Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB - Finding Freedom...World Wide Ride

Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/)

- Ride Tales (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/ride-tales/)

- - Finding Freedom...World Wide Ride (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/ride-tales/finding-freedom-world-wide-ride-65365)

Today we met with Agustin a friend of Natalia’s who is a Spanish Moroccan who gave us his favorite routes and spots to visit for our trip to morocco.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7586/...19819e97_c.jpg marbella 57 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

It was another rainy day, but we decided to tour the old city of Malaga.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8753/...e206e579_c.jpg marbella 65 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

I guess it is never too cold for icecream?? We also tried a traditional sweet here, which is fresh churros and chocolate.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7718/...90935c9c_c.jpg marbella 60 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7640/...eef90e69_c.jpg marbella 61 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8789/...500c639c_c.jpg marbella 66 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

Now it is time to get serious. We had all our bikes packed up and were ready to go, but the 1200 GS and the 800 GS needed some new tires.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7660/...14652f69_c.jpg FILE2089 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

Again thanks to Agustin for connecting us with the tire shop. That was all done by 10 am and so we had a short 80 km ride to Algeciras, that we made into a 237 km instead of a 215 KM ride with a visit to Ronda and a wrong turn at Grazalema.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7598/...1a73ef81_o.png Screen Shot 2015-04-05 at 5.14.29 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8811/...2dcf5c19_c.jpg ronda gibralter 2 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7643/...9240bde6_c.jpg ronda gibralter 3 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

Getting up this morning we were psyched to finally get to Morocco. Our plan was to get the boat from Algeciras to the new port at Tangier MED. We had heard that this was much less crowded and that there were no “helpers” bothering you. From there we were going south to the town of Chefchaouen in 111 KM.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7647/...fddcd5bb_o.png Screen Shot 2015-03-30 at 10.48.39 AM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8781/...045094a2_c.jpg chefchaouen 20 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

It was simple to get tickets on the main road in the center of town near the port. They are all the same price and so just pick one of the shops. They all sell tickets for all the ferry lines. We picked the one that was the “Burquebus dealer” so it “looked” a bit more reputable. We bought tickets at 945 for the 10 am ferry and arrived at the boat at 5 to 10.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8740/...83817d8d_c.jpg chefchaouen 3 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8800/...c96ec2d4_c.jpg chefchaouen 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7722/...aab4aa4b_c.jpg chefchaouen 2 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

There is a passport control on board and you must fill out a tourist paper and receive a tourist number stamp in your passport. There is also a passport check at diembarkation.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8767/...c9bca1a4_c.jpg chefchaouen 36 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

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Arriving at Tangier MED (the new port) is very civilized. After you show your passport as you exit the boat you just follow the big green exit signs.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7613/...ecd1fc92_c.jpg chefchaouen 39 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

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Drive past the police kiosks and you are directed to the aduana parking.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8730/...eb9b0a12_c.jpg chefchaouen 41 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

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https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7700/...3dfbb756_c.jpg chefchaouen 43 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

Here an agent will greet you and tell you what information to fill out on the temporary import card. This can all be done ahead of time on line and printed off at http://www.douane.gov.ma/d16ter/formAT.jsf . If you do this all you need is the date, tourist number, and signature. He also asked us if we had any arms or guns and any Catholic books. Luckily they did not ask us if we had any alcohol, which you can buy very cheaply at the duty free on board the ship. You will be asked by the border control to open your pannier lids and step away from the bike so the drug dogs can go over it. Then you take your passport and walk back to the police kiosk. Here the officer will ask if this is your first visit to Morocco and will verify your tourist number. From here you are free to go.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8775/...e305c587_c.jpg chefchaouen 44 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

You just keep following the exit signs and you will pass a row of money exchange places to get some Dirham.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7663/...43e625b2_c.jpg chefchaouen 45 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8763/...bd34d737_c.jpg chefchaouen 46 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

We were headed to the hotel recommended by a fellow rider. It was on the GPS, recommended by a rider, and so stupidly we did not check the location further. We had decided ahead of time we would not stay in the old citys or Medinas. These were built before vehicles and are essentially pedestrian only. The hotels there are usually not accessible by road and in general do not have parking on or off site. This means you need to wander around on foot to find the not so easy to find hotel and then carry all your stuff there and then find secure parking for the bike. This hotel was IN the Medina and when we eventually found it we told them we would have to go somewhere else. We did find a nice place nearby on the road outside.

Arriving to the city the GPS directed us up into the steep narrow cobbled road and to a blocked off construction zone. The next was to some serious off road and then impassable road.

Finally turned around we made it to the paved road, but it ended 500 m from the hotel at the gate to the Medina. This is the old part of the city that existed before cars and is generally a maze of narrow walking paths.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8723/...aab37d14_c.jpg chefchaouen 58 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8804/...b946e7ae_c.jpg chefchaouen 56 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr

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https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8802/...b1118114_c.jpg chefchaouen 109 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr