Overland 2013/14 to Morocco

[XCovlov70]

Stage 13A “A lazy day in Tiznit”

“Salam Alaikam”

After a noisy night from a local very large factory that has an extractor in the roof that is rather like a permanent slightly lower volume ‘Air Raid Siren’ after breakfast we took a stroll back into Tiznit for a look around the other part of the town that we did not see yesterday or last year…..

The road sign below shows our ‘exit’ off the traffic island to our next destination Sidi Ifni, but that is for tomorrow…..



Over to the other side of the Medina…..



Then down the road we see this place where it seems that crying in pain is not allowed…..



While a few doors along is literally ‘The PUB with no beer’!



Then turn left and into the Municipal Market……





While outside in a large square is the Taxi Rank.…



On the opposite side of the road are all the Microwave Communications Dishes, and Mobile Phone masts…..



The city centre Mosque, which was open, but we are not allowed in, however it did look very nice inside, as we could see through the open doors….



Another of the 8 Gates into the Medina……



Tipper Trucks that are loaded with building material and waiting for orders so that their goods can be delivered. It seems that some of them were also there yesterday as well…..



While here is the LARGE Factory not far from the campsite that has the ‘extractors’ running all day and night, while the noise is far more pronounced at night….



With the ‘problem’ in the ‘Tin Tent’ of not being able to charge the battery while being hooked up to mains voltage as the 12V DC Transformer has failed, I came up with a bit of a ‘Heath Robinson’ solution, and with the help of a local hardware shop I purchased an electric bulb, 4 meters of cable, a light bulb holder and a 2 pin plug. Total cost 62MAD (About £5 or $7.5) after assembling the parts, the solution works well, and saved spending around 5 times the amount on a battery charger.



Back on the road tomorrow and then a halt of at least 7 nights before we move again so updates will not be as frequent for a short while.….

tisbah `ala khair (Arabic ‘Good night’)

[XCovlov70]

Stage 14 “Tiznit to Sidi Ifni”

“Salam Alaikam”

Up and on the road by 08:15hrs after a nice but non photographable sunrise this morning which was a shame as the colours opened like a balloon being inflated as the sun lit up the sky as it climbed over the horizon.
As we pass through Tiznit we see more new buildings on the road to Sidi Ifni…



With a recently tarmacd road that went for quite some distance before it became ‘patchy’…..



Following the coast for the best part of the trip …..



While the new tarmac was nice to drive on, I do wish that the roadbuilders would at least try to make it flat instead of providing the little undulations that make you think at times that you are on a bit of a choppy sea trip!....



Passed quite a few Beehives at each side of the road with the honey being offered at small roadside stalls…..



While after a few small hills along with bends and ‘bumpy bits’…..

















We come into the outskirts of Province of Sidi Ifni….



While after passing through a couple of the outer small villages….











We arrive at the Horse statue entrance to the town of Sidi Ifni itself…..



While the little ‘white square’ in the middle of the next picture is the Police Check Point where you have to stop or continue very slowly while most times receiving a ‘Hello’ or sometimes a salute from the Police Officer on duty…







Then it’s on down the hill….



Round the bend and in through the last set of gates before the road junction to the campsite we are staying for the next 7 nights…..



Pictures of the campsite tomorrow, which is brand new!

tisbah `ala khair (Arabic ‘Good night’)

[ssicarman]

Looks all nice and green in the scenic shots. I think that it was close to the same last year, maybe a bit greener this year. Seems like the roadside weed of choice are the cacti.

Hope that the campsite is a good one.

[XCovlov70]

Looks all nice and green in the scenic shots. I think that it was close to the same last year, maybe a bit greener this year. Seems like the roadside weed of choice are the cacti.

Hope that the campsite is a good one.

While we are around 10 days later than last year I think possibly there has been more rain here than last year, especially on the coast.
Yes the roadside weed of choice are the cacti, but they make a very nice 'Cacti Jam' you might call it 'Jelly' from the small red/pink 'pods' which you spread on slices of bread, and unlike the 'Cactus Jelly' from your side of the Pond, which I have been given by a good friend to try and has no 'pips' in and is very sweet, the 'Jam' over here has the 'pips' in, is not as sweet and has a rather nice taste to it.

I am hoping to get a couple of jars while here, so will post a picture if successful.

The campsite is excellent with showers and toilets that are 9 days old, while the HOT water is exactly that, and if you ran it on it's own under the shower it would quite easily scald you!

They have also marked out with white liner on the ground all the camping pitches, and looking at them, we cannot work out when the place fills up, how the heck you are supposed to get in and out with your outfit!

Meanwhile we are seriously considering a trip across the road to help sort out a 'Cockerel' whose internal clock has gone out of sink and is waking us up at 04:30AM with his dam squawking!!!

While the after effects of my head cold which has now become a rasping cough is not helping!

Hey Ho, here comes another day in Paradise....

[XCovlov70]

Stage 14A “Day 1 of a few days in Sidi Ifni”

“Salam Alaikam”

Oh Boy I do wish the ‘Performance’ of Maroc Telecom could be fed back to ‘Customer Service’ but as they don’t have a department for that then it makes life a bit difficult as getting the previous update online was to say the least diabolical, some others might prefer the simple word of ‘Crap’!

