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One thing here in Spain you have to love is bike parking is pretty much a free for all.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8728/...dec5db74_c.jpgMadrid 45 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Today we are still a bit jet lagged, so we decided a good long walk. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7636/...dd6fb6d5_c.jpgMadrid 49 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8666/...596863d7_c.jpgMadrid 50 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8654/...b4c4238e_c.jpgMadrid 52 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
This eventually took us to the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, which is free on Monday afternoons. This 1600 work collection was once the private holding of Heinrich, Baron Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kaszon!! He began this in the 1920 and he profited from the American depression when US millionaires had to sell many great works by the likes of Rembrandt, Homer, Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Van Gogh.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8743/...9f08aa85_c.jpgMadrid 56 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7639/...3dc9dfef_c.jpgMadrid 57 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr From here we wandered down to the Mercado of Saint Miguel and the nearby Basilica of the same name. On your way here are many shops where you can stand at the counter with the locals and can get a meat sandwich and a glass of beer for 2 Euros. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7590/...e9e5f53b_c.jpgMadrid 95 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/world_wide_ride/16608896590" title="Madrid 94 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7621/16608896590_6aeec74f6e_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Madrid 94"></a> https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7601/...52f547b4_c.jpgMadrid 96 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8748/...3052abdd_c.jpgMadrid 97 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8730/...6c6c9f8f_c.jpgMadrid 98 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We finished the day off with a visit to the Cathedral of Saint Mary the Royal of La Almudena. It was built in 1879 on the site of a mosque that was ruined in 1083 when Madrid was reconqured by Alfonso VI.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7644/...2036d476_c.jpgMadrid 105 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7604/...a688774c_c.jpgMadrid 106 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7609/...86e9bb44_c.jpgMadrid 108 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Paint and stained glass windows brightly color the interior. Many of the windows have a very modern look. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8613/...175edb52_c.jpgMadrid 113 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7605/...199b31e8_c.jpgMadrid 110 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7604/...382a9e6f_c.jpgMadrid 122 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The church is also situated near the Royal Palace, which today was closed for an official event. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8684/...6aff4504_c.jpgMadrid 125 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8741/...b9114af8_c.jpgMadrid 126 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7588/...89888428_c.jpgMadrid 127 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8635/...c10b96c9_c.jpgMadrid 130 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Getting the bikes back
Today is the big day we pick up the bikes from the cargo terminal. We took a taxi out to drop our luggage at our Motostay host Modesto’s apartment and then continued onto the terminal nearby. The Swissport company had sent us a notification by email that the bikes where ready and where we needed to go to present our waybill. You go into the main entrance and present the bill. From here you go upstairs to pay the 40 Euros “for delivery of the paperwork”. From here you go back down stairs and get the paperwork stamped.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8627/...de26c7cf_c.jpgMadrid 131 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Then you walk 500 meters down the road to the huge blue customs building. Go in the plaza and enter the first set of doors on the right. Go to the desk ahead and ask for your temporary import permit. What is supposed to happen is they are to issue this for free. The problem here is the man who is running the show and who also does not speak English. Our Spanish Riding friends know him well and have had issues with him many times. He initially told us we needed to go across the road to the freight forwarding office to obtain a DUA, which is a bond for import. When we arrived there we were told by the official, who spoke English perfectly that since we are not Spanish citizens we require a TVIP and we do not need a DUA nor can he issue one to us. We returned to the Aduana to explain this. The dude there had not changed his mind and spent the next 90 min telling all the other workers not to stamp our paperwork. Finally another guy in a suit showed up and was chatting to our guy. He then came to us and asked us to follow him up to his office. He also spoke English well and explained that he would stamp our waybill so that we could get our bikes, but that we had to sign a declaration stating we were temporarily importing the bikes and this was for 6 months. Downstairs we hand wrote this and signed this. They took copies of this and our passport entry stamp. Basically this was to save face for the first dude who refused to just stamp our paperwork. The declaration is worthless; because once we leave Spain they will not know where we are in or out of the EU since there is no border control. We were happy after 2 ½ hours to get our official aduana stamp. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8582/...5bc3cb5c_c.jpgMadrid 132 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Then we walked back to Swissport and presented our papers to the first floor clerk. She than hand you a number, which you take to the loading bay. The guys there were great a rushed to get the bikes for us and even cleaned up all the mess. We put the mirrors and windscreens back on, reconnected the batteries, and put some air in the tires and we were off. It was great to come home to Modesto’s place where he was making us a traditional Spanish potato tortilla for dinner. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7288/...1bd2a6f6_c.jpgMadrid 133 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7603/...e17c1a05_c.jpgMadrid 134 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7643/...c2f2af9f_c.jpgMadrid 136 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
bike maintenance
Today we went by BMW Madrid, which is only 11 km away to organize some service work. Javier was awesome and said he could get the work done in the next 2 days. We need valve checks, new radiator fluid and spark plugs. We dropped off the 650 and headed downtown on the 800. We were very happy with the service we had here.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8614/...bfd511f1_c.jpgDSC08678 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8689/...e30a222b_c.jpgBMW Madrid 2 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Modesto had also told us where to buy parts for a discount. We got all the items on our list here including Daniel’s new Gelfer front disks. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8701/...0b7c5271_c.jpgIMG_3479 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Alicia Sornosa
We have met the famous Spanish motorcyclist Alicia Sornosa 4 times by chance on the trip so far. The first time was in Dawson City, then Haines Junction Yukon, Oaxaca Mexico, and finally in Santiago de Chile. She is from Madrid and happens to be home now and so we planned to meet downtown for lunch. We met up with her, her boyfriend Daniel (He is from Valencia and they met while riding in Ulan Battar!), and some other riding friends for a traditional Madrid lunch of Artichoke tart, fish, and cheesecake. YUM. Then we had a little tour of the city.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8725/...08a9ce27_c.jpgMadrid 137 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7592/...db4fbd8e_c.jpgMadrid 138 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7283/...75b7128a_c.jpgMadrid 140 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8582/...7cc06fff_c.jpgMadrid 143 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We planned to meet for dinner also and with Modesto and Jose from Portugal and we had an awesome seafood meal. Another small world coincidence is that Jose knows Jorge (who we met 2 weeks ago in Uruguay). https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8724/...5b125965_c.jpgMadrid 144 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7590/...f5a2ec08_c.jpgMadrid 145 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7593/...9f209615_c.jpgMadrid 146 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
DMX Suspension
The next item on the adgenda was the suspension service for both of the bikes. Modesto recommended DMX Suspension Spain and we are so glad he did. Damien and his team did an amazing job. How many suspension shops have their own track for testing the bikes?
