BERBER BEST: Days 6-10 of 273, 18-22NOV15, 479km to total 658km, Chefchaouen MOROCCO to Rabat MOROCCO

PLACES VISITED: Chefchaouen, Mosquee, Gorfiel Melha, Fez, Volubilis, Meknes, Rabat MOROCCO (Capital).

OVERNIGHTS: Chefchaouen, Fez (3), Rabat MOROCCO.

AUTHORS NOTE: This will be the last detailed POST. Future POSTS to be much shorter.

DAY 6, Wed 18NOV15, 0km Chefchaouen MOROCCO. Those Berbers sure know how to paint a building and walk up steep hills in Chefchaouen!!! They are the best at it. This ancient town that dates back to the Roman Empire is literally built on the steep side of a mountain at the start of the mighty 2,500km long “Atlas Mountain Range” that ends up in Tunisia. That’s it on the left.

The start of Atlas is also known as the “Rif Mountain Range”. The old town is bound by an old fortified wall and contains a “Kasbah” or fortress or citadel at its centre. These differ from English or American forts in that the surrounding wall and towers do not have windows but they do have turrets. My unofficial tour of the town started with a run right through it on the previous evening (17NOV15) but today I planned to photograph it in the afternoon when the sun was in the right position. Until that time it was off for a run ascending from 700m to 900m on my way to the next town called “Mosquee”. I got fabulous views of the Rif Valley below me which was spotted with many small villages, much like Greece - as a matter of fact it looked like the Peloponnese (Three Southern Greek fingers). For the first time in a long time I had to take a break due to the incredibly steep gradients.

Life is simple in this area. Olives, goats, some sheep and lots of home-grown veggies. Even Mosquee had a cafe with several men drinking mint tea outside and probably discussing world affairs! You should have seen the look on their faces when they saw an idiot “amigo” dressed in fluoro-red run past them with words emblazoned on his crotch and arse!! By the time 1pm rolled round I was on my way down the 789 steps to the old town. Easy to get lost. There are branching alley ways at every turn. There are also many small shops crammed into these tiny spaces that give it its character. What I liked most was the clothing of the locals, Very ornate. Very colourful. The browns, tans, oranges and yellow of the clothing contrasts against the predominate blue of the buildings. There are even different coloured flower pots and steps spanning colours that match the clothing. The main square “Plaza Uta el-Hammam” is the best place to photograph the different shapes and colours of the local people. Most do not like their picture taken so I was naughty and sat 200m away with my x30 optical Lumix TZ70 - fantastic results and no upset! The Kasbah was much smaller than I expected and not much to see inside. Most of the original fittings have been looted. The Grand Mosque was also a little small and did not look very “mosquee”. In any case this place is a photographers paradise. The only downside is that someone will always follow you to try to sell you something. Understandable but hard to get used to. I asked a very well dressed man how to get back to our campsite and he ended up taking me to 3 shops before offering me some weed to buy.

Apparently Chefchaouen has very high quality weed. I was back by 5:30pm and it was time to call a few people and answer some emails over a metallic cup of Rose! This evening saw a delicious medley of wok-tossed veggies and local beef. A bit chewy but very tasty. Tonight’s conversation took a strange turn, especially after I suggested that we cut a round hole in the middle of our vinyl foldout stools to make it comfortable for number two’s in the desert! You can only imagine what came after this...

DAY 7, Thu 19NOV15, 229km, Chefchaouen to Fez MOROCCO. Today was Fez day. Just how 19 people could cook and eat breakie, pack bags and tents to leave for Fez on-time at 9am is beyond me but quite impressive given this is only our third time. We are getting the hang of it! The road to Fez was well sealed and initially marked by smaller valleys with sparse pines and larger shrubs. Later a classic desert landscape with tan sands and baby blue lakes appeared in the distance and the landscape flattened considerably to finally reveal Fez on a large vast plateau.

Fez (Pop 2m, Elev 410m) is further inland on the “Middle Atlas Mountain Range", was founded in 789AD and is also known as the “Mecca of the West” or the “Athens of Africa” because of its very large, thriving, two old medinas (Ancient Quarters), one being UNESCO registered. Fez is also famous for its tanneries (making and colouring leather from raw skin). Fez is divided into old town Fez el-Bali (1,200yrs old) and new-town Fez el-Jdid (700yrs old), each with its own very mazy but colourful medinas.

