Jane & Rog’s retirement tour, Morocco 2023

[TerryL]

We went through something similar 10 days ago, feeling under the weather and fed up with the unseasonal cold, nearly started home (but easier for us as we're still in Spain). When things keep going wrong all you want to do is go home.
But we parked up on a nice sunny sheltered site for 5 days and got ourselves sorted and we're ready now to carry on with the trip. Sounds like that's what you need but get yourselves to the coast where the forecast says it will be warmer. If you can bring yourselves to move south even better.
But if you've had enough, and it's no reason to be ashamed, then get back to Spain, Morocco will still be there next year. At least you'll be in a better position for repairs to the van and easy access to an airport if it should be necessary.

 

[TerryL]

Funsters Ali n Tim are currently on Ocean Bleu

 

[Jane And Rog]

Funsters Ali n Tim are currently on Ocean Bleu

…and Tim just dropped by

 

[tony_g]

That’s an a amazingly generous offer, thanks! Even if we don’t need the help, happy to meet up for a beer and a chat on our way back.

We’ve moved 500m to Ocean Blue, a much better campsite. Plan is to wait until we feel better and have news from the hospital. The campsite lady is super friendly, so may ask her about engineers tomorrow if I can persuade Rog. He has one more thing to try - he did find a blown fuse but that’s not the whole problem.

 

[Just smiffy]

Of course everyone is different but I wouldn’t want my kids to curtail there adventures…

Having re-read that it could be taken in different ways, as said everyone is different and that’s just me but of course it’s how you feel too and how you would be not being there for your father, apologies if I’ve caused any concern….

I’m always putting my foot in it…

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[Jane And Rog]

Having re-read that it could be taken in different ways, as said everyone is different and that’s just me but of course it’s how you feel too and how you would be not being there for your father, apologies if I’ve caused any concern….

I’m always putting my foot in it…

Not at all. When I’ve spoken to my father, and he’s not been confused, he’s asked if we’re on the way home, but when I’ve said it depends on how things go, he’s been fine with it. I’m hoping there’ll be better news while we wait a few days in Mohammedia, but if not, I think we will go back.

 

[chaser]

Not at all. When I’ve spoken to my father, and he’s not been confused, he’s asked if we’re on the way home, but when I’ve said it depends on how things go, he’s been fine with it. I’m hoping there’ll be better news while we wait a few days in Mohammedia, but if not, I think we will go back.

Just another thing, do you have to go through all that dog palaver again to get back, or are the ones you came with still valid to get back.
Otherwise you are going to have to find a vet before you can come back.

 

[Jane And Rog]

chaser the first palaver was so that we can get Flynn back in. We hope the temp export certificate turns seamlessly into a permanent re-import certificate.

 

[Jane And Rog]

Camping Mimosa was ok but didn’t feel like somewhere for more than a night’s stay. I think if they tidied it up and improved the plumbing it would be perfect - that could probably be said of most Moroccan campsites. We tried to take Flynn for a beach walk but the geography conspired against us and it turned into an urban walk. On the way back we stopped for breakfast at very local cafe (not even French spoken) for chickpea flatbread with cheese, donuts and bean stew with mint tea. It was delicious and staggering value at 11MDH (£0.91)

We then set off for a massive drive, a couple of kilometres up the coast to L’Océan Blue where we can hole up waiting for news about Jane’s dad and an improvement in Jane’s cold. On paper (pedantically en-blog) L’Océan Blue is identical to Mimosa but it feels more welcoming. We obviously arrived on wash day all the other vans have their pants hanging up around their pitch.

There still isn’t great walking nearby. Flynn is happy enough up and down the beach but he’s even happier menacing the fine chickens and quails wandering the site.

Dinner was round the corner at cafe Saint Michel - an odd mix of pizza for the invalids and sardine ball tajine for me. Service was odd but the food was good. We walked back to the van past local girls dancing the night away to Moroccan pop blasting from their car stereos.
R

 

[Tony50]

Thanks - will mention to Rog. We’ve had these leaks since the van was new.

I had a Elddis caravan in 2012 , lifted lounge seat and every push connection dribbled, I had to push the pipes together hard to stop leaks ,

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[Tony50]

I had a Elddis caravan in 2012 , lifted lounge seat and every push connection dribbled, I had to push the pipes together hard to stop leaks ,

I haven't read all the posts, but, if the water connectors are push fit , garages usually have them for fuel pipe leaks, especially a Commercial vehicle garage we always carried loads of them when we had a Garage

 

[Jane And Rog]

A short update and not so well written today since a) not much happened - sorry for the lack of van based drama recently - and b) Jane is still under the weather so I’m posting again. It’s probably not really worth posting here but I wrote it for http://denby.home.blog and all our followers there (hi mum!) - and I thought no need for MHF to miss out on today’s non-cliff hanger.

