in a Riad, which is like an old house with a little courtyard in the middle, and just super! We were greeted with mint tea, a wee rest and then taken to our lovely rooms, have a look at the pictures, I have tried to capture, but hard to do!

The 'window' in my room 

Day 97, Casablanca to Mendes

Medina (old town) in Rabat

Met some lovely ladies at breakfast, mum and two daughters from Sydney. As it turns out, mum went to Christchurch Girls High School and lived in Bryndwr, one suburb over from Ilam! 

Turns out they're on a slightly different tour, but I think we're traveling together the first 5 days.

Visited the third largest mosque this morning in Casablanca. Absolutely breathtaking, only took 6 years to build, from 1987 to 1993, with builders and craftsmen working in 3 shifts, around the clock. Built almost entirely of Moroccon materials, the only imports being the chandeliers and glass from Venice and the door handles being Russian titanium as it doesn't corrode, with the mosque being right on the seafront. The roof slides open to allow prayers in the open air.

Mosque in Casablanca 

From there into Rabat, the capital of Morocco. We had a wonderful local guide, Fatima, with a great sense of humour, who took us to a numb of different sites, last one being the Medina (Old Town) in Rabat, all white washed houses with blue, like being in Greece. Rabat is a beautiful city, gardens and green everywhere, even in this heat, very clean as well.

Getting to know the fellow travellers, a real mixed bunch, singles, couples, young, older, from the U.S., Germany, Aussie and NZ. 

A bit of a drive from Rabat to Meknes for the night, didn't arrive till 7.45, so quite a long day since our 8.30 departure.

Oh, and I fi saw cows! On the side of the road, next to the highway actually, no fence or anything to keep them in, super safe. The other live stock was 6 sheep on top of a van, unfortunately I was too slow getting a picture!

Looking over to Rabat