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7653/...c211dcc8_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-03-12 at 9.19.03 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8737/...504c2653_c.jpgMadrid dmx 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7649/...afdea0f3_c.jpgMadrid dmx 2 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Their shop is stunning. They have fully computerized diagnostics. He can do anything that you need and can even machine any parts required.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7649/...ca87d12b_c.jpgMadrid dmx 4 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8674/...162d6a68_c.jpgMadrid dmx 6 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7615/...78456086_c.jpgMadrid dmx 7 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7645/...5d55cc36_c.jpgMadrid dmx 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8584/...af992914_c.jpgMadrid dmx 52 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8681/...ac53a41d_c.jpgMadrid dmx 27 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7638/...49e7a2ae_c.jpgMadrid dmx 10 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7616/...b7b4161a_c.jpgMadrid dmx 15 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8665/...0063fef7_c.jpgMadrid dmx 16 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7611/...c4ac3233_c.jpgMadrid dmx 21 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
After rebuilding the front shocks they also noticed the 650 had pretty damaged steering head bearings, so it was a trip back to BMW for the parts and back to DMX the next day. It is one of those things that get slowly worse so you don't notice it, but once the forks were off and on the bike it became so obvious there was a problem. Damien is an absolute perfectionist and he wants you to be completely happy with your new suspension no matter how long it takes.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7644/...4a8e84f4_c.jpgMadrid dmx 5 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr They also treated us to lunch including 2 desserts for the guys. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7622/...fb10488f_c.jpgMadrid dmx 44 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8583/...7f5c6aa4_c.jpgMadrid dmx 46 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7632/...cbe0619c_c.jpgMadrid dmx 59 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
La Solana/Yeste
For the weekend we headed south of Madrid to the village Modesto grew up in. La Solana is 200 km of highway driving, but it gives you access to tons of curvy mountain roads. The rest of the weekend was a loop into the mountains to the village of Yeste and back for 790 km.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7598/...bd23f314_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-03-17 at 8.05.17 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8607/...d8ab9b8f_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-03-17 at 8.05.36 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
First we stopped at his family home where he has a full motorcycle workshop. We needed to do oil changes on both bikes, install Daniel’s new front disks and brake pads, clean the air filters.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8677/...c611e178_c.jpgDSC08684 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8569/...c4d24594_c.jpgDSC08685 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8571/...b57fd7c6_c.jpgDSC08683 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7596/...45077b0d_c.jpgDSC08686 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8668/...fbbc3810_c.jpgDSC08688 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7643/...8c0fe8b2_c.jpgDSC08690 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7607/...824c2f1f_c.jpgDSC08689 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Then it was off to the hills.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8706/...c1767f8b_c.jpgDSC08711 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8658/...6bea5541_c.jpgDSC08710 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8632/...1644df69_c.jpgDSC08712 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr It is amazing here how you can be riding along and in the middle of nowhere there is a quaint village with a nice place for lunch or a nice small hotel. There were blooming almond trees everywhere. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7611/...3d51f4c5_c.jpgDSC08715 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7624/...35cd2d39_c.jpgDSC08708 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7628/...05e85126_c.jpgDSC08696 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8650/...16f73889_c.jpgDSC08693 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We finally stopped after dark in Yeste and found a good room for 3 in the Hotel Yeste! We were glad of the extra electric heater provided as the temperature was near zero.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7643/...234d7f93_c.jpgDSC08699 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7629/...6bb5ef5c_c.jpgDSC08705 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8595/...f31f4e2d_c.jpgDSC08702 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8707/...3668e4f0_c.jpgDSC08701 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7598/...ce14f242_c.jpgDSC08698 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8751/...2854c4c5_c.jpgDSC08697 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
On Sunday we stopped for lunch in Hornos where there is a nice castle up on the hillside. I love it here when you order a drink you always get a snack with it!
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7631/...e8ba6e16_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-03-17 at 8.05.55 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7648/...f7b0c259_c.jpgDSC08717 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8585/...36275025_c.jpgDSC08725 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7282/...47e707eb_c.jpgDSC08727 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8698/...46c0cbb3_c.jpgDSC08726 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Headed home we passed lots of small villages perched on hills and acres of olive trees.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7647/...d10b8cd2_c.jpgDSC08729 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7636/...72962e25_c.jpgDSC08692 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Valencia
Poor Modesto had to work during the week so we took off to the east coast to Valencia for a few days. Straight there on the highway it 350 km, but we managed to go on the secondary roads for 388 km on the way there and 462 km on the way back.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7286/...796d3870_c.jpgScreen Shot 2015-03-11 at 9.43.28 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7600/...8178fe15_c.jpgScreen Shot 2015-03-17 at 8.11.30 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The small roads offered a few scenic detours. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7594/...46c7eaeb_c.jpgDSC08823 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8612/...aa1ca7d8_c.jpgDSC08822 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
This is a really nice walking city with lots of narrow streets to explore.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8666/...1c69ccf9_c.jpgDSC01349 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8722/...7b853410_c.jpgDSC01348 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8731/...7e2d25f8_c.jpgDSC01363 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7653/...4225b9ce_c.jpgDSC01346 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7652/...f09c42b3_c.jpgDSC01357 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8654/...e8b75ae7_c.jpgDSC01366 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
First we stopped for a traditional Spanish lunch of the menu del dia. This usually is massive. Today this included salad, paella with snails and chicken, squid and fries, beer, cake and coffee.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8715/...f5361831_c.jpgDSC01356 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7598/...c6507bed_c.jpgIMG_3504 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7599/...0a74aaab_c.jpgIMG_3506 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7287/...a23a8ac4_c.jpgIMG_3507 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7601/...ae6fe66d_c.jpgIMG_3515 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We also checked out the Cathedral, which is said to display THE cup from the last supper, the Holy Grail. You can climb up the 272 stairs for the 360-degree view of the city.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8743/...00186999_c.jpgDSC01369 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7623/...ebb912ba_c.jpgDSC01370 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7596/...863e077d_c.jpgDSC01374 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7653/...222a1618_c.jpgDSC01375 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8688/...80b11548_c.jpgDSC01377 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7286/...188a0391_c.jpgDSC01379 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8732/...f8cdc618_c.jpgDSC01381 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7623/...83be7ba7_c.jpgDSC01380 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7596/...93553674_c.jpgDSC01382 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7615/...3e934044_c.jpgDSC01385 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Valencia is famous for its oranges and Borjas of course, but also for the crazy Fallas festival. This is celebrated on Father’s day and involves a lot of fire works explosions and the burning of huge fantasy sculptures.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7587/...38579b60_c.jpgDSC01404 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7616/...4632ea01_c.jpgDSC01406 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7585/...38e13c1a_c.jpgDSC01364 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7643/...b5b8f0b2_c.jpgDSC01409 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8648/...e6a2470e_c.jpgDSC01411 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7625/...245e25c2_c.jpgDSC01474 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7592/...be583397_c.jpgDSC01471 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We visited several of the city gates and the popular municipal market.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7651/...3d95ec9a_c.jpgDSC01447 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8615/...2a55cfab_c.jpgDSC01343 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7605/...71764270_c.jpgDSC01452 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7642/...9f17bd42_c.jpgDSC01367 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7588/...f142a992_c.jpgDSC01466 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7591/...9d4f50ef_c.jpgDSC01462 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7611/...1a87215a_c.jpgDSC01460 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7634/...4b44e13c_c.jpgDSC01459 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7287/...250f5f21_c.jpgDSC01456 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
On the way out of town we stopped by the beach to touch our toes in the Balearic Sea.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7632/...096eabe1_c.jpgDSC08829 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8730/...c027b856_c.jpgDSC08830 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7652/...f0b7a3a1_c.jpgDSC08827 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8570/...38cf06cf_c.jpgDSC08825 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7592/...0035051e_c.jpgIMG_3513 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Riding home thru the mountains we past hundreds of acres of almond farms. Only in Europe would they have rock catchers like this. It was a chilly 5 degrees up at the top and there was still snow on the roadside.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7610/...3dc6b054_c.jpgDSC08832 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8653/...4d9154ec_c.jpgDSC08844 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8701/...3221bae4_c.jpgDSC08842 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7652/...14d68070_c.jpgDSC08839 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7642/...669b55fd_c.jpgDSC08837 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7619/...9fddfa7e_c.jpgDSC08835 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7655/...c64ef604_c.jpgDSC08833 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Ladies on the road