Actual driving time was 4.5hrs to cover the 212km and we stopped at Gorfiel Melha after 113km to buy local produce for dinner. The air was full of the smell of tajines cooking veggies and meat. We enjoyed lunch under a bridge across a dodgy river with grazing goats and arrived at the Diamant Vert Camping Grounds in Fez at 4:30pm. Fez is flat and very spread out. It has long multi-lane boulevards and the centre is marked by a large fountain. The burbs are 95% solid concrete apartment blocks with thousands under construction - this is definitely a city in expansion. Could not see a single house.

Our camping area was large and recently renovated. The toilet/shower facilities were very swish - our last hoorah before 3 days of bush camping to follow. After pitching tents the whole group sat outside together on stools like an outdoor school and filled in 3 VISA forms for Mauritania, Ivory Coast and Mali and handed over 1260Dh (180AUD) and 10 passport photos to Andi who will process them over the next two days that we are in Fez. Tonight’s dinner was local beef and veggies done Brazilian style on the grill over an open fire - inspired by 41yr old Roberto from Sao Paolo, a chartered accountant and financial controller for a logistics company with 6yrs prior experience with PwC. I was fortunate to download a movie “90 Minutes in Heaven” which I watched in my tent late at night until sleep took hold - it was a very cold night and the first time I had to wear my long sleeve spandex in the bag...

Photo below is Chefchaouen at sunset...

DAY 8, Fri 20NOV15, 36km, Fez (New City) MOROCCO. After a quick weetbix and powdered milk with coffee (my invention) we were off to see Fez at 8:30am with Callam our local guide. We drove up to a lookout called “Borg South” which overlooked both medinas. What struck me immediately was just how ancient these medinas looked - much like photos of Jerusalem - squarish white buildings hugging hills in a sea of olive trees. Callam taught us some Arabic words and my favourite is “Asalum a le kum” or “Peace be with you”. From here it was off to a large compound in Es-Seffarme which made decorative mosaic vases, dishes, fountains and even table tops. Next door was a hill full of drying hides of cow and goat, ready to be tanned.

Tanning is a big industry in Morocco as well as phosphates, olives and goats. The Royal Palace (Dar el-Makhzen) is set on 200 acres with a great front door but not much else is visible. The King stays here 5-6 times a year since his wife, an engineer, was born and raised in Fez! Callam explained that Morocco is now a Constitutional Monarchy and holds elections every 5yrs. The current Government is a coalition of 5 parties! Right next to the Palace is the “Mellah" or Jewish Quarter dating back to the 14th Century.

Apart from Callam getting the shits that I lagged too far behind and might get lost (I could always see where he was…) I found this area very run-down and so we decided we wouldn’t visit the Jewish Cemetery nearby. Instead we would head for the “Hammam” or Turkish Baths where 12 of our party would enjoy a full body massage and hot bath. My mind was on running. We munched on a delicious Beef Kofka (meatballs) baguette on the way. Not only was there a “Bath Group” headed for the Hammam but there was a splinter “Blanket Group” who wanted to buy the local item to rug-up against tonights imminent cold. After dropping off our two groups, it was a quick stop at a huge supermarket which the Moroccan King owns and has no booze! I took off for my run at 3:30pm, followed by a big clothes wash - along with everyone else. After my run, I managed to download another movie which I watched after dinner in my tent. Photo below is Fez...

The photo below is for Lucy who always makes Tajine for me in Sydney...

DAY 9, Sat 21NOV15, 38km, Fez (Old City) MOROCCO. Fez is considered the spiritual and educational heart of Morocco with the University of al-Karaouine being the oldest continually operating university in the world. We saw it today and I went inside to photograph it (photos below spices in this post). Fez also has the record for the hottest temperature recorded of any African town/city being 46.7C in 2012. "Fes el Bali" (Old City, Pop 300) was founded in 789AD in its current location because of an abundance of “clay" for bricks, “wood" for fire and “water" for drinking / farming. It comprises a maze of hustling and bussling 20,000 alleys (streets) with 320 mosques and mules everywhere to carry people and goods. Without our guide Callam, we would get lost in minutes. Every alley looks the same and there are people, smells and shops everywhere. If you could condense Morocco into a single experience this must be it. Our first taste was the typical Moroccan breakfast called “Bisara” which is a hot fava bean paste that looks like porridge with a dab of olive oil on top. You then dip a flat saucer shaped bread into it to eat it up - delicious. Immediately after we tried Moroccan doughnuts which look like big puffed up deep fried scones covered in sugar. Look at my little billy goats in the B&W photo on the right...

