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  1. #111
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    South Wales UK
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    1,901

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    Overland to Morocco.
    Winter 2015-2016


    Taroudant - Essaouira

    ‘Good Morning’

    Yesterday instead of a nice ‘lazy day’ we had a walk around the area in which the campsite is situated and spotted a few things…..

    We passed possibly the smallest Marjane (Supermarket) in Morocco!...



    Someone is having a BIG house built!......



    As we then get onto the N10 ‘Route Principal’ we pass one of the very big Orangery’s in the area…..



    The a little bit further on we very nearly step on this little Tortoise, but manage to pull some nice juicy greenery which it then starts to munch into with relish….



    After a round trip of some 7 Miles we get back to the campsite and start getting ready to pull out in the morning as early as possible so we can get along the narrow lane before the traffic starts building up…..

    08:15 and after getting the campsite gates opened up we are on our way, while the trip up the narrow lane was OK!

    After a couple of miles along the N10 we are passing part of the walls of the very big Medina that surrounds Taroudant….









    As we then exit the city limit gates…..



    Nice to see the Baker is also up and making the days bread as we can tell from the black smoke from the chimney!....



    Not sure what programs this place is watching but his Satellite Dish is bigger than anything we have seen, even the ones in the military places!!!...



    Nice piece of road, made exercising the tonsils so much easier with the vibrations as we ‘rattled’ along it!......



    Young Palm trees but not sure why they are so close together unless it was someone’s idea of a fence?



    Toll Road entrance ahead as we take the route initially for Marrakech….



    Ticket Gate up ahead…..



    Boring road, with quite a bit of hill climbing, but some nice scenery as you travel along it…..





    We passed several Buses and Trucks who all seemed to be struggling as they were going up the hills, which I put down to not very good vehicle maintenance as normally they are passing us as we roll along at 56 mph (89 kmph), while going downhill the Buses & Trucks were going at a snails pace with lots of engine braking…..







    Interesting formation of the hillside to stop it crumbling down onto the road, and it was the same on both sides at this point…..



    The one and only ‘Tunnel’……



    New Olive trees growing under protection from plastic bags that have been fitted to keep pests off….



    Now off the Toll Road near a town called Chichaoua and on the ‘Fast Road’ as it is called to Essaouira…..



    Sports Hall in Chichaoua…..







    All around is brown earth, and then we see this little green patch with its own water tower!.....



    Market day in Sidi Moktar…..





    OK, who is going where, so we can get through?.....





    Once through and back out into the countryside we start seeing this earth covered structures that are not very high and wondered what they were for?



    This next partial one gave the game away as they are ‘Hay Ricks’! Built up of Hay and then covered in Mud which goes hard and keeps the Hay in good condition for the Donkeys as we could see some of the Hay left in the partial one, and the man on the campsite in Essaouira confirmed it when we showed him the picture…..



    Moving house maybe but we liked the Warning Triangle hanging off the back!...



    Quite a busy dual carriageway, but this Donkey is not the least bothered as he chomps away at the greenery in the small central reservation…..



    As we got to the campsite then wind really started to blow with some strong gusts making it a bit difficult to walk with all the dust flying around, so a trip out will be tomorrow if the wind dies down…..

    Good night!

  2. #112
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    South Wales UK
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    Overland to Morocco.
    Winter 2015-2016


    Our first full day in Essaouira

    ‘Good Morning’

    As we encountered a very strong wind this morning as we walked into the city from the campsite, this place does come with a ‘label’ as ‘The Windy City’ so maybe that is why it is a favourite of wind & kite surfers?...



    So we will start with some views from around the town......









    Carpet & Rug making in a place no bigger than a ‘Granny Flat with a first floor!



    The ‘survival of the fittest’ including the kittens!.....



    While this ‘Wood carver’ was producing some really nice pieces……



    Like this 6 piece Coaster Set……



    “Mashi Mushki” which translated from Arabic means ‘No Problem’!...







    A Blackbird Palm Tree ‘Conference’!......



    While the number of ‘Campers’ in the beachfront ‘Car Park’ has grown…..



    As the Dromedaries & Horse wait for customers that seem to be few and far between….



    Sunday ‘Beach Football’ with a number of players who are in bare feet! While the Seagulls just soar above on the high winds…..



    As we move back into the town but different places…..









    As the next couple of pictures try to give you some idea of the size of the Medina (Walls around the city) which is quite large……





    As we went back in through the gate in the middle of the wall……



    We spot this little fella just lounging against the window sill soaking up the sunshine and taking in the view!….





    A bit early but clearly this guy was ‘One over the yard arm’!…..



