Asilah

Asilah. The beginning of adventures for us. Whether arriving or departing. 

This is the last blog from Morocco for this year. Tomorrow we set sail for Spain three months from the day we arrived. Another adventure starts. 

Summer and Holts Field. 

We feel blessed to have had another great adventure here. Our first summer of the year ! Camping and for us, campsites are our thing. 

We can be quiet and calm. Do those things that peacefulness encourage, like knitting! How are the socks doing Krysia? 

Not bad at all Ted. Just taking their time as it's the first sock I've knitted and there is always a need for two of them ! But number one is coming along just fine. Excellent. They are going to be lovely. 

 

We can pop out of the campsite and take a stroll around town, enjoying the warmth and friendliness of the local people. Always delightful. Although there are a fair few tourists here on days out from Spain so shopkeepers, you don't have to be pushy. Puts us off meandering when " best price " etc is called. Real shopkeepers, as in local stores and markets do not suffer from the same approach and benefit from our custom.  Wandering through shops and talking to locals then becomes a pleasure. In fact, one of our greatest pleasures. 

Even having a print made of our ferry ticket home can turn into an intimate experience! Especially when the ticket is on ones phone and getting it to the shops email should be easy ! All done in the end and thank you Sahmi for your patience. 

The phone, an iPhone, has been a central player in this years trip. It's been the source of the Internet, a camera, a sound and video recorder, translator and of course a computer. Amazing what you can fit in your pocket. The blog has been written and uploaded onto the web. And of course, it's a telephone as well ! Whatsapp has changed the way we can comunicate with loved ones and emails pop into your life wherever you are! 

A good thing? Well, embrace it and use it I say. Just be sure you know who's in charge ! This trip has certainly been enhanced by its presence whithout getting in the way. 

So, as you can see, this modern technology hasn't done me any harm. I'm as sound as a pound as is is my lovely Krysia. We both thank you for tuning in to our blog and hope you'll join us next time

Until then

Lots of love 

Ted n Krysia xxx

Have to go again

Nice hats. ! Hand knitted jobbies made by Gabè's mum in Bouzerktoun. Happy people are heading north. But not before a couple of goodbyes. 

Krysia tries one more time at property investment. I like it here she says !! Bit parky when the wind blows lovel girl. Solid walls and a shell floor? 'Fraid not. Say goodbye. 

A big hug and goodbye to Ute from Austria. Bouncy as she is known, because she has more energy than most of us put together and an infectious laugh that if you could bottle it, you have found a cure for all the worlds sadness. Xxx

One more sunset for the road. Zzzz

Another selfie, taken in our new tops from the local surf shop. Houcin is the owner, he's as local as they come and in fact, it was his uncle, now deceased, who we drank mint tea with back in the '70's. The tops are his design ! 

Goodbye Imsouane, another visit come to a close. Highlights? Krysia surfing, which although there are no recorded ones, for us it was a new experience. Krysia's out the back. So, proudly she can stand in her surfy t shirt. One last stop at fossil mountain as we leave on the old road. 

And after a touristic plunge into Essouira where we stock up on our 'mud', rhasoul, we settle for the night at Bouzerktoun. A wild campspot on the road north. 

It's a lovely place as yet untouched by overdevelopment or a campsite. A wind surfing paradise as well as surfing. For us, it's a quiet night by the sea. A walk along the beach and a chance to buy some more hats from Gabè's again. His mum makes them. 

We are blessed with some fine cloudscapes too. They deserve a few shots. 

Vannie looking good, alone by the sea. 

And a pano

Enough, start her up and let's go north. 

To El Jadida. With its fine beach walk and friendly Arab people. 

We've walked the walk here many times before. Even some familiar faces. It's hello again before goodbye. In fact, it's hello again all the time. Goodbyes are just hello's in disguise. 

Hello. 

Cosmic Sea Urchin

Sometimes, when you are very lucky, a photo comes along that just has something special about it. And we think this is one of those. May we present The cosmic sea urchin. 

And here is Krysia becoming one with the earth ! Mother Earth ? 

So what's this blog all about then? Well some pictures to start with before going into the main theme, which is out and about on the motor bike ! So before I start, here's a sunset, just for its beauty. 

So now on with the main topic , where our motor bike can take us. For starters, we'll go on a journey north through the Argan forest to Tafedna. A fishing village some way up a bumpy road. Along the way we stop for a picnic amongst the beautiful Argan trees. 

  

Where I take some arty shots of Krysia relaxing after modest snack. 

The view through this idyllic landscape is breathtaking. Wheat fields are being harvested while Argan trees are full of ripening fruit. April is a green and beautiful month here. 

But enough of this waffling Ted, what about me and the bike ride? Let's get on with the bumpy road. 

Your right Krysia, were nearly at Tafedna and we've another ride to talk about after this one. So we're at the beach and no port or jetties here! Straight in they come, on the surf! Tractors are waiting to pull the boats up the beach and boy does it smell here. Phew, fishy fish smell very strong. 

Well what do we expect? It's a fishing village isn't it. Very pretty but it's not for tourism, it's a way of life and fish is the business. Strangely, Imsouane doesn't smell like this! Enough you winging tourist. It's a happening place and bikey has brought us safely here. 

 

It's very busy and everyone is friendly. The tractors do their job well and it must be a huge relief for the fishermen not to have to manhandle the boats up the sand. Old the tractors are but they make light work of the task at hand. 