This weekend we had separate guys and girls rides planned. Daniel had a guys ride to Palencia, but first Sara was off to ride with Alicia Sornosa for her “Ladies on the road Spain”event. Thanks to the other ladies for some of the photos.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7603/...f3dd87f5_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-03-17 at 9.23.06 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The ladies met up in Madrid and then headed way off the main roads on one-lane tracks thru small pretty villages. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7614/...65c7f5bf_c.jpgladies on the road 3 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8568/...4e06a3a9_c.jpgladies on the road 4 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8620/...343b24d0_c.jpgladies on the road 5 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7655/...5eb4bb79_c.jpgladies on the road 6 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8684/...697e3e8b_c.jpgladies on the road 7 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7621/...1ee390dc_c.jpgladies on the road 8 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We took our lunch break near to the castle at Priego.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7646/...14dabd0a_c.jpgladies on the road 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7626/...2056bebc_c.jpgladies on the road 11 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8630/...16aa44cd_c.jpgladies on the road 13 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8588/...47761484_c.jpgladies on the road 17 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8709/...81323edd_c.jpgladies on the road 18 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7617/...0d243f2f_c.jpgladies on the road 22 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7590/...8bf31a33_c.jpgDSCF0632 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7633/...3e65c977_c.jpgDSCF0634 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8597/...647272613c.jpgladies on the road 12 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8568/...4ae7cb10dc.jpgladies on the road 24 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8583/...2b19023f_c.jpgladies on the road 26 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7651/...1704e9ed_c.jpgladies on the road 27 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We finished the day in Belmonte at a hotel built on a castle ruins.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8593/...a387e7e7_c.jpgladies on the road 33 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8680/...653fbf0c_c.jpgladies on the road 34 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8685/...9187ebbb_c.jpgladies on the road 35 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8674/...f5d515e1_c.jpgladies on the road 36 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7647/...bafa3e06_c.jpgladies on the road 37 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8687/...469b3e67_c.jpgladies on the road 39 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7611/...ce69bf92b0.jpgladies on the road 41 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7585/...10661445_c.jpgIMG_6511 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8656/...6d976d6b_c.jpgladies on the road 43 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7653/...246cd28a_c.jpgladies on the road 49 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7648/...86e2d87e_c.jpgladies on the road 51 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7618/...f1d4ddf5_c.jpgladies on the road 50 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
In the morning we had a photo session for the hotel and the newspaper in front of the hotel and then at the Belmonte castle.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7622/...ccecd6eb_c.jpgladies on the road 47 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8640/...b551cf55_c.jpgladies on the road 48 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7642/...16513138_c.jpgladies on the road 54 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8594/...e565eb73_c.jpgladies on the road 55 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7639/...1ea19757_c.jpgladies on the road 57 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7282/...5f45822f_c.jpgladies on the road 59 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8748/...d28798b8_c.jpgDSCF0703 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8585/...dd3df9c0_c.jpgladies on the road 70 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8752/...b12205a1_z.jpgladies on the road 72 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8692/...8b595d95_c.jpgladies on the road 73 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7608/...5577e92f_c.jpgDSCF0727 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8690/...3158822b_c.jpgDSCF0731 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
The route back to the city was also on curvy small roads.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8687/...aaa07626_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-03-17 at 9.30.37 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8617/...a3d17331_c.jpgladies on the road 79 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8744/...032e7c52_c.jpgDSCF0670 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7616/...e330a375_c.jpgDSCF0672 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7624/...d66fcdc1_c.jpgladies on the road 28 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8628/...a7af2825_c.jpgladies on the road 30 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8702/...9edf7273_c.jpgladies on the road 31 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7592/...943d00f0_c.jpgladies on the road 68 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We stopped for lunch in a town near Madrid that has one of the oldest main Plazas in the country. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7629/...934ae8dc_c.jpgladies on the road 81 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8720/...d2193fac_c.jpgladies on the road 84 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Guys ride
As Dan says “moments from the Guys ride” 260 km to Palencia and then back.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7703/...6730650f_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-04-14 at 1.39.24 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8738/...0a302435_c.jpgpalencia 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8732/...2cdec856_c.jpgpalencia 3 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8688/...19f8a09b_c.jpgpalencia 4 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8708/...ae5cb8ab_c.jpgpalencia 5 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7632/...9e151d01_c.jpgpalencia 6 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8753/...e1501d4f_c.jpgpalencia 8 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7638/...90b3e18f_c.jpgpalencia 13 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8685/...4c2fcfbe_c.jpgpalencia 11 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8744/...fa1af0fd_c.jpgpalencia 14 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7600/...0ee7a47c_c.jpgpalencia 17 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7616/...6c474e2b_c.jpgpalencia 18 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8736/...bea325dd_c.jpgpalencia 19 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Cazorla
We have managed to kill off two weeks here in Spain while we waited for our Swedish friend Orvar to start heading south to meet us. We will tour the south of Spain until he catches up.
Today we rode back 200 km to La Solana on the highway and then on the secondary roads to Cazorla in another 155 km. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8697/...7d93bc20_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-03-22 at 8.21.50 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7640/...677919a9_c.jpgcazorla 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr This route was over the mountains thru quaint villages and on curvy mountain roads. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8722/...ac8be8ce_c.jpgcazorla 3 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7612/...f106337d_c.jpgcazorla 6 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Cazorla is a village with a history going back more than 2000 years. This was once a Roman town called Carcacena. Here lived once one of the first Bishops of Christian Spain. The Moors used this strategic local as one of the fortresses guarding the mountains. This stronghold was finally taken in 1235 during “the reconquista” by Christian troops.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7589/...1dc1da85_c.jpgcazorla 36 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8709/...f818f2a3_c.jpgcazorla 37 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Riding here you go past thousands of acres of olive trees and you can clearly smell the ripening fruits.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8746/...6a3a8fea_c.jpgcazorla 4 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The town is a maze of very narrow “streets” lines with whitewashed houses and buildings. Since the village is on a hillside there are many steep roads and also stairways crisscrossing it. To keep the tourists from getting lost there is a path marked out on a route thru the main plazas. From the town there are a number of “caminos” or pilgrim walks/hikes into the mountains. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7591/...d9c161cb_c.jpgcazorla 7 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8744/...8422f003_c.jpgcazorla 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7619/...7dc930ef_c.jpgcazorla 8 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8707/...1e468c0a_c.jpgcazorla 10 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7625/...7afb7c4a_c.jpgcazorla 11 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8728/...b9bdbdff_c.jpgcazorla 12 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8731/...602a7ab5_c.jpgcazorla 15 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7616/...eff2434e_c.jpgcazorla 16 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8696/...e31eedcf_c.jpgcazorla 17 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8752/...459efdc2_c.jpgcazorla 23 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8753/...acdfc944_c.jpgcazorla 26 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
On the main square we stopped into a café for a drink and a snack. One of the tapas that came with the wine was a potato chip with pickled fish…wow delicious.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7590/...e32ee7b9_c.jpgcazorla 22 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7625/...e9eb3663_c.jpgcazorla 20 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Also on the square is a fountain and a church ruins from the 13 Th century. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8688/...ff67736d_c.jpgcazorla 18 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7585/...1e758fac_c.jpgcazorla 21 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7614/...c1ef0011_c.jpgcazorla 24 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
What remains of the castle is only the central portion up on the hilltop.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8713/...885d9b29_c.jpgcazorla 28 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8709/...e8bb4b79_c.jpgcazorla 33 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8727/...2f2cc1e6_c.jpgcazorla 35 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7636/...a274c54c_c.jpgcazorla 30 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7641/...3279e082_c.jpgcazorla 31 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8697/...dfb1b80e_c.jpgcazorla 32 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Mojacar
From Cazorla we are headed to the coast at Mojacar in 335 KM.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8686/...6e98e596_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-03-22 at 8.26.14 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Instead of the direct route we took the scenic one and continued over the mountains and thru the Segura y Las Villas Natural. This is an often narrow and almost deserted mountainous road with two high passes. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8749/...78549b02_c.jpgmojacar 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8705/...01df579b_c.jpgmojacar 2 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8689/...e7a305f5_c.jpgmojacar 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr There was one traffic light on the 1 lane road over the dam. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8742/...b8f4651a_c.jpgmojacar 3 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7587/...7ebc7c9e_c.jpgmojacar 4 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
The scenery was great and so was the road.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7632/...abd1f953_c.jpgmojacar 16 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8695/...f43e89fa_c.jpgmojacar 14 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8696/...21964917_c.jpgmojacar 15 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The temperature was dropping quickly despite the sunshine over the first pass, but there were patches of snow on the roadside. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8740/...4e668219_c.jpgmojacar 5 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8736/...5541acc5_c.jpgmojacar 6 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8753/...d0303aac_c.jpgmojacar 7 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8747/...bbd46043_c.jpgmojacar 10 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7609/...f6de8126_c.jpgmojacar 17 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
By the time we made it to the second pass crossing the weather had changed for the colder and wetter. There was wet snow falling, but the road was clear. It was pretty chilly at 1 degree!
