02/05/14 - 10/05/14 Morocco part 3

   

                              Taza was a geographically strategic place for Morocco. Situated in the northeast it was a gap between the Riff and Atlas Mountains through which invading armies entered including the Romans. The French made it a strong hold against local tribes in 1914

  

                                No respect from this stork as he claims a minaret for his roost!

                    Reaching the Mediterranean we entered Melilla a small Spanish enclave. Along with Ceuta, Melilla is one of two Spanish autonomous cities on the Moroccan Coast. By entering you are effectively entering the EU which creates a headache for security against all those wishing to illegally arrive in Europe.








   Hence security fencing and…….   

              

                

            …….the military are a big factor. Given the difficulties I don’t know why they bother…….

                                      

                             However it does have some beautiful Spanish buildings, is clean, prosperous looking and with a working infrastructure – different to outside the fence….

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1                     After Melilla a short stint along the Med. and then……….

                           …after checking with the locals that it would be ok we set up for the night on the beach only to be moved on at 9 o’clock by a local in uniform. The first time that’s happened in Morocco

                            ……..back into the Riff Mountains 

       

                                Towers and fortifications dating back in history between the tribes  and then tribes combined against foreign armies

                          Washing day in the river

                         

                                    From our brief visit I would estimate that around two thirds of all agriculture is non-mechanized.  Ploughing by horse or cow…….

                     …….harvesting crops by hand and………

                      ……carrying the load…….

                    …… by mule and donkey

                      Some productive terracing

                               Further into the Riff Mountains which are much different to the Atlas Mountains. Much more fertile and productive

1                     And what’s this crop? Yup marihuana or locally known as tiff . According to our Lonely Planet, the Riff Mountains are home to the largest cultivation of cannabis in the world producing 42% of global production, involving an estimated 800,000 people and probably Morocco’s biggest source of foreign income

                            It certainly surprised us as to the extent of cultivation along the road and not hidden in the mountains.

                     The reason for so much polythene pipe, sprinklers and pumps for sale in villages along the way

 

1                     Traditional dress for the area

                        Always a group of children nearby

                             Heading north towards Tangiers and into Chefchaouen.  Formed in the 15^th century as a stronghold for the local tribes to then attack the Spanish on the Moroccan Coast it’s now a pretty tourist city with the colour of blue replacing Muslim green when the Spanish arrived in 1920……..

                   …….The Spanish left in 1956 but the colour blue and their architecture remained

1                     Great place to spend a day

                              They say that Morocco is the grave yard for Germany’s old Mercedes.  Along with VWs they make up most of the cars on the road…….. in varying states of disrepair

                        Now I thought that I could stack a truck load of hay with a certain amount of overhang but this is ridiculous!

            After entering Morocco on 14th April 2014 and 4007 kms later we will return to Spain on the 11th May and looking forward to come back to Morocco sometime in the future to find out more about this wonderful and diverse country.