We stayed in l’Ocean Blue for another day and took a medium walk up the coast with Flynn on Sunday morning. There’s a lot of smart holiday flats going up aimed at Moroccan locals around here. Luckily the beach is largely unspoilt with kilometres of wave beaten rock making it resemble La Lune sur Mer.

I say unspoilt, but Morocco has a litter problem and it’s particularly obvious on this bit of coast where the sharp rocks cling to carrier bags and plastic bottles. We couldn’t say if they were dropped or washed up from the sea but it’s a shame whatever the source.

flotsam, jetsam or just poor bike parking?

We were hoping to get a visit from the fish man, a version of whom delivers fresh fish to the camp site, and in anticipation we popped up to Carrefour to buy fish-suitable-veg. When we got back the guard told us we’d missed the fish man and maybe another would come but maybe not. He did arrive eventually but late in the day and after we’d started to prepare chicken for the BBQ.

 

[Roger S]

Dinner was round the corner at cafe Saint Michel - an odd mix of pizza for the invalids and sardine ball tajine for me. Service was odd but the food was good. We walked back to the van past local girls dancing the night away to Moroccan pop blasting from their car stereos.
R

Ive never seen a sardine with large enough b..... to make a tajine, I hope they were tasty.

 

[TOAD on Tour]

A short update and not so well written today since a) not much happened - sorry for the lack of van based drama recently - and b) Jane is still under the weather so I’m posting again. It’s probably not really worth posting here but I wrote it for http://denby.home.blog and all our followers there (hi mum!) - and I thought no need for MHF to miss out on today’s non-cliff hanger.

We stayed in l’Ocean Blue for another day and took a medium walk up the coast with Flynn on Sunday morning. There’s a lot of smart holiday flats going up aimed at Moroccan locals around here. Luckily the beach is largely unspoilt with kilometres of wave beaten rock making it resemble La Lune sur Mer.

View attachment 711907

I say unspoilt, but Morocco has a litter problem and it’s particularly obvious on this bit of coast where the sharp rocks cling to carrier bags and plastic bottles. We couldn’t say if they were dropped or washed up from the sea but it’s a shame whatever the source.

View attachment 711908
flotsam, jetsam or just poor bike parking?

We were hoping to get a visit from the fish man, a version of whom delivers fresh fish to the camp site, and in anticipation we popped up to Carrefour to buy fish-suitable-veg. When we got back the guard told us we’d missed the fish man and maybe another would come but maybe not. He did arrive eventually but late in the day and after we’d started to prepare chicken for the BBQ.

View attachment 711909

I know you’ve got a few things in your mind with family, feeling under the weather and the van…..BUT you’re still in a place warm enough to bbq and eat outside!!

 

[Jane And Rog]

Absolutely TOAD on Tour its not that hard a life

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[Blossom]

I am really enjoying this thread of your adventures Jane and Rog. I hope you get the leaks in your van sorted soon and you get back to being well Jane.

 

[Jane And Rog]

I didn’t feel too bad this morning, and with good news from my sister-in-law last night that Dad should be back in his care home this (Tuesday) afternoon, we decided to press on to Meknes.

Meknes became the capital of Morocco under the reign of Sultan Moulay Ismail (1672–1727). Ismail built a massive palace complex, fortified the city and added a number of impressive monumental gates. Sadly, most of this amazing history is closed for renovation - supposedly until sometime later this year. Everything, that is, apart from the museum, which is only closed on Tuesdays. Our good luck continues.

We started off with a quick explore of the souks and the main square, Place el Hadim. This is apparently, when not undergoing renovation, like a smaller Jmaa el Fna from Marrakech. It did have a snake or two being charmed and a couple of monkeys for being photographed with, much to Flynn’s delight and frustration.

The photo above is the top half of the Bab Mansour - apparently when viewed in its entirety, one of the finest gates in Morocco. History relates that when the sultan inspected the completed gate, he asked the architect, El Mansour, whether he could do any better, a Catch 22 for the poor chap, whose response (“yes”) led to his immediate execution.

Once it started to get cooler, we left Flynn in the van - we’re parked for the night at the guardian parking at repelled.recipient.ladders, for 50 dirhams.

