Morocco Madness Day 14

We are up early: an extended Ibis breakfast, and on the road by 0955! Five minutes ahead of our target: that's a record for us. 

Straight on to the main road north avoiding the motorway, but it's frustratingly slow at 40, 60 and 80kph, punctuated by frequent roundabouts and speed checks. But we are good boys today. 😇

Half way to Rabat and we pass some kind of royal residence; there are many soldiers and police outside guarding the place. The whole coast road seems relatively affluent with nice properties between it and the sea. But from the parts we can actually see, it's mostly low cliffs rather than beaches, and in places anglers dangle their lines into the mighty Atlantic.

As we approach Rabat the area becomes more holiday than home, with restaurants and other facilities catering to tourists. But it's not like Blackpool and has a definite upmarket feel. Impressed by the number of joggers we see along the road.

We pass through Rabat, the capital city, and it seems very nice. Although we are just passing through, it leaves a positive impression as the most attractive and modern of the cities we've seen in Morocco - neat and tidy, with nice architecture.

After Rabat, it's Kenitra, but we don't see enough of it to form an impression. We stop for a roadside coffee somewhere and it's excellent, strong and flavoursome, for a bargain 6 Dirhams (about 60 cents). We need the caffeine because the slow roads are putting both of us to sleep.

Turning off the main road to Tangier we head into the Riff mountains. Not that high, but enough to be interesting. The roads get twistier and the scenery changes yet again. It's almost alpine with conifer trees and a few reservoirs, but at the same time the scenery reminds me of Ireland in places. 

There's a market in Kasar el Kabir and our plotted route is practically barred by throngs of shoppers and stalls, but Google doesn't know that. It quickly reroutes us when I u-turn, but I use my intuition before it does so. 

We pass below the town of Chefchououen. From a distance it looks very pretty with its colourful buildings spread out on the mountainside; it's a shame we don't have time to visit. 

But we do stop to shop at a roadside ceramics store, one of many that we've passed. I buy a tajine dish, but now the challenge is to get it back to Belgium in one piece; at least it fits in my bike's top box.

It's getting colder now as we climb, reaching above 800m altitude. There are still roundabouts and roadworks to negotiate and we both notice our front wheels sliding on the roundabouts' shiny tarmac at times, probably due to the dust on the roads. 

We are becoming tired, but there are still about 100km to got. I take a wrong turn and we have to go back; more police checks, but fewer than the coast road. My bike hits reserve, we stop for petrol for the second time today. 

Not far now and signs for Tangier Med port.  We figure we'll look for some where to eat, but there's nothing until we are virtually in the port. We park up on the pavement and give a few Dirhams to the parking wallah. It's only shawarma and chips, but welcome after no lunch - I have a habit of torturing my riding companion, but he doesn't complain (much).

Then we find the hotel, deep in the port admin building area. The receptionist/parking wallah/concierge directs us to park in a corridor inside the building! 

Our room over looks the container port, but there's not that much actuvity.