2020 Europe – Spring in Morocco
On the Wave of a Pandemic
By the 28th February we had decided that we would spend at least a week in Morocco and the rest of the time in Spain
On the 8th November 2019 we booked with Brittany Ferries to cross over from Portsmouth to Bilbao on the 4th March with a return crossing from Roscoff to Plymouth on the 26th March. We were certainly going to spend some time in Spain and might venture into Morocco.
The itinerary was Albarracin, Valencia, Tarifa then across to Morroco visit Chefchouen, three nights in a hotel in Fes and then up into the Atlas mountains for two or three days before making our way back into Spain visiting an area called the Gata, Salamanca and Valladolid returning home on the 26th from Roscoff.
In mid December 2019 Dr Li in the Wuhan province of China discusses his concern about a new flu virus he has identified. He was reprimanded by the state for spreading false rumours.
On December 31 2019 the Chinese authorities alerted the World Health Organization of an outbreak of a novel strain of corona virus causing severe illness, which was subsequently named SARS-CoV-2. Its origins were suspected to be a sea food market in the Wuhan province of China and the city was put into lockdown
The disease spreads around the world through people travelling from Wuhan Province.
On the 5th February a cruise ship was quarantined in Japan because of an outbreak of COVID -19 on board.
February 7th Dr Li dies in China from COVID-19
By February 20, 2020, nearly 167,500 COVID-19 cases have been documented, although many more mild cases have likely gone undiagnosed. The virus had killed over 6,600 people.
On February 20th, a 38 year old man checked himself into a local hospital in the town of Codogno in Lombardy. He tested positive with the virus, becoming the first recorded patient with the COVID-19 virus in Italy. The virus spread rapidly in Italy and by the 4th March advice was against travel to parts of Asia and Italy.
It is announced on 24th February that Italy is the worst hit European country as cases there spike but now all European countries have confirmed cases.
In view of the need for social distancing we changed our ferry ticket to change to a larger outside cabin on the ferry. The reasoning was that once we were in Spain we would be travelling alone and avoid any risk.
Little did we know……………….
Wednesday 4th March – Home to Portsmouth
The weather was rainy and grey when we left home at 5.45. We had a good journey to Portsmouth despite the continuous rain and were one of the last vehicles to get on the boat which sailed around 12.15.
We’re so pleased we upgraded to an outside cabin which, being 4 berth, is roomy we both get a bottom bunk. Although the view is obstructed a bit a grey murky view of the sea is clearly visible.
We settled into a routine of hand washing and use of cleansing fluid which was to last with us all holiday.
We relaxed for a time in cabin then went to the back bar where a Scottish guy was playing some ok music and had a coffee and beer. We decided, against our better judgement, that because of a lack of hot food options we would go to the restaurant which was fine, there were just the other people.
Thursday 5th March – Portsmouth to Bilbao
We slept well and relaxed before going on deck and watching the approaching Spanish coast. We docked early and we’re soon off the boat driving south on the autopista from Bilbao, turning south a Tudella across the foothills of the Moncayo Mountain range to rejoin the road south to Valencia.
Just before we reached Teruel we turned west and wound our way up in the hills to the village of Albarracin where just before dark and in hail we found the camp site and a plot and sorted ourselves making use of the run on van heater to keep us warm.
Having got set up and with the night cold but dry we walked down into Albarracin a recently renovated fortified medieval town built on the hillside. The tourist office was still open so we equipped ourselves with a map.
We wandered around for a bit before having the set menu in an up market restaurant Senorio de Albaraccin that gradually filled up as the evening progressed. A pleasant meal and a pleasant ambience. It was very cold and windy with hail in the air as we walked back up to the campsite, so we were soon into our snug bed.
Friday 6th March – Albarracin to Valencia
There was snow in the air when we woke up and windy.
We made our back into the town and followed the narrow up and down streets and alleys of the town which are so well preserved and clean! We had a coffee to warm us up before visiting a local grocers for some food for lunch.
Back at the camp site we quickly packed up and around 11am and headed to Teruel passing a parking lot for aeroplanes !
The Mudejar towers stood out on the skyline as we approach Teruel.
We parked near the station and the sky cleared and the sun came out but it was still cold. We climbed up to a viaduct that linked the old and new towns and made our way into the old town.
We visited the cathedral, which had a fabulous artesonado ceiling crafted with geometric Islamic motives and medieval paintings of courtly life.
The associated Museum of Sacred Art had mostly parts of triptychs with a few whole ones. There were also some interesting wood carvings of Jesus on the Cross by Calvario. There were also had good views of the town and the towers.
A quick glimpse of the Roman aqueduct before sheltering in some mediaeval arches of the City walls from a blizzard of hail and snow.
As the weather cleared we ducked into a coffee shop where we ate our sandwiches under the guise of drinking a coffee.
Back to the van we left the town and joined the road south to Valencia.