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7606/...b9b6470f_c.jpgmojacar 11 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7623/...3b10b16f_c.jpgmojacar 12 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We arrived in Mojacar after 300 km chilled and very hungry. Different groups since around 2000 BC have inhabited this place. This included Phoenician traders, Carthaginians, Greeks, and North African Islamic Moors. Ultimately the Christian Spanish won it in battle in 1488. It is perched on the hilltop in a strategic location and is a mass of narrow streets lined with white wash buildings. |
We had to do a bit of looking for an open restaurant. Luckily we found one and did not need to eat from these vending machines, which strangely were just along the side of the road. Also interesting was the sex shop machine there too.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7626/...285a57cb_c.jpgmojacar 18 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8745/...c007219e_c.jpgmojacar 19 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7632/...a9a8e390_c.jpgmojacar 20 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7635/...f174e907_c.jpgmojacar 21 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7624/...64fed1c4_c.jpgmojacar 22 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We kept going up the hill to the main square and finally found an open pizza place that was pretty good actually. There is a water fountain here that was mentioned in ancient Arab writings as the reason for locating the village here. It has been reformed a number of times, but for centuries has been the social and economic hub of the town.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7631/...b4212086_c.jpgmojacar 25 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8707/...a615a71b_c.jpgmojacar 23 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7623/...787353f9_c.jpgmojacar 26 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8725/...b2bd0edd_c.jpgmojacar 29 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7653/...b13c2ac3_c.jpgmojacar 27 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr These are the washing stones near the well and have been used for centuries. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8742/...8ed7b03a_c.jpgmojacar 33 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Granada
The weather has not improved and it is still raining. We set off along the coast and the road winds thru the Cabo de Gata-Nijar National Park for Granada in 301 km.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8732/...b93392dd_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-03-22 at 8.24.38 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The Cabo de Gata-Nijar is a wild and isolated coastal preserve, which is a volcanic area with sharp peaks that fall into the Mediterranean. From the Coast you head inland and then we made a detour to check out Las Negras. It is a hip and trendy spot usually, but was pretty deserted on this cold stormy day. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7602/...dc24d8cf_c.jpggranada 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We then made for the freeway to expedite the rest of the trip to Granada.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7700/...73ecdd3d_c.jpggranada 2 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr All along the sea here you see signs in Arabic for the Ports to get the ferries Africa. So exciting!! https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8827/...a33bbf3d_c.jpggranada 4 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We got a great deal on a hotel in the center with a view of the Monastery of San Jeronimo with its patio covered in orange trees. We had free parking out front which was cool too. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7692/...7018f655_c.jpggranada 6 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8684/...09975870_c.jpggranada 8 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8746/...55e0c4ae_c.jpggranada 7 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We did a bit of a walking tour to see some of the action.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7695/...8dbf002b_c.jpggranada 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7724/...8e3f7475_c.jpggranada 10 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7626/...8bc72205_c.jpggranada 13 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8827/...99f9c122_c.jpggranada 17 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7622/...c90420c8_c.jpggranada 18 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7683/...5a83cbde_c.jpggranada 19 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Alhambra
There are a lot of tourists here, who are mostly here to see the Alhambra monument. This is a palace and fortress complex originally constructed in 889, it was renovated and rebuilt to its current form in the mid-11 th century by a Moorish Emir, and converted into a royal Palace in 1333 by the Sultan of Granada.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7687/...4ff63303_c.jpggranada 20 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8788/...09f9fe08_c.jpggranada 21 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Walking up to the site you stroll thru the palace gardens. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7681/...ffa41a98_c.jpggranada 27 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7596/...aaa99906_c.jpggranada 29 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8708/...c5c796a8_c.jpggranada 30 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8764/...0fb73d04_c.jpggranada 56 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
It was allowed to fall into ruins in the 1500’s and restored in the 19 Th century. A fortified wall with 13 towers encloses the palace complex. The portion on the cliffside is the citadel or alcazaba.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7631/...daca4f1e_o.jpggranada 22 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7653/...7c32ce55_c.jpggranada 24 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr This area is entered thru the “wine gate”. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8693/...b7d53565_c.jpggranada 31 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8762/...ec539dc9_c.jpggranada 32 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7617/...106ac0b5_c.jpggranada 33 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
From here you climb up onto the walls and ramparts for a panoramic view of the city and the fortress.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8696/...c3195116_c.jpggranada 34 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8749/...f6fa65f2_c.jpggranada 38 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7591/...b1abd252_c.jpggranada 39 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8799/...e32b2035_c.jpggranada 45 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7658/...02ecdc73_c.jpggranada 40 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8699/...3950dba8_c.jpggranada 46 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7721/...916984ac_c.jpggranada 51 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8700/...1539b99f_c.jpggranada 50 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7603/...f4749a36_c.jpggranada 53 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7603/...f80b8827_c.jpggranada 55 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
The Nazaries or Moorish Palace is entered thru a small door from the myrtle courtyard.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7687/...54de178f_c.jpggranada 35 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8795/...fd4a4a35_c.jpggranada 58 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8762/...e3ca4faa_c.jpggranada 61 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr You enter into a reception room covered in Islamic script. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8815/...e3c04bca_c.jpggranada 65 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8693/...e2128b27_c.jpggranada 67 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8820/...f17b3672_c.jpggranada 68 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
From here you move into the hall of the ambassadors where the Emir would here petition from a seat on the top of the stairs. The façade was designed to be an imposing and intimidating show of power.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8773/...c41f237b_c.jpggranada 69 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7698/...b00533bf_c.jpggranada 70 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8823/...539c6a7f_c.jpggranada 71 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8801/...01e56f50_c.jpggranada 73 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7586/...9c112764_c.jpggranada 75 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7611/...08f09e79_c.jpggranada 78 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7706/...e08f277b_c.jpggranada 77 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7716/...bee98ffa_c.jpggranada 79 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Now you pass into a central courtyard on your way to the hall of lions. This is named for the 12 alabaster lions of the fountain. The ceilings, walls, and floors are highly decorated.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7587/...a6a227bd_c.jpggranada 81 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8803/...8e2243a6_c.jpggranada 83 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7688/...84758ca3_c.jpggranada 85 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8686/...4bbc42e8_c.jpggranada 88 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7674/...17141361_c.jpggranada 90 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
The walls of the throne room are covered in decoration.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7627/...c95be8b1_c.jpggranada 96 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7614/...576f45ac_c.jpggranada 98 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8781/...bf3bc68b_c.jpggranada 99 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7616/...819913bc_c.jpggranada 102 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7668/...9b0ff333_c.jpggranada 116 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8695/...1093e58d_c.jpggranada 118 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7706/...6fedddd6_c.jpggranada 123 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