    With some more views from the old area of the town……











    As we found this date above one of the doors, it gives you an idea of just how old the buildings are.....









    While the wind had whipped up the sea, which stopped all but the biggest of the fishing fleet putting to sea as we saw in the port.....











    The Fishermen’s Storage Lockers on the Quayside…..



    Some of the very limited amount of fresh fish on sale in the Port today…..



    While on the beach, we see the Gendarmerie on Horseback patrolling the beach area……



    Finally with a person enjoying a Dromedary ride on the beach past the island of Mogador…..



    Back on the road tomorrow to Safi…..

    Good night!

  3. #113
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    South Wales UK
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    Overland to Morocco.
    Winter 2015-2016


    Essaouira – Sidi Rahal

    ‘Good Morning’

    Not sorry to be getting of this campsite (Sidi Magdoul) as the facilities have been in a disgusting state since we arrived.
    The person in reception is not the least bit interested in rectifying the problem which to be honest is not far off becoming a health hazard, as we found out from another Englishman who was staying there that they only clean the place once a week!…..

    First stop was the Garage for a fill up of diesel and the next stop was the Carrefour Supermarket for some groceries and then we are on our way.

    Fancied taking the coast road but advised against it, so we are taking the inland road instead……

    As we get out of the town and into the next town called Ounara we run into the second Gendarmerie ‘Check Point’ of the day……



    As we came down this road on our way South the trees were all being trimmed, now they are completed......





    As we then approach the next town we see this black smoke and wondered if there had been an accident and a vehicle was on fire?….



    Getting right up to it with the Gendarmerie directing the traffic we see it is a tyre in the middle of the road that is on fire, while everyone stands around watching the flames! Unbelievable….



    Then it was back to the nice scenery…..









    As the next town came into view....



    Safely through that and then it was the open road...



    While Donkeys were everywhere in the next town......





    As we again ran into the Weekly Market…….





    Every so often as we traveled along the road we would see ‘Fresh Water Wells’ alongside or just set back from the road with quite a number of people, donkeys and carts with a variety of containers to hold the water to take away and back home.
    We could only think that the houses in this area have no fresh water supply plumbed into them and you have to go to the well for your supplies…..



    As we got to the next town we spotted a ‘Roadside Take Away’ so as it was lunch time we pulled in and went back to see what was on offer…..

    Half a round loaf, the centre scooped out and then filled with chicken pieces, chips, a sauce and a few olives!
    Must admit it was delicious and even now it’s making my mouth water just thinking how nice it was! The cost was £1.50 for 2….($2.25 for 2)



    Another of those ‘Hay Trucks’ except this one had a lot longer overhang at both the back and front!…..



    There it is again in the middle of the next picture….



    This took a bit of getting past!.....



    Fresh Oranges & Papaya fruit from the nearby fields…..



    We were around 50 miles South of Casablanca when we started to see people from the Gendarmerie placed at each Garage and side road entrance as we went along the main road. We were told when we called into a garage for some diesel that the King of Morocco was out and about hence all the security……



    Road side tree surgery!….



    The position of this Truck in the middle of the road seems to be a common occurrence in Morocco especially when you are on a side road where only the middle of the road has got a reasonable surface, while it took some time to get past as the truck was not really going that fast due to being overloaded!…..



    Decided to try a new for us campsite called ‘Camping Hawaii’ which to get to we had to go down a quite narrow ‘piste’ track not far short of 1 mile long…..



    As we eventually got in as we had a bit of a wait while the second gate was opened up to allow the ‘TinTent’ through as 1 gate was not wide enough.
    As we got set up this donkey & cart arrives as the man with it starts offloading garbage into a container behind the cart! ….



    The campsite carpark which was the only area we could go on and the flattest section was opposite the open garbage bin….



    We then found out that there are no hotwater showers, while the facilities block was not fit to go into.
    There was no Internet access on the site, and the Maroc Dongle which is my ‘backup’ when there is no Wi-Fi on site had a very poor signal, then to round it off we had the pleasure through the night at various times of another barking dog designed to ruin your sleep which it did, while up until 23:00 hrs there was a constant procession of people walking past the ‘TinTent’ as there were houses at the top of the campsite with open access between!.…



    One of the 2 swimming pools on the site!…..



    While behind the site is a development of luxury houses being built!....



    Interestingly in the field in front of the housing development were these ladies who looked like they were collecting animal feed….



    Back on the road tomorrow while we make a note of removing that campsite from the Christmas Card list!.....

    Good night!

  4. #114
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Calgary, Alberta
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    614

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    You seem to be having bad luck this year with barking dogs. On the other hand the lunch sandwich looked very good.