The drive down to Valencia across the high plateau was amazing with heavy snow showers blowing across the Autovia. The temperature was around freezing but as we descended towards the low flat plain of Valencia they rose into the high teens. By the time we were at the campsite just south of Valencia the temperature was 18 degrees.
We set up camp in a very crowded campsite. After a five minute walk to the straight windy beach we decided to cycle to the next village for food.
Janet discovered that her bike tyre was punctured and following an abortive attempt to mend it we drove back into the city to a bike shop. Whilst they fixed it we did a food shop and then returned to the site for a late tea.
Our proximity to the coast road meant that we would not be able to sleep upstairs because of the road noise !
Saturday 7th March – Valencia
We awoke late to a sunny cool morning. We had to rush to cycle into the city for our booked free walking tour in English with our guide Marcella at 10am.
The cycle route, initially along the coast, was all off road up through the valley of the River Turia which had been canalised, diverted to the east and laid out like a park until we turned into the old City and locked the bikes up just off the main square Plaza Del Ayuntamiento.
We met up with Marcella and twenty others to be taken around the diverse old quarter of the city. We seemed to be the only English speaking couple as everyone else had English as their second language.
We started in the Plaza Del Ayuntamiento where fireworks were being laid out for the Las Fallas de St Jose, an annual festival.
It lasts from the 1st March to the 19th with fireworks going off every afternoon. From the 12th March, each district of the city made large satirical models out of wood which they erect in their public spaces.
In the Plaza there was a huge wooden/cardboard caricature of a lady in a yoga position beginning to be erected. On the nineteenth all these models are burnt finishing off with the main one in the Plaza. The festival originates from when the carpenters of Valencia cleaned out all their old woodcuttings after the winter and burnt it !
We visited the rather sanitised big food market housed in the Gaudiesque Mercado Central before walking around the Lonja de la Seda or Silk Exchange with its amazing stone gargoyles and amusing small figures with their risqué and unruly postures.
The back streets and small squares comprise an eclectic mix of 18th century Gothic and Baroque buildings. Some of the public buildings, such as the Palau de la Generalitat, were decorated with panels of crochet made by the local communities of the City.
The bat is the symbol of the City and Valencia Football Club as it was the bats from the marches that devoured the mosquitos and saved the city from invasion.
We walked as far as the Porta de Serrans a monumental gateway once part of the City wall.
We then wove our way through to the cathedral square where bands were gathering and some playing. Apparently as the Fallas gathered place bands were on the streets playing 24/7.
We were led briefly through the cathedral where a baptism was taking place and finally had a group photo in the Rotunda. It was good fun and gave us a feel for the city.
Now on the chilly side we went and had some lovely hot tapas in a recommended bar Taberna la Sénia before walking back to the Plaza.
We couldn’t get into the Plaza a huge crowd blocked the road and the afternoon fireworks display was in full swing. Concious of the COVID 19 situation we were a bit taken back by the crush of a large crowd and when the display was over quickly crossed the Plaza for the sanctuary of Valencia’s main railway station.
A quieter art deco building.
Wandering back through the Plaza to our bikes we were amazed by the amount of litter left behind that was mainly one euro beer cans being assiduously cleaned away.
Presumably this happened every afternoon, not very sustainable !
We collected our bikes and, after removing litter from the bag on the handlebars, we started cycling back.
On the way we spent time in the gardens sampling some of the strawberries we had bought in the market.
We lingered in the Arts and Science Park for atime looking at the modern 21st century buildings . All surrounded by water near the docks the Puente Mirador, L’ Hemispheric, Palacio de las Artes, Museo de las Ciencias and Parque Oceanograficio, were modern and exciting architecturally.
We had got within 500 metres of the camp site when Janet’s bicycle tyre blew. We had realised that a wrong inner tube had been fitted but hoped it would last!
Feeling frustrated we walked half a kilometre to the next village to get some beer and lo and behold there was a cycle rental shop which did repairs! Janet rushed back and got her bike and in 10 minutes it was all properly repaired!
Graham had by this time got his bike and together we cycled south to the edge of the lake, where lots of people were gathered to watch the sunset over the hills. It was lovely as there were so many people doing the same thing.
We returned for yet another late evening meal before settling down for a good night’s sleep.
Sunday 8th March – Valencia to Jimena
The day started sunny and warm. We had a gentle start before travelling west on autovias to Albacete then southwest on twisty and in some cases unfinished roads climbing through gorges towards Ubeda.
We stopped just north of the Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Cortes where we had lunch by the fourth stage of the calvary that led in its twelve stages up to the sanctuary. As we travelled on we saw the ruins of the Castle of Alcaraz on the hillside above the town.
We arrived at camping El Cantonet just south of Jimena high in the Sierra Magina around four. What a contrast to the coast.
We did a short walking circuit admiring the shadowing mountains around us before the full moon rose above the hills to the north.
We had a good night rest despite dogs, chickens and geese that started welcoming the dawn from around 5am.