While after the antics of getting the Blog update uploaded last night the whole of Sidi Ifni town lost its electrical power this morning just after breakfast which was restored around 5 hours later. It seems that there are no underground power cables, all power is supplied by overhead lines and when it’s windy which it was yesterday then ‘power failures’ happen .…

But at least the battery in the camera was working to be able to get the few pictures for today……

The Campsite as promised…..

While this was going to be the Main Entrance, the gates were fitted, then removed and the stones placed across the front as now you have to enter via another way!



Which is here on the road from Tiznit, but you can then drive straight across and come out the other side!…..



While moving in through the ‘entrance’ this is the view…..



With this rather striking mural on the facilities wall…..



Thought the ‘Dog Shower’ was a good idea, even though some people used it for dishwashing…



Men & Women Showers and Toilets all very nicely tiled with European style WC’s and very HOT water in the Showers, also with 2 clothes washing machines in the ladies side…..



While painted on the wall of the campsite on the inside are the flags of different countries from around the world….



The ‘Guardien’s office (Night-time Security)…..



Then a view from up on the hill as we went into town…..



Passing the Bakery on our way into the town centre we passed this rather nice Saddle on the wall outside and wondered if they offered a Camel delivery service?...



While partway up the hill into town we pass this small public garden that was not there last year…..



With a wander around town to take in a few more sights, before heading back to the campsite for a bit of ‘R&R’ as it was a nice hot sunny day….







Sunday Market tomorrow which should be quite interesting!

tisbah `ala khair (Arabic ‘Good night’)

[Da Tow'd]

I really enjoyed your road trip
interesting photos
thanks
hank

[XCovlov70]

I really enjoyed your road trip
interesting photos
thanks
hank

Hi Hank,
Thanks for the compliment it is appreciated, but as they say.......
'It ain't finished till the Fat Lady Sings' so keep looking as we hope it gets better!

[XCovlov70]

Stage 14B “Day 2 of a few days in Sidi Ifni”

“Salam Alaikam”

After posting the update last night we decided to take a stroll into town and found the place full of life even though it was around 20:00hrs,



While in the morning we get a quite nice Sunrise over the campsite……



Then after a HOT shower that with the water pressure feels like you have just been ‘caught’ in a Police ‘Water Cannon’ and after some breakfast to get yourself back together! PHEW! It’s time to go up the hill to the Sunday Market…..



Which when you get there and look around is a mixture of a ‘Car Boot Sale’ (Flea Market) Household items, Fruit & Veg, Berber Silver Jewellery, Straw Bales but no Camels…..



And small Carpets, but sadly not the magic kind that save you the very expensive cost of an air ticket if you need to get back home!…





Fruit and Veg section, and the F&V are very sweet and full of flavour, especially the Garden Peas which you have to get out of their pods, but you cannot help trying a few as you do! YUMMY!!! ….



While the Melons and Strawberries on this stall were excellent and will go down very well as a starter for Christmas Day Lunch…..



With a final look back before it was time to head back to the campsite for our own lunch…..



tisbah `ala khair (Arabic ‘Good night’)

[XCovlov70]

Stage 14C “Day 3 of a few days in Sidi Ifni”

“Salam Alaikam”

Decided on another ‘After Dinner’ stroll up into town last night and what a difference a day makes, but the previous evening we learnt Morocco were playing in a football final, so all the restaurants, café’s and snack bars that had a TV were full of people glued to the Square Box watching the football match….





While the following morning was breakfast followed by some shopping followed by laundry, then after lunch all the ‘Brits’ on the campsite which comprised of 8 adults all took off for a stroll along the beach…..

While the adventurous ‘4’ set off for a paddle…..



The rest followed…..



Then 2 went a bit deeper.…



Then a bit deeper again, or was it the waves coming in came farther up the beach?



But OOPS! It was too late and they ended up with very wet trousers…..



So off we went again some with just wet legs, others with wet bits that went a bit higher passing this large Hotel sat on the edge of the cliff, and has been there for some time…..



With a couple more views from the beach as we strolled along…..





Then we spotted this Jellyfish, which was the biggest we had seen at around 18inches in diameter but as we stood and looked at it the sea came in and washed it back out to sea…..



Continuing along the shoreline…..





We then see the now disused landing structure where larger ships would moor up and the passengers and freight would be brought ashore in a much larger version of a ‘Cable Car’ which we saw pictures of in the local museum last year but didn’t get see the actual structure close up…..



So off we went to get ‘Close Up and Personal’…….



Then when you get there you can see how massive it is when compared to the ‘normal’ white buildings in the bottom right of the next picture….



While moving around the front the closest section looks like something out of a Sci Fi movie waiting for the order to move…..



While up on the hill is the Moroccan Coastguard Station that monitors shipping up the African Coast…..



Sidi Ifni Port Entrance now hardly used except by some fishing boats…..



While on the road out of the port we see these rather strange shapes on the cliff face as though the rock ‘melted’ and then cooled leaving the turned over edges…



While we leave you on Christmas Eve with a thought of how you might feel after festivities are over tomorrow…..



So here’s Flamenco Red & its occupants…..
Wishing you all A Sincere Happy Christmas and a Great New Year

tisbah `ala khair (Arabic ‘Good night’)

[ssicarman]

Merry Christmas to all of you.

How was the water temperature on the jaunt into the depths?