  5. #115
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    South Wales UK
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    Quote Originally Posted by ssicarman View Post
    You seem to be having bad luck this year with barking dogs. On the other hand the lunch sandwich looked very good.
    I think the barking dogs/wild dogs is becoming more and more of a 'problem' over here which seems to be happily accepted by the locals while it is fueling a bad reputation for some places and tourists are now staying away after being advised via social media of the problems.

    The lunch sandwich you are correct was excellent!

  6. #116
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    Overland to Morocco.
    Winter 2015-2016


    Sidi Rahal to Kenitra

    ‘Good Morning’

    After another virtually sleepless night we set off just before 08:00hrs to a damp misty morning.





    As we finally get onto the ‘Toll Road’ we are amazed at the number of cars, buses & truck drivers over here who for some reason cannot seem to find the ‘Light Switch’ on their dashboard when the outside driving conditions are bad!!!…..







    New housing complex just North of Casablanca……



    While these blocks of whatever have gone up surprisingly fast!.....



    As we get into the road for Rabat we see great swathes of construction going on to make a bigger wider road to help with the volume of traffic now rolling down….



    ‘Training’ lessons on how to use a tripod mounted radar gun…..



    While the central reservation in some sections is a superb blaze of colour....



    As we get onto the final leg to Kenitra…...



    Traffic Island......



    Home of the Police Cavalry School…….



    As we pass another overstacked haytruck just before the campsite ….



    Here is hoping for a peaceful night!

    Good night!

  7. #117
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    South Wales UK
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    Overland to Morocco.
    Winter 2015-2016


    A day in Kenitra

    ‘Good Morning’

    After a very damp and overcast morning here in Kenitra during which we managed to get a few items cleaned up including some washing which thankfully dried when the sunshine emerged this afternoon.

    We took a walk into the town to get a few items from the market and saw to our great surprise the latest invention released very recently by the Telecommunications Company of their version of the Mobile Telephone!

    As you can see it is on wheels and can move around with you, while there is as you can also see a ‘His & Hers’ version which you can recognise by the different colours!

    While they are very cheap to run and maintain the Battery Life is unlimited, however a certain level of fitness is required to be able to ‘Take one Home’ and you have to pass a small test before signing the Customer Contract!!!



    As we get into the market area…..



    Then down one of the side streets we see this little piece of kit and wonder what it is?…..
    Then the penny drops as we get up close…..

    It is a hand cranked Silk Bobbin Filler as we are in the area of the city where different coloured Silk Thread Bobbins are for sale, and this machine along with a couple of others is used to hand fill the plastic bobbins with silk thread from the very large reels that the thread is supplied on.

    Connecting the small bobbin to a bicycle wheel with a handle on the bicycle wheel means the bobbin gets filled with thread very quickly!.....



    Main road through the city……



    Then turn left and we are back into the market part of town….



    As we come to the Fresh Flower and Bouquet store……



    We understand that the front of this building collapsed some time ago leaving the outer section still in place!
    It was then shored up and cordoned off while the street was closed to traffic and pedestrians on the ‘problem’ side and it has remained like this for quite some time now…..



    Meanwhile, someone asked me recently what will I do when ‘Flamenco Red’ goes off to the playground in the sky?….

    The answer appeared today on the campsite not long after we returned from town, but when I sat down and gave it some thought, it didn’t meet in any way shape or form what we have currently achieved with ‘Flamenco Red’ and the ‘TinTent’ so I guess I will still have to keep going for now…..



    After speaking with the owner of the converted Ex Volvo Bus, I understand that it is 20 years old and has been a brilliant vehicle while the picture on the back relates to the fact that he is a Car Transporter Driver for Mercedes, however in the ‘Garage’ in the rear of the Volvo is a little Fiat 500cc ‘Runabout’!.....



    While we got treated to a decent Sunset tonight....



    I just hope that we are not treated to the very loud music that was played until 02:00 this morning and then resumed at 04:00 as I think some wedding guests in a wedding reception in the campsite restaurant wanted to continue to ‘Party’!

    Good night!

  8. #118
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    modena italy
    Posts
    203

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    Quote Originally Posted by ssicarman View Post
    Sounds more like a baby thing than a Grandfather thing.

    Congratulations Grandpa.
    Congratulations Grandpa !!!
    Regretting :

  9. #119
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    modena italy
    Posts
    203

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    Many thanks for photos !
    Have a nice trip !!!
    Regretting :

  10. #120
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    South Wales UK
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    1,901

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    Quote Originally Posted by giorgio View Post
    Many thanks for photos !
    Have a nice trip !!!
    Hi Giorgio!

    As always you are very welcome.

    We are also having a good time and trip.

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