We went into about the only historical building that was open, the mausoleum of said Sultan Moulay Ismail, which was built during his lifetime, and is still a destination for reverent Muslims today. This is a bit weird, as Ismail was not what you’d traditionally think of as a saint. His reign began with the display of four hundred heads at Fez, and over the next 50 years it is estimated that he was responsible for over thirty thousand deaths, not including those killed in battle. Many of these deaths were quite arbitrary – mounting a horse, Ismail might slash the head off the eunuch holding his stirrup; inspecting the work on his buildings, he would carry a weighted lance, with which to batter skulls in order to “encourage” the others. “My subjects are like rats in a basket,” he used to say, “and if I do not keep shaking the basket they will gnaw their way through.”

His mausoleum was stunning though.

We continued to wander through the narrow lanes of the souks.

And we ended up actually doing some shopping. First a Damascene plate - small enough that it can be a rather large Christmas tree decoration. We like to collect these from our travels.

Damascene is made only in Meknes. Thin cuts are made in steel using a small chisel, creating the outline of the pattern. Next, thin silver threads are hammered into the indentations on the metal surface, to embed the pattern. After the silver wire has pattern is complete, the item is baked in a furnace to melt the thin metal strands. The chap who sold it to us, along with a necklace for me, told us that he’d give us a catastrophic bargain. Not sure about that, but we were happy enough. Rog was asked to leave a review in his notebook - most of the previous ones mentioned his “catastrophic” pricing.

Now we weren’t going to buy a carpet, even from Catastrophric’s father - but we did. The one we ended up with was the perfect colour for our living room - mostly greys. It’s made from wool and cactus silk. Apparently it’s a very lucky carpet - so maybe our heating or hot water will suddenly start working, which would be well worth the £120 it cost.

As we left, Catastrophic’s Dad referred to me as a gazelle, and Rog as a camel, the beast of burden - giving him the carpet to carry. They have a nice line in patter, your Moroccan salesmen.

Dinner was at Aisha, blotchy.punctured.recur. We chose it because we knew there was rfissa on the menu. This was delicious - slow cooked, fatty lamb flavoured with fenugreek and served on strips of msemmen (flatbreads) with lentils. Just go hungry all day, and don’t order a soup for starters like we did - it’s a very hearty meal!

My father wasn’t out of hospital this evening and there isn’t any news in this morning’s email. Fingers crossed for better news today. After all, we do have a magic lucky carpet now.

 

[Aly1]

Thanks Jane and Rog, I’m really enjoying reading this thread.

 

[PhilandMena]

If your still in Meknes you may find the underground prison and the Sultans stables of interest. Enjoy.

 

[Littlewheels]

If your still in Meknes you may find the underground prison and the Sultans stables of interest. Enjoy.

You mean they had prisoners looking at the killing stats it’s a wonder anyone survived his wrath.

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[Mikey RV]

If you sit on the magic carpet does it travel around.

 

[PhilandMena]

You mean they had prisoners looking at the killing stats it’s a wonder anyone survived his wrath.

Brutal times ! The underground prison is next to the Motorhome parking and you would not know it was a prison as all you can see is some air vents coming out of the ground on a square next to the motorhomes. They were rammed in there and when we went down it was quite hot, so must have been a real hell hole when rammed with unwashed prisinors. The stable's were something else over a thousand horses kept there.

 

[Jane And Rog]

If your still in Meknes you may find the underground prison and the Sultans stables of interest. Enjoy.

Both closed! I think 2024 is the year to see Meknes. We loved it so definitely want to return.

 

[Jane And Rog]

If you sit on the magic carpet does it travel around.

I’d rather it emitted hot air and water

 

[Jane And Rog]

You mean they had prisoners looking at the killing stats it’s a wonder anyone survived his wrath.

Just the waiting room, presumably.

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[Jane And Rog]

Brutal times ! The underground prison is next to the Motorhome parking and you would not know it was a prison as all you can see is some air vents coming out of the ground on a square next to the motorhomes. They were rammed in there and when we went down it was quite hot, so must have been a real hell hole when rammed with unwashed prisinors. The stable's were something else over a thousand horses kept there.
View attachment 712227View attachment 712222View attachment 712223View attachment 712224

Wow, fantastic photos. Will definitely visit nect time!

 

[PhilandMena]

Both closed! I think 2024 is the year to see Meknes. We loved it so definitely want to return.

Glad we had the opportunity to visit when they were both open. An important part of Meknes history.

 

[Jane And Rog]

The day started with a short cat-viewing walk, followed by a stop at Marjane to purchase an electric fan heater.

Then we drove to Volubilis, a UNESCO world heritage site, listed for being "an exceptionally well preserved example of a large Roman colonial town on the fringes of the Empire".

Volubilis was part of the Roman empire from the first century AD until 285, when it fell to local tribes. It’s particularly famous for the large number of mosaics still in situ (and completely unprotected).

It was then occupied for another 700 years, before being abandoned when the seat of power was moved to Fes.

We enjoyed the free and easy access to the site - Flynn even being allowed to explore off-lead like the street dogs, until he discovered that we’re back in Fray Bentos* territory and had to be sent back to his naughty step in Denby.

*Flynn thinks tortoises are just mobile meat in tins, and can’t understand why we don’t open them for him, instead of putting the poor things the right way up and dragging him away.

After a quick lunch, we drove a few kilometres to Moulay Idriss - the site of the tomb of Idris 1, the first major Islamic ruler of Morocco. Heathens like us aren’t allowed to visit the tomb itself - in fact, non Muslims weren’t even allowed to stay the night in the town until 2005! If you are a Muslim, a visit to this tomb is worth 1/5 haj. I wonder if they all have a haj book, with stamps in it. I suppose there’s an app - check in here for haj points!

So, we did a lot of wandering (some who do so definitely are lost)…

And a lot of batting off “guides”, climbing steep steps and wandering some more…

Before finding the terrace with the view of the tomb complex. It was almost worth it.

(Tomb complex is the green roofs)

Before returning to Denby we had another olive oil tasting - not as good as our first lot, and we found out why when we checked in at Camping Sidi Ali (boldest.loaf.reabsorbed) - the owner had bottles of both clear and the cloudier oil we’d bought before. It turns out the latter is made from green olives, and the former from black. So a bottle of green was added to our prizes to take home.

We stupidly hadn’t bought many supplies in Marjane, so I set about turning fridge remnants into pasta sauce, while Rog took Flynn for a short evening walk.

Long time readers of this over-long tale will recall that Rog and I differ on whether Flynn should be on-lead to prevent him killing chickens, or off-lead, to allow it. The body count was two today, and I found it hard to find much sympathy for Rog, especially as he never carries cash* so couldn’t even offer to pay the poor owner - who apparently was lovely about it again, far more than we deserved.

*He hates big wallets, so I carry all the cash, even here, where cards are useless. I think he must be related to the late Queen.

He did manage to find the cash to purchase this hat at the camp-site though. Priorities!

Despite the chicken-killing, we had a lovely hour or so sitting outside the van drinking beer / wine & simmering tomatoes. Two home-built British vans arrived (one an ambulance and the other the rear of a Sainsbury’s delivery van strapped to a low-loader) - and we saw the most professional bit of parking ever, just a one-shot reverse to the perfect spot at high-ish speed, handbrake on and done. We had a good chat with the guys for an hour or so - they were great fun. Both professional lorry drivers of course, and they’d done a lot of supporting of the Paris-Dakar, hence the low-loader and its removable camper module.

They did tell us that the German 4x4 trans Africa guys call the French in their A classes “yoghurt pots.”

The pasta was good.

Dad is still in hospital and no news today.

 

[jongood]

I'm really not getting why you keep moaning about your heating but doing seemingly nothing to get it fixed. The Moroccan s are really good at fixing things, they keep machinery going that we would have scrapped years ago. Its a needs must thing so they re resourceful and creative. It's not going to get any warmer as you progress northwards.

2 trips ago the waterpump on our Fiat based Arto packed up, we limped onto a filling station forecourt outside a minor town, the short story is that they sourced and replaced the pump and belts ( not readily available at that time) within 24 hours and we were on our way. The pump was still on when we sold it 4 years and many thousands of km later.

Ps, enjoying the photos, nice composition and colourful.

 

[Jane And Rog]

I’m not sure we’re moaning about the heating
A couple reasons for not getting the webasto fixed locally: I’ve been speaking to webasto and their opinion is it’s not a fault in the unit itself (no error code) and the most likely problem is a faulty temp sensor. Further investigation needs their diagnosis software. Of course they would say that but it sounds reasonable (no error code etc.)
I didn’t think the temp sensor would be easy to source here so decided to wait. I might try and remove it from the circuit myself but the little fan heater is actually a fine solution.

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