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. 

                      

26/04/14 - 01/05/14 Morocco (part 2)

                  A magnificent gate at the entrance to Midelt in the High Atlas Mountains

   

                            The oasis in Gorges du Ziz north of Merzouga

      Our early morning goat herder. She was riding the donkey which I’m sure weighed less than her!

                       The central mountain range in Morocco or High Atlas are the most rugged and highest of the three ranges rising to North Africa’s highest point, Jebel Toubkal at 4167m.

  This minor road that we took was in places only just …?…… enough to get through but the scenery was stunning and became one of our ‘memorable’ drives

          

1                     Women washing in a stream. They were always keen to get any old clothes that we could spare….

                   ……while kids would take anything going

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                               At 2200m we were just below the snow line and met these goat herders. The one on the left showed me his feet both of which were badly frostbitten – not surprising when you are only wearing plastic shoes in snow country. He would very soon need to have toe and partial feet amputations.  Not a good outcome for a goat herder

                  We drove through an extensive forest of giant cedar trees, a very impressive area so…..

                          ……we made camp amongst the giants for the night……

                   …….the next day down to a lower altitude after a memorable drive

                      Two locals one of whom was complaining of tooth ache. I offered to pull it out with my pliers but he        preferred the second option of some Panadol!

                The mausoleum in the Mecknes medina of Moulay Ismail who was one of Morocco’s greatest rulers. In the 17^th century he succeeded in consolidating many of the tribes and keeping foreign powers at bay

    

                               Our horse and carriage tour of the city with!….. English speaking guide…?

                   A typical sight in Morocco, tea houses full of men and not a woman in sight. Where are the women.........?






                    …….. all at work.  Maybe that’s why in many cases things haven’t changed in over 2000 years

                Volubilis just north of Meknes was one of the Roman Empires famous cities and its most remote.  Annexed by Rome in AD40 and used to produce grain and olives for Rome. It lies in one of Morocco’s most fertile and productive areas. At its peak it housed up to 20,000 people but now…..

                     …….is home to one stork and…….






                 ......two chicks

             One of 68 olive presses that have been uncovered in the area

1                     The site contains some of the best mosaics from ancient Rome

                    Not again! Another broken spring. This time a minor bottom leaf and we were able to repair it using a spare leaf

                              Found a spring repair works in Fes; four guys in the dirt, started at 4 and finished at 7; but all wanted to have their photo taken.  AUD180 later we drove off again. However we need to look at the technical issues of this as this is not the first spring to break and no it’s not the driver either

                             The lane ways of the medinas and souks are endless and can absorb you for hours

1                     The old Caravan Sarai (spelling?) or guest house going back to the days of the camel caravans is now a museum with beautiful cedar timber work

                                 You can’t escape coming to these countries and not have an encounter with the carpet sellers

                     Marina tried her hand at weaving but gave up after a couple of minutes. Not enough to make even a small carpet which takes around a month for 1m square

                             Some of the alleys are narrow.  Good enough reason to leave Roadee on the outside!

                    Fes is known for its ancient tanneries which date back around 2000 years. The process has not changed in all that time but produces some of the world’s best goat leather….

                            …..Looking down on the dyeing process is like looking back into medieval times. It’s said that the life expectancy in this process is 55. I’m not surprised!