It was a bitter cold day and now it began to rain so we took refuge in the museum inside the Palace of Charles V.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8742/...0427bc91_c.jpggranada 134 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7599/...81ced480_c.jpggranada 60 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7704/...46156023_c.jpggranada 127 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7644/...1361648d_c.jpggranada 136 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8796/...a4f2780c_c.jpggranada 137 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Marbella
Well its still raining in the always sunny south of Spain and so we headed directly southwest the 186 km to Marbella.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7632/...9b8bd98e_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-04-14 at 6.10.10 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We had been kindly offered a place to stay by Antonio and Natalia. We met Antonio at the BMW dealership in Madrid last week just before he left for a trip to Morocco. We arrived to there home and were served a gourmet lunch. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7645/...f91b6101_c.jpgIMG_0206 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8741/...f0a1ed88_c.jpgIMG_0209 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7705/...471f5326_c.jpgIMG_0210 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We then rested up and waited for Orvar of the Kingdom of Sweden to arrive. He left home 4 days ago and has come almost 4000 km to meet us.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7660/...73313de6_c.jpgmarbella 2 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8751/...b63b19fe_c.jpgmarbella 3 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8689/...7d41c6cf_c.jpgmarbella 34 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Our gracious hosts chauffeured us around town and showed us some of the sights. Walking along the seashore we checked out the big boats moored there and all the fancy shops.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7620/...ac1f6313_c.jpgmarbella 4 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7629/...380fc9eb_c.jpgmarbella 6 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8810/...d447ccab_c.jpgmarbella 7 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7663/...679da7e7_c.jpgmarbella 5 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8697/...e425d5ce_c.jpgmarbella 8 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Then we toured the old city or Casco Antiguo and stopped in for some vino tinto and traditional tapas.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7610/...3b219389_c.jpgmarbella 10 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7709/...3bac2a43_c.jpgmarbella 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8744/...0fba357d_c.jpgmarbella 11 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7665/...cb89f9ae_c.jpgmarbella 12 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7678/...fc71f043_c.jpgmarbella 14 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8728/...914dee58_c.jpgmarbella 17 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7725/...31304998_c.jpgmarbella 16 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7707/...65ed1011_c.jpgmarbella 24 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7590/...57566c80_c.jpgmarbella 26 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7609/...c5f8045e_c.jpgmarbella 27 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7703/...9b849794_c.jpgDSC09020 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8809/...a28b088a_c.jpgmarbella 32 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr At home we opened the bottle of bubbles Orvar brought with him from Champagne. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7637/...f46ed94a_c.jpgmarbella 35 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Today Antonio had to go to Japan on business and so it was up to Natalia to show us around. We had lunch at a trendy tapas bar and then had drinks at the beach. We had to dip our toes in the Mediterranean Sea.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7685/...3d6e6f15_c.jpgmarbella 37 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7642/...daaa1687_c.jpgmarbella 39 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8784/...3ca64a58_c.jpgmarbella 40 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8723/...b5d40d6d_c.jpgmarbella 44 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8750/...7f22656d_c.jpgmarbella 47 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7657/...e065c2d6_c.jpgmarbella 48 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7619/...9caf83e0_c.jpgmarbella 50 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7591/...0d31acc4_c.jpgmarbella 55 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr On a clear day you can see Africa from here, but we did at least see Gibraltar. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7727/...a4eb9e8f_c.jpgDSC09035 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
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.jpgmarbella 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.jpgmarbella 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.jpgmarbella 60 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7640/...eef90e69_c.jpgmarbella 61 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8789/...500c639c_c.jpgmarbella 66 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Then we drove up into the mountains to visit the village of Mijas. Here there is a panoramic view of the sea.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8795/...a1b8f2e9_c.jpgmarbella 70 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7691/...a2a3287f_c.jpgmarbella 72 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7685/...5bf5f713_c.jpgmarbella 73 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7721/...3aa3b362_c.jpgmarbella 80 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8822/...fa6a1247_c.jpgmarbella 83 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.jpgFILE2089 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.pngScreen Shot 2015-04-05 at 5.14.29 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8811/...2dcf5c19_c.jpgronda gibralter 2 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7643/...9240bde6_c.jpgronda gibralter 3 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Ronda
The drive up into the mountains to Ronda is very nice if a bit chilly at 3.5 degrees.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7649/...5c7485d1_c.jpgFILE2263 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8754/...dbb45fb7_c.jpgFILE2381 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8709/...3501c59b_c.jpgronda gibralter 10 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr This town is teeming with tourists. We parked at the city hall lot, which is .90 E for 2 hours and in the end they did not charge us at all. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8775/...ebe482e6_c.jpgFILE2127 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8702/...e18a7c38_c.jpgFILE2167 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7661/...6b47e3c0_c.jpgronda gibralter 4 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7601/...3e59d47f_c.jpgronda gibralter 34 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We had a snack on the square and then toured the old city including the famous bridge and bullring.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8712/...c9935639_c.jpgronda gibralter 5 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8694/...45461db7_c.jpgronda gibralter 7 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7709/...0c7b9850_c.jpgronda gibralter 8 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7687/...5eae00e5_c.jpgronda gibralter 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8722/...fd4f6f63_c.jpgronda gibralter 13 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7634/...473608d8_c.jpgronda gibralter 11 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8719/...8f3fcb12_c.jpgronda gibralter 16 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7648/...4f8d3928_c.jpgronda gibralter 17 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7661/...149b9377_c.jpgronda gibralter 18 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7592/...58784f42_c.jpgronda gibralter 20 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8780/...23253aa9_c.jpgronda gibralter 21 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8757/...daa85e13_c.jpgronda gibralter 26 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8748/...3c5729f4_c.jpgFILE2212 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Gibraltar
We arrived at the hotel in Algeceras about 5 pm and quickly changed to drive the 22 km west to the border at Gibraltar.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8768/...4f2d4080_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-04-05 at 5.18.12 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8803/...d8b9e115_c.jpgronda gibralter 35 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Crossing over was easy after just showing the passports. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8746/...2c68e74d_c.jpgronda gibralter 38 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8813/...cc6647dd_c.jpgronda gibralter 39 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7719/...6f93cfb4_c.jpgronda gibralter 40 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8689/...51a6e723_c.jpgronda gibralter 42 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7657/...bbddced6_c.jpgronda gibralter 44 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7712/...81703f03_c.jpgronda gibralter 52 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We then parked and walked thru the pedestrian zone. Here we had some pints and gin and tonics at a traditional pub and then some great Indian food. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7588/...8ede5f51_c.jpgronda gibralter 56 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7724/...d907d3ec_c.jpgronda gibralter 54 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8712/...dd460e76_c.jpgronda gibralter 55 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8810/...15bf91d3_c.jpgronda gibralter 58 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7721/...fbcaf2f9_c.jpgronda gibralter 60 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8737/...a2ac8fd4_c.jpgIMG_3721 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7625/...72fc1a2d_c.jpgIMG_3716 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7672/...c8df6913_c.jpgIMG_3720 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Morocco
