Cleared the apt and loaded the car by 9.45. Note to self: get everything laid out before packing … amazing how i can never pack the same. Corrie travelled some of the journey with a chair across her.
We do like a journey with a stop. Tetouan is known as the Daughter of Grenada due to Andalucian architecture. All very grand.
Very Andalucian. Stopped here for coffee €3 including the tip. Not tourist pricesEntrance to one of the King’s palaces. He destroyed a garden, so had another builtelsewhere
Then you enter the Medina. A huge rabbit warren of narrow passageways. First all the jewellers, clothes and then leather products.
Leading to the tannery. Fortunately, this didn’t stink, as not used since the Romans.
But some put on a show for tourists
We only had 3 men offer to guide us around. Ice cream a disappointment. May only have been €1.40 for both of us to have 2 scoops, but lacking flavour … they all tasted the same. And definitely no cream. Completely the opposite to my milk shake of yesterday, which was ALL cream, with 2 ice cubes and caramel sauce squirted on top!
Liked this 11th largest Moroccan city … a lot.
Tonight’s destination was Oued Lalou, on the north coast. Camping Ahmed was primitive to say the least! Two Turkish / long drop toilets, flushed by a bucket with a scoop. Showers? Try a refreshing dip in the sea OR stand over the loo and throw the bucket of water over your head. No difference between the 2 options really …the water in the bucket came from a salt water well! But we could pitch the tent on grass and we had the sound of the sea. €5 per night.
Slainte folks – my first blog for some years (J here)….. on the sandy Spanish campsite of San Jose we met Karen and David – friends from Turkey Sundance Camping in lock down 2020 – but originally met on a boozy day in Espana 2016 – fellow motorhomers. They know this area very well – we perambulated along lovely beaches for 20km over the two days. Coffee and vino tinto we forced ourselves to imbibe – no difficulty there.
Cape Trafalgar, no battle whilst we there
Snails attached to every twig and branchSurfer beach … lots of schools and lots of falling off. Super long sandy beach.
On the second night we supped in a local hostelry – pizza, lasagne and excellent tuna…do I need to say vinlyrinto, oops, it was good !
On the walk home David did a good impersonation of Indiana Jones by leaping backwards through a timber fence into an eight foot deep drainage channel! Not intended but spectacular to see his feet disappearing ! Only a grazed elbow resulted… and all he did was lean on the top bar.
We drove to Veger with K and D – a spectacular town with all white buildings – a good walk and a little wine…
Vejer
8th October 2024
It rained on our new tent overnight – what a cheek! Dismantling and packing away was better – the second time. K and D sent us on our way with beakers of tea and coffee – we hope to see them in December – hasta pronto friends…..
We met Brian and Zoa for a long day in Algeciras centre – ferry tickets and Corrie vet visit. An anomaly with her rabies vaccination (K: I was 18 days late with one rabies vaccination which invalidates her titer tests) led to more time in the port – another vet appointment tomorrow to see if we can actually travel to Morocco! The lovely vet had communicated with the Spanish Defra in the evening, and we were told to get another titer test done, which they will email to us. Appointment at 10.00 with the vet.
A late (8:00 pm) drive to our booked hotel – very smart and quite retro. The restaurant initially looked expensive but K’s dish of cod and my salmon were both reasonably priced and delicious. Bedtime in a large bed brought quite a few noisy little feckers – mozzies! Not the best sleep but an excellent hotel.
9th October
Being anxious, we were super early. Vet confirmed that there was absolutely no chance of Corrie having insufficient antibodies given years of vaccinations. She showed me a thick wad of titer tests done and emailed for other travellers. We could travel to Morocco!
We bolted to catch the 11.00 ferry, but gates shut at 10.50. So a long wait for the 2.00, which was 1.5 hrs late. Ho hum.
All very confusing on arrival. But Brian had travelled at 0800 and sent us descriptions of what to expect: through a scanner, customs, then sim card and car insurance. On being asked to open the boot, I explained we had camping equipment and that I had packed it. He sent us off, to the chagrin of the cars in front of us having to completely empty everything. Took us just over 2 hours, which I believe is quick.
Insurance building
We arrived in rain and wind at the Tangier campsite where Brian was installed. The chap wanted to charge €40 to pitch with Brian or €30 up a bit with no electric!!! All immaterial as we couldn’t get a single peg into the hard-core under the manicured shingle. Abort! Found an apt nearby for not much more. And we are dry!
Clune Gap Years 