But there is a good ride home and it's time to go. We'll take the main road back as it's much quicker, twenty miles of bumpy road takes its toll on ones body so well go for the smooth vroom vroom choice. 

And now it's time to talk about the second journey out on the bike. The Tildi trip. It's an epic

Tildi is easily visible from Imsouane. It's just across the bay. To get to it, you have to go overland which we have tried once already. We turned back due to threatening clouds and a muddy piste. The valley leading to Tildi is really a deep gorge with a rough track hugging the high cliff until it breaks through to the sea and plummets down to ocean level in a series of muddy switchbacks. 

Are we sure about this ? Krysia stands high above the gorge knowing that we have wanted to do this for a long time. And the weather is dry and sunny. So with concentration levels at their peek, we take the plunge and head for Tildi. No more photos from here on. Just hold your breath and imagine the ride. Breathtaking is an understatement. 

At the bottom safely, we find a quiet village with a green and pleasant valley, full crops and as tranquil as you could imagine. A jewel in a modern world which   seems hell bent on construction and tourism which is evidently taking a hold here too. Although how building materials are brought here will remain a mystery to us. 

We relax from our decent in the warm sun. I am very relieved to have made it safely but I can't shake off the feeling that the return journey is our only way out. Be here now Ted! Enjoy the now. 

And it is well worth enjoying. The river which is a trickle today, must flow as a torrent when in full flood. It is so peaceful today. Frogs a croaking, water gurgling. 

Photo opportunities and time to reflect. 

On the beach as in the valley,  fossils are abundant. Krysia is mesmerised by the choices while I can't help but sense the mountains behind her. Up and over the top we have to go! This time we shall stop to take photos when we can. So come on girl. Let's go. You've got enough fossils now. 

The Tildi pass. That's what I name it. A white knuckle ride, as demanding and as vital as any 10 foot wave. No room for error. The piste is tough and we're up for it. Encouraging me all the way, Krysia and  Ted take this on together. Our wave ! And we make it. We have to. At the pass we stop, hug and shout for joy. 

Can a photo show what we have achieved. Of course not but these snaps give an idea of the scale and beauty. 

Mmm more fossils? The road Krysia, look at the road! Chill out Ted, we made it. You drove well as always. Look at this fossil ?!?

The panorama photo below at least includes the whole decent. From the Tildi pass to the sea. Ooh. I think I'll called it the Tizi 'n Tildi. Very Moroccan. 

Another panoramic view. This time from the high road down to Tildi, with Imsouane in the distance. So close yet, at times today, so far away. 

As this photo shows, Tildi in the foreground, Imsoune in the next bay. Not many visitors will have been to Tildi ! 

A cavernous waterfall at the top of the gorge. Wow, brave Krysia. Such a long drop below. 

Yes Ted, although I don't feel quite so brave right next to such a long drop. 

Long drop to the valley below. 

So we did it. This fine shot of Krysia says it all really. We are very happy to have done this journey. It has been an epic. Krysia, you look amazing. 

Bread day

And what a day. The challenge was, can we take a bag of spelt flour into the local bakery and get them to bake us some real good bread made with real good flour ? An idea of Simon's which we take part in. We have the flour and the moral support to take on the challenge. The difficulties being such things as language as well as bakers pride. We know that the local flour is standard white flour and its results are predictable. So how will our day work out. 

We have the help of campsite warden, Ahamed, to make up a request in Bereber so we can get the message across !!! Well, that's if Simon can get his Berber accent right? And what does he have to say? Here it is: ' Arhir aeye tsnud aroum seej dign add aafak ' ? So we practice and practice. 

Until we think there's half a chance before heading to the bakery hatch and letting Simon do the talking. Well it's only fair. It is his idea. ! 

So to work. What will they make of this bizarre request. Will they understand at all what is being said. No French or English here. 

Perhaps some sign language? 

Perhaps not ! 

Somehow, these dear people get the idea with many laughs and smiles all round. Simon, you have got the message through. We think ?! There again, they might just think that you have given them a present of a bag of flour ! 

Buying ready made bread is easy. Simons been doing that here for years. 

Did we do it, we wonder ? We will find out tomorrow ! Insha'allah. I think you got it right. 

Who are you ? We're in a bit of a daze after the bakery so bumping into this chap straight away ?? What's in the box ? Oh, a fish finder. How nice. That's a fish finder?? Yeah. In a box. Fantastic. And your name is ? IL Mochta. And it's a great box too. He's  a lovely bloke and he's very proud of his box of delights, so we take a photo and promise him a copy. 

And this next dear chap is Mohamed and he's not as stern as he looks here. He's a fisherman mending his nets and looking  stern is kind of a Moroccan thing for the older generation. Not to be laughed at. He's a lovely bloke and just froze into this pose when krysia asked him for his photo. 

It's been quite a day so far. So we'll move on to tomorrow so as not to keep you in suspense over the loaves of bread.  Will we find them ready and waiting ? 

And the answer, of course is yes. They are not quite ready. In fact they are about to go into the oven. Six beautiful round loaves looking the business. Wholemeal bread for our lunch. Come back in an hour ! 

And this is the master baker himself. We missed him yesterday but he obviously understood our needs.

Hot from the oven, straight from the bakers hands and into our bag. A fine moment. A dream come true for Simon and a joy for us to be involved. 

Well pleased with ourselves we are. 

And here they are as a still life. 

Then as a ready to eat sandwhich. Prepared with love and using only the finest ingredients !! 

Bread day. What a fine day.