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.pngScreen Shot 2015-03-30 at 10.48.39 AM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8781/...045094a2_c.jpgchefchaouen 20 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Chefchaouen
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.jpgchefchaouen 3 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8800/...c96ec2d4_c.jpgchefchaouen 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7722/...aab4aa4b_c.jpgchefchaouen 2 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
It is super easy to find where to go you just follow the signs like breadcrumbs.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7677/...80930119_c.jpgchefchaouen 6 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr You check in at the gate, show your ticket, and head to the boat. There is a secondary checkpoint where you need to show your ticket again. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7716/...e514f29b_c.jpgchefchaouen 8 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8776/...7a2d5b30_c.jpgchefchaouen 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr There is a third set of booth, but you just drive past these. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8691/...d4151f12_c.jpgchefchaouen 10 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr You are directed where to load and the crew secures the bikes for you. Then you go up on deck to enjoy the 90 min crossing of the straight and the view of Africa! https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7660/...b1153e98_c.jpgchefchaouen 12 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8802/...cf7552bd_c.jpgchefchaouen 13 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8818/...5fc3f084_c.jpgchefchaouen 14 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8753/...11163372_c.jpgchefchaouen 15 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7604/...69b041c7_c.jpgchefchaouen 16 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7702/...831c9776_c.jpgchefchaouen 17 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7713/...eddebc3b_c.jpgchefchaouen 18 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7645/...f9ea70c1_c.jpgchefchaouen 19 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
On board there is a food service and duty free liquor sale!
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8800/...71fa9b93_c.jpgchefchaouen 22 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8710/...1b925d03_c.jpgchefchaouen 23 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7613/...75733d62_c.jpgchefchaouen 24 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7693/...9edd6162_c.jpgchefchaouen 25 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Our first views of Africa!! https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7679/...45fbb752_c.jpgchefchaouen 27 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8796/...35084fc6_c.jpgchefchaouen 28 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7591/...72c7ca54_c.jpgchefchaouen 29 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7647/...634e4bb6_c.jpgchefchaouen 32 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8780/...bb62f4df_c.jpgchefchaouen 35 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.jpgchefchaouen 36 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8731/...0bb81f5a_c.jpgchefchaouen 37 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr 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.jpgchefchaouen 39 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7678/...c4fcc2fa_c.jpgchefchaouen 40 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Drive past the police kiosks and you are directed to the aduana parking. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8730/...eb9b0a12_c.jpgchefchaouen 41 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8735/...eff063f6_c.jpgchefchaouen 42 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7700/...3dfbb756_c.jpgchefchaouen 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.jpgchefchaouen 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.jpgchefchaouen 45 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8763/...bd34d737_c.jpgchefchaouen 46 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
WOW that was easy and we are in Morocco. We are certainly not in Kansas anymore Dorothy!
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7596/...66d3ca49_c.jpgchefchaouen 47 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8704/...1cc1ae47_c.jpgchefchaouen 110 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We had just a 111 km drive south to Chefchaouen. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7640/...138d7638_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-03-30 at 10.49.11 AM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7687/...93f68c45_c.jpgchefchaouen 50 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7669/...f7e3b88b_c.jpgchefchaouen 51 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7623/...0202b490_c.jpgchefchaouen 53 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr This was our first Moroccan lunch….We are going to loose weight here I think. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7590/...3974cc15_c.jpgchefchaouen 55 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.jpgchefchaouen 58 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8804/...b946e7ae_c.jpgchefchaouen 56 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7719/...dc2c164c_c.jpgchefchaouen 57 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8802/...b1118114_c.jpgchefchaouen 109 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Now what to do. The local taxi driver said, “No problem you can drive there from here thru the Medina (one generally never drives in a medina). “Its easy there are just a few stairs. “ Actually you “can” drive thru and we did, but not to the hotel which only has foot traffic access. This was breaking our rule of Morocco “no hotels in the Medinas”. When we finally found the hotel we did not stay there, but found another just outside with onsite parking.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8823/...5a27cdc7_c.jpgchefchaouen 60 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7605/...6d389085_c.jpgchefchaouen 61 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7660/...25159060_c.jpgchefchaouen 63 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8794/...474dc332_c.jpgchefchaouen 64 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7636/...c5a74f5f_c.jpgchefchaouen 65 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7620/...89c291dd_c.jpgchefchaouen 68 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8758/...75ce9200_c.jpgchefchaouen 69 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8749/...1808f7f6_c.jpgchefchaouen 70 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8710/...f3680a4b_c.jpgchefchaouen 67 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7706/...a41b55f0_c.jpgchefchaouen 71 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We could then tour the Medina on foot. The blue and white color of the buildings is quite stunning.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7588/...90afb1d5_c.jpgchefchaouen 72 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7708/...90f0e318_c.jpgchefchaouen 96 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7701/...2bb13499_c.jpgchefchaouen 74 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8738/...e6a064c8_c.jpgchefchaouen 76 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8702/...d2800440_c.jpgchefchaouen 77 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8758/...1805d6bc_c.jpgchefchaouen 78 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8817/...572897f8_c.jpgchefchaouen 80 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7690/...9d83d478_c.jpgchefchaouen 82 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7697/...d4ceb757_c.jpgchefchaouen 83 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8696/...ec9db533_c.jpgchefchaouen 85 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7594/...292fae28_c.jpgchefchaouen 91 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7716/...761d6872_c.jpgchefchaouen 103 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7603/...339d11d7_c.jpgchefchaouen 108 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
The shops in the old city are in an area called the souika.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7695/...318784e4_c.jpgchefchaouen 104 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8818/...5b67b705_c.jpgchefchaouen 81 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8798/...f5d7c94e_c.jpgchefchaouen 97 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8725/...1481d22c_c.jpgchefchaouen 107 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7692/...70082ca7_c.jpgchefchaouen 117 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Every town and village has a mosque and the call to prayer 5 times per day is sung from the top of the minaret.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7624/...61971440_c.jpgchefchaouen 105 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8796/...ac36422d_c.jpgchefchaouen 106 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7665/...09465e72_c.jpgchefchaouen 89 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7627/...32b00c8a_c.jpgchefchaouen 113 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7627/...ce8cf947_c.jpgchefchaouen 123 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We enjoyed a couscous dinner with a view of the fort and square.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7686/...ac325258_c.jpgchefchaouen 116 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7668/...55ba08a3_c.jpgchefchaouen 112 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8775/...36b0baeb_c.jpgchefchaouen 101 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7650/...29c13fcd_c.jpgchefchaouen 98 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7603/...c373a239_c.jpgchefchaouen 99 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7682/...8839ea3e_c.jpgchefchaouen 100 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7593/...7bdd464a_c.jpgchefchaouen 121 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8721/...8b743799_c.jpgchefchaouen 122 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Fes