Callam then took us to a tannery, where skins are treated, coloured, dried and turned into a million one different leather good items: shoes, slippers, handbags, briefcases, wallets, purses, jackets pants and yes, even undies!!! The place smells really bad and workers are covered in gunk and colouring made from stones and plants. At the other end of the smell scale, we visited a spice and oil house where we smelt and sampled Moroccan herbs, spices, cooking oil, ointments, rubs and even dried nuts and legumes. It is amazing just how many herbs, spices and oils they make - hundreds!

The staple of Morocco is “Argan Oil” made from a nut that comes from the Argan tree and is used in cooking. It is a heavy oil but quite aromatic and becomes very thin with high heat. I was astounded by the variety of foods and tastes - what struck me is that despite the poverty and hardships of most people, these guys know how to cook and eat - they have fabulous food and healthy too! First time I have had lunch in a carpet store, surrounded by works of Berber carpet art made from Camel, Sheep and Cotton. The textures and colours could fill an art gallery!

Our final stop was a silk shop where we watched the making of fabric for clothes, scarves and even sheets. The silk comes from the Aloe Vera plant and not worms since it is cheaper, more plentiful and even fire proof! We also saw the Qaraouiyine Mosque which is one of the medieval period's most distinguished universities. Today, it is a working mosque and one of Morocco's largest centres of worship with a prayer hall that can hold 20,000. Another treat was the Merenid architecture of the "Medersa el-Attarine”, built in 1325 as University dorms. Photo on the right is The Royal Palace in Fez taken on the GoPro 

No doubt, today was a terrific massage of the senses, so many smells, sounds and visual treats. The downside was that we spent too much time with Callam’s mates! It is the typical story. The well-meaning guide takes you to all the places that will show you how things are done and hopefully you will buy something - there was no pressure to buy but we spent way too much time in the “sell phase” and as a result did not see the most beautiful building in the old city:

The "Medersa Bou Inania” which was built between 1350 and 1357 as a working theological school until 1960 - now it is a museum. We also missed out on seeing the old towns best looking and oldest two main gates: "Bab Chorfa" and "Bab Boujiloud". Then disaster hit. I dropped my primary camera, the Sony RX100 Mark3 as I reached for change to get on the public bus back to our camp. It hit the kerb. The lens extends but no image and no photos or video. It is unusable. At least it releases an error code “E:62:20” which means it is most likely fixable. The SD card is fine and all photos and films are OK. I always wear the strap on my wrist and clutch the camera with my hand. I thought the strap was attached and actually let go of the camera to get my change. Bang it went. I have never dropped a camera before. What pissed me off the most is that it happened on Day 9 of my trip. Luckily I have 3 other cameras: my Lumix which is really just as good as the Sony but has a x30 zoom for the animals - thank God that is intact.

I also have my Canon S110 that I used for Indochina and South America. I then waived my group good bye and with Callam’s advice went off by myself to the central Fez shops to try to buy a new Sony. Callum definitely advised against repair. All the smaller shops directed me to the Virgin Megastore in a big shopping mall called “Borg Fez”. No luck. They had medium to low line cameras but not top of the line. I then caught a taxi home and went for a “mean aggressive run” to burn off my anger and disappointment! I was almost going to cancel my big night out tonight to a Moroccan cultural night of food, live music and dancing. The run helped. It prevented me from sulking and I thought “bugger it, I am going to drown my sorrow in food, music, wine and good company and then buy a new camera in the capital Rabat”. Luckily the guy at reception knew of the address of the Virgin Megastore in Rabat and gave it to me - fingers crossed they have it.

The cultural evening was terrific. Only seven of us went and we were chauffeured to the venue in a brand new mini-bus with Callam as chaperone. We sat almost alone in a palatial hall adorned with every line, colour, mosaic and relief characterising Morocco’s many architectures. Four men played the exotic sounds of Arabia and Berber, occasionally breaking out into song as we sipped chickpea soup (much like Greek “fasolatha”) and sampled dip style-entrees of eggplant, beans, beetroot, potato, carrot and artichoke washed down with plenty of French Rose. During entree we were entertained by a magician who looked like Dr Smith from Lost in Space with his hair dyed black and wearing one of those Groucho Marx glasses with moustache. Then came the giant Tajine of many veggies and chicken spiced up and out of this world. Lovely and very filling. At this time we were treated to a belly dancer, quite ugly and certainly full of belly. Dan (American living in Egypt) and Denise (Switzerland) were then dressed up like a Sultan and the Queen of Sheba and paraded around in a golden tray set atop the heads of three women dressed in blue to the thundering sounds of Arabian drums - what a site!

During this time we were stuffed further with a dish of sweet beef and date stew done in raisins and other aromatic herbs. Delicious. Could not move. Finally I was called to sing with the orchestra to finish off what was a terrific evening.

DAY 10, Sun 22NOV15, 176km, Fez to Rabat (Capital) via Volubilis and Meknes MOROCCO. I cannot believe that today marks double digit days for me away from Australia. Our drive to the capital started at 8:30am with a stop in the well-preserved, ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis at 10:30am, some 80km from Fez. Volubilis was built by the Romans in the first century as a military outpost and retirement village for honourably discharged Roman soldiers.  It was a full-on town with baths, temple, forum, altar, boulevard and of course fancy dwellings for the soldiers complete with frescoes and mosaics which are still visible now, despite centuries in the open weather. Volubilis even sported a brothel evidenced by a big stone penis at its centre!!! Volubilis started as a settlement in 25AD and was eventually abandoned in 285AD. The Lisbon earthquake of 1755 destroyed it until it was re-discovered in 1915 and excavation is still ongoing. A local guide showed us around and explained the significance of each building with many surviving mosaics of both Roman and Greek gods. I call the photo on the right “Dick Head”!!! It is the Brothel in Volubilis!!!

Before reaching our first bush camp 20km outside Rabat we stopped by Meknes to do some last minute Booze shopping - no more for the next month!!! Our bush site was remote amongst low trees and red dirt and we knew immediately on arrival that it would be a cold night. This bush camp is close enough to Rabat however to attract unwanted locals who know about overland travellers and are always looking to steal a tent or two and its contents! So the drill is that everything is kept in the truck and all we take to our tents is our sleeping bags and morning clothes. We all keep watch and keep the truck locked at all times. And no more showers or toilets. We now use shovels to do our number twos and use baby wipes to have “portable showers”. Tonight was solid blogging - this post in fact. I was dead to the world by the time I logged out… (Photo below is Volubilis)

 

PS: Some interesting facts on Morocco from Callum: the average wage is 3000Dh or 300Euro or 450AUD per month which is not so bad when compared with Greece which is now averaging 300euro/month in pensions and public service wages. Unemployment is sitting at 9% but everyone reckons it is higher due to so many unrecorded cash jobs. The average home loan is 3.9% interest and the average term deposit is 2.5%. I expected a lot worse. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PPS: Some riveting facts on Africa as a continent: 31 million square kilometres = 3 Australias, 1.1 billion people in 55 countries with South Sudan as the latest in 2011, Religions: 40% Muslim / 40% Christian and the rest tribal, 5% of the population has HIV, 1 baby dies of Malaria every minute.

PPPS: Some riveting facts about life so far in a truck and in a tent. Let me say. Andi and Grant are one organised and calm couple. I don’t know how they do it. You all know my saying “Calm people make me nervous!!!”. They have done what I am about to do 6 times and headed for their 7th. How? Nerves of calm. A tautology. But effective. They have 19 civilians organised like we were on the set of “Full Metal Jacket”. We are organised into six cooking groups to shop, cook and serve 3 meals in a row - rotation is about one week. We set up and fold up our own tents. When we bush camp (no toilet or shower facilities) we have to set up our tent every evening and pack it up every morning. It is hard work but keeps us fit and busy. Just how we will do this for 9mths is beyond me.

PPPS: The last photo above is our first bush camp, 20km outside Rabat MOROCCO on Sunday 22 November 2015. This is the first of very very many many...