Today is cold, but sunny. Our destination is Fes 204 km south, but we are headed first west to the coast and then back over the mountains for 354 Km.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8752/...526558af_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-03-30 at 10.54.05 AM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7688/...a8ed3ecf_c.jpgfes 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8793/...6751d266_c.jpgfes 2 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8754/...b07ffea8_c.jpgfes 4 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7594/...887ddb86_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-03-30 at 10.54.43 AM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
The road is curvy and goes up along the ridge and then down again to the sea. Here the road hangs on the cliffside.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8726/...66d817a6_c.jpgFILE0786 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8803/...947e3a3f_c.jpgFILE0823 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7620/...b0247d28_c.jpgfes 6 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8755/...e4479ef0_c.jpgfes 8 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8804/...3291d868_c.jpgfes 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7697/...4a7b0a88_c.jpgfes 10 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8718/...a1994dc7_c.jpgfes 12 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8797/...32c898e5_c.jpgFILE1165 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7598/...aff78062_c.jpgFILE1284 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
At the small town of El Jebha we had a snack and the guys headed up a track to the viewpoint to the bay hidden from view.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7627/...c03d336a_c.jpgfes 14 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7710/...f544353d_c.jpgfes 13 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
From here you turn off onto a mountain road that until you get to Centre Commune Beni Rzine, Marruecos the road is partly paved, but crumbling and without guardrails on the corners with their precipitous drops.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8736/...4547c2c7_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-03-30 at 10.55.10 AM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7633/...59fb444f_c.jpgfes 17 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8758/...81e7a534_c.jpgFILE1413 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7585/...52ac0093_c.jpgFILE1453 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7590/...93b37021_c.jpgFILE1459 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8692/...7d6c19ab_c.jpgFILE1466 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7654/...83074ebf_c.jpgFILE1505 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7585/...7464a32d_c.jpgfes 16 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8703/...ba4ee166_c.jpgFILE0048 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We made our way thru several very remote towns that were crowded with men only. Driving thru was a bit surreal and like from a post apocalyptic movie. Not a pretty picture.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7615/...0251694c_c.jpgFILE0237 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7707/...529cd0a7_c.jpgFILE0092 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8708/...ce34dc77_c.jpgFILE1730 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We had a long day even though it was only 367 km because of the speeds and the road conditions. Arriving in Fes luckily we had a reservation. The Touts on the mopeds who followed and harassed us did in vain. Arriving to the hotel just outside the Medina we were met by another tout who rushed into the hotel to try to get a commission for bringing us to the hotel, but the man at the desk said to him “come on buddy you have to be kidding they have a reservation.”
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7683/...137bff97_c.jpgfes 22 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7637/...8c2f6a86_c.jpgfes 25 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We wandered into the Medina to find some dinner. Almost all restaurants here have the same menu of Chicken with couscous and a traditional lamb Tagine. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8823/...826be815_c.jpgfes 18 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7648/...c1d84c3c_c.jpgfes 19 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7694/...5920ebbd_o.jpgfes 20 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8711/...b1927230_c.jpgfes 21 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Fes Medina
We had organized thru the hotel a guide for a tour of the Medina today, but as all things here the tour includes “shopping”. We did go see some carpets and weaving and leather works, but on the way also the labyrinth of streets, several mosques, and the tannery.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7620/...f71d62d3_c.jpgfes 26 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7676/...f3b69e19_c.jpgfes 28 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8780/...7744c87a_c.jpgfes 52 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7614/...e7dc8a72_c.jpgfes 31 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8779/...7de936c5_c.jpgfes 37 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7607/...3b44a121_c.jpgfes 38 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8723/...53e22ee3_c.jpgfes 50 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7649/...e1684b82_c.jpgfes 56 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8689/...495565d0_c.jpgfes 57 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8785/...9f97d8c7_c.jpgDSC09264 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7667/...a9c6f45a_c.jpgDSC09268 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7717/...9500e1ae_c.jpgfes 72 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7705/...d755740d_c.jpgDSC09263 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7704/...c7f5563d_c.jpgDSC09278 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8753/...e5dbf11c_c.jpgfes 96 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7666/...aa7bace9_c.jpgfes 100 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Now that IS FRESH!
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7621/...9a139f6a_c.jpgfes 60 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr This is the only place in the city you can buy camel meat. He used to have a camel head on display, but there were so many tourists taking pictures he could not sell any meat. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7612/...919983ac_c.jpgfes 102 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr This is the community bakery. The locals bring their bread here and this man bakes it for him. He knows everyone by the colour of their cloth. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7620/...997e539f_c.jpgfes 62 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Snails for sale!! They gather them outside the city when it rains. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7690/...c179450a_c.jpgfes 103 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr You cannot enter the Mosque unless you are a Muslim. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8723/...dd6d2828_c.jpgfes 64 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8822/...df4fd1a8_c.jpgfes 43 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7642/...0a6be5d5_c.jpgfes 44 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8722/...05d38c0e_c.jpgfes 46 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7639/...5b5be906_c.jpgfes 111 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
This used to be the spice market, but now it is mostly leather and metal goods.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8686/...f6e82e01_c.jpgfes 104 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7669/...aa95cffe_c.jpgfes 53 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8822/...5671b435_c.jpgfes 54 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8728/...c2ea5c9c_c.jpgfes 63 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
In the afternoon we took some candid shots from the roof terrace.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8699/...b0cc65dd_c.jpgfes 114 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8708/...c0e93470_c.jpgfes 118 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7646/...81f9e31e_c.jpgfes 116 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7688/...24033f83_c.jpgfes 117 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7606/...fa0f54a7_c.jpgfes 119 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We then wandered toward the Jewish quarter thru the large public park across from the hotel. On the way we passed a building with a beautiful tiled façade. Daniel was about to take a photo when the uniformed guard started waving and shouting. He then came running after Daniel shouting. Luckily a local woman was walking by and saw all this. She explained to the guard who then looked at the pictures on the camera and saw that Daniel had not actually taken a photo. Lesson learned. They did not notice however that Orvar was taking a picture!
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7603/...a34054d9_c.jpgfes 122 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8817/...dd5a05cd_c.jpgfes 124 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8747/...35b5e4d4_c.jpgfes 125 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7651/...b281f4f1_c.jpgfes 127 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7607/...efd41e81_c.jpgfes 128 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We continued walking and entered the next walled area of the city. Here there was a warren of streets and we all felt a bit uncomfortable when approached by a group of young men who wanted to “take us to see the synagogue”. Then we were more so when they started to follow us. Luckily we were quickly out onto a main street crowded with people and this led to the main city wall and our hotel.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7594/...a4dcfba3_c.jpgfes 129 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7714/...e917fc68_c.jpgfes 130 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8766/...267a03f1_c.jpgfes 132 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8687/...4b8e3e27_c.jpgfes 133 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7611/...ff19cac8_c.jpgfes 136 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8685/...5343c52c_c.jpgfes 138 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Robbed in Fes
The hotel on bookings offered private on site parking, but when we arrived this was actually parking on the street out front. The manager said to park on the sidewalk out front and he would have a guard 24/7. Despite this when we got out to the bikes on the second morning Daniel’s cover was partly off and someone had tried to pry off the Tourtech GPS mount and Orvar’s dry bag with rain gear and spare gloves was gone. The guard says he watched the bikes all night and was lying and/or allowed someone to steal the bag. Not a great start to the day. No one working at the hotel seemed to really care. The feeling here in Fez in general is that 95 % of the people who approach you in a friendly manner want you to give them money or more often to sell you something. This is unlike for example Brazil where 99% of people who approach you are just being friendly. It gets very tiring to be harassed all day.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7600/...d4c333a7_c.jpgfes 139 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Ar-Rachidia
Today we are headed south towards the desert and we decided to make 2 short days into one long one and go to Midelt and then to Errachidia (or Ar-rachida) in 337 KM.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7601/...34c86828_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-03-30 at 10.56.36 AM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Leaving thru the gates of Fes we had already decided to put the bad behind us because today was going to be a great day. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7695/...509bede0_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We started driving up and up and were soon in the snow near Azrou at Ifrane, which has a bit of a Swiss feel. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8708/...d3ded8db_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 2 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8705/...b34fb118_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 3 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8818/...a34cbc8e_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 6 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Snow and Monkeys!
We continued higher and there was much more snow. Suddenly when we came around a corner there were monkeys everywhere. We had some bananas with us so we stopped to feed them.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8809/...ff4aa885_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 4 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8802/...c8e82030_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8770/...a9b406e3_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 11 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8800/...0e982630_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 12 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8703/...d50aef18_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 15 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7720/...73220a51_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 19 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7609/...211e6293_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 20 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Skiing??
Just a few km up the road we came across guys renting ski equipment and toboggans for a few dollars. The hike up was steep so it was one run for 1$ in the end.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7617/...72fb4792_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 21 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7595/...b5a403f7_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 22 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8751/...7b95987d_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 25 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7659/...0f74200f_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 39 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7677/...ba11c67d_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 30 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8822/...bf809411_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 33 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Before you get to Midelt you come around the corner on the descent from the mountains to a panoramic view of the snow capped Atlas Mountains. If you can get a room here there is a Kasbah Asmaa with an unbelievable view. Part of our reason to keep going on from here is that they were fully booked, and there is no other real reason to stay here.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8800/...a574af5f_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 45 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7643/...919e7e4c_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 46 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7710/...2ea69cb4_c.jpgDSC01843 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8817/...7ff6ed2f_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 52 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8776/...dde0993f_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 58 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7631/...491c3032_c.jpgIMG_0672 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
You continue farther south skirting the foothills to the town of Errachidia.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8822/...08d4464b_c.jpgIMG_0696 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8788/...7afc806e_c.jpgIMG_0697 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7670/...e95a64ea_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 68 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7700/...b2c8c6a8_c.jpgIMG_0690 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7640/...d52e65fb_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 73 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8709/...e05ab06a_c.jpgDSC09323 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7609/...09a928f6_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 74 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Here we had booked into a very nice Kasbah run by a nice German woman. The staff is super friendly and the rooms comfortable. It is 30 E for a room, dinner, and breakfast. In Morocco a Dar is a small hotel with or without a garden but no trees, a Riad is a hotel with a garden that has at least 1 tree, and a Kasbah is a hotel that is a collection of buildings around a treed garden.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8826/...694155ab_c.jpgAr-Rachidia 80 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7608/...310cf288_c.jpgFILE0735 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8770/...df343f36_c.jpgIMG_0703 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Merzouga
We took the scenic route to Merzouga thru Goulmima instead of the main road and this was only an extra 70 km for a total of 201 km. This is about as close to Algeria as we will get.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7637/...b4446401_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-03-30 at 10.57.51 AM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7584/...9ddebe7a_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-03-30 at 10.58.21 AM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The power to the entire town is off 1 day per month and this was the day. This meant no power for the gas pumps. Luckily we all had enough to get to the next town 60 km away and they had power. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8722/...d5b937ec_c.jpgmerzouga 2 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7647/...cc296a1d_c.jpgmerzouga 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
This route takes a cross road to Erfoud, which passes thru a number of small villages.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8816/...d66cc485_c.jpgmerzouga 4 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7645/...09ccbb0c_c.jpgmerzouga 5 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8709/...0d891dcd_c.jpgIMG_0725 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8692/...9887ae2a_c.jpgIMG_0719 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7651/...51758738_c.jpgFILE0851 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We saw out first camels today including a baby one.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8771/...3ec150df_c.jpgFILE0962 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8728/...61bda3b5_c.jpgmerzouga 19 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7597/...61420d50_c.jpgmerzouga 22 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7680/...3567620f_c.jpgmerzouga 23 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We drove towards Merzouga and finally saw the big dunes of the red Sahara.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7599/...a5ca5fb1_c.jpgmerzouga 20 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We stopped in the town for some lunch and to make a plan. We had considered camping, but its 30 plus degrees. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7611/...63d708d6_c.jpgmerzouga 27 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We backtracked to the next big dunes and to the Kasbah Mohayut recommended by our rider friend Eduard who lives in a small village nearby. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8818/...8fe4b6e3_c.jpgDSC01861 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We settled in and then decided to hike out onto the dunes for the sunset.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7712/...4321e536_c.jpgIMG_0759 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8745/...42393b1d_c.jpgDSC01876 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8785/...62a2b641_c.jpgDSC01878 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7679/...1f0ee836_c.jpgmerzouga 35 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8741/...445a6d3a_c.jpgmerzouga 36 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7655/...11640b19_c.jpgmerzouga 38 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7664/...8d51d212_c.jpgmerzouga 39 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7629/...130c1459_c.jpgmerzouga 47 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7674/...6dd17592_c.jpgmerzouga 66 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
It is so touristy, but we had to do the camel ride to the dunes for the sun set and it was worth it for sure. Getting up at 5 am we boarded our camels and set out in the pitch black. The number of starts was unreal.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7647/...f59a7788_c.jpgmerzouga 73 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We “parked” the camels and walked up one of the big dunes. Our driver brought a Berber blanket to sit on since the sand is really cold. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8708/...e985b89e_c.jpgmerzouga 83 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8691/...0b5fce1a_c.jpgmerzouga 76 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8822/...10dc3a3c_c.jpgmerzouga 80 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7715/...45d86df2_c.jpgmerzouga 77 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8693/...44a01bd2_c.jpgmerzouga 81 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7692/...0e351201_c.jpgmerzouga 88 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7652/...d1a76021_c.jpgmerzouga 89 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8735/...424b7d42_c.jpgmerzouga 95 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7652/...ff8e6cd8_c.jpgmerzouga 98 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We had some fun skiing down the dunes. The only small incident was when Sara was trying to get back on her camel it decided to stand up and tossed her off. Just a bell ringer, but no serious damage.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7600/...c44f94ff_c.jpgmerzouga 99 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8790/...1aebec43_c.jpgIMG_0909 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8814/...d0502769_c.jpgmerzouga 120 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7609/...0f25776d_c.jpgmerzouga 125 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7721/...06bc0feb_c.jpgmerzouga 126 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7642/...c5ff35ce_c.jpgmerzouga 132 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
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