Monday 9th March – Jimena to Tarifa
Italy announces lock down of the country to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
We arose to a warm sunny day. We realised that we needed a paper copy of our ferry tickets from Tarifa to Tanger and we only had electronic copies. With the help of Google Translate we managed to get the camp site owner to print out a copy of our ferry tickets and to celebrate we had toast with fresh tomatoes and oil with coffee in the site bar.
We filled up with fresh water which in hindsight was not a good idea and it was stored in plastic and. had an unpleasant flavour.
From Jimena we headed west to Jaen and then over the olive covered hills to Lucena before joining the Autovia and driving nonstop on the auto route to Algeciras.
We passed lots of familiar places, Malaga, Marbella and Estapona that we had got to know while visiting both Martin and Jeff over the years. Traffic was slow through Algeciras and we were relieved we weren’t catching the ferry from there tomorrow!
We passed by Tarifa and made our way to Camping Paloma our site for the night.
Once settled in we walked to the beach which was over the huge sand dunes to the north west of Tarifa bay.
Graham swam, and we both read before wandering over the sand dunes back to the site.
In the evening we cycled east along the main road to Zero 9, a sports bar, which provided us a simple meal. We decided to investigate leaving the bikes at the camp site while we went to Morocco.
We realise to our dismay that we had left behind our rubber floor mat at the El Cantonet campsite!
Tuesday 10th March – Tarifa to Akchour
Morocco reports its first COVID-19 death. Valencia is adamant the Fallas festival will proceed
With the help of Google Translate again, we agreed to leave the bikes at the back of some buildings rather than take them to Morocco. We left the camp site in warm sunshine and went to Tarifa Port an hour and a half early as required.
We found much less time was needed and few people were there. It did however give us time to look at the town and port and fill in the corona virus declaration form. This was the first sign that COVID 19 was starting to be taken seriously.
There were few cars on the boat and only about a hundred people all of whom, including us, had their temperatures taken before boarding.
As soon as we embarked we queued to have our passports stamped by the Moroccan customs before sitting on deck enjoying the hour long crossing to Tanger.
Getting through customs with the vehicle was stringent but apart from being asked if we had any drones or pistols and looking curiously at our fire bowl we got on our way easier than others did.
We stopped to get some Dirhams from an ATM but were soon out of Tanger and acclimatising ourselves to the roads and the amount of people around.
We stopped briefly in Tetouan and wandered around the town getting used to neighbourhoods, shops, smells and people.
We continued south to just north of Chefchaouen where we turned east into the mountains to a gorge at Akchour which is establishing itself as a tourist spot.
The campsite we were seeking turned out to be a parking area with dirty flooded toilets which was what you got for paying a 60DH camping fee !
We found a flat spot and walked up the gorge where different coloured plastic tables and chairs littered the river side with small Kiosks selling drinks.
In a bizarre way it was attractive as people were using them and enjoying the scenery. It felt what it was, a different environment more akin to the teahouse strewn valleys of Nepal.
We clambered up out of the gorge to the top of a ridge where a young man offered to take us up to God’s Bridge one of the sites of the gorge. We declined and made our way back to the van and ate supper as the sun gradually left the hills around us.
Wednesday 11th March – Akchour to Fes
The World Health Organisation declare COVID-19 a Global Pandemic
The sun did not rise before we left the campsite and it was cool. It rose as we made out way down from the hills to the main road.
We arrived early in Chefchaouen not sure what the time was. We had left Akchour before anyone was moving about and shops and restaurants started opening so we wondered if Moroccan time was the same as UK time.
We parked easily down below the old town and, with directions from some schoolchildren, made our way through the very chilled out Medina to the gateway to the mountain
It was sunny and getting warmer.
Chefchouen famed for its blue buildings did not fail but equally did not reflect the feeling of Morocco we had experienced when new stopped at Tetouan the day before.
Chefchuouen modern town with a conserved historic medina all very tidy, clean and very attractive.
We stopped in a café overlooking the Kasbah and had an orange juice. We found the toilets were well equipped with places to wash hands and signs were up about COVID-19 as they had been on the ferry. We established that time was European timeit was just that the days started late.
As we drove out of town around 11am we sussed out the pleasant and busy Camping Municipal Site locate on the hill above the town.
Our journey south took us through the wooded hills onto the undulating plain before we spotted the golden mountains and blue reservoirs north of Fez.
Driving into Fes was not too difficult and we soon found the guarded car park recommended by our hotel. Relying upon Google map directions we grabbed our baggage went off to find our hotel plunging immediately into the huge medina.
Not a good idea ! Like all Medinas there were lots of people in the narrow alleys and street names were difficult to read. Asking did not seem to help until one helpful shopkeeper suggested that the street we were looking for, Derb el Miter occurred in two parts of the Medina !
Frustrated we stopped for an orange juice back near the Blue gate we got on to the internet. Feeling more confident weagain plunged back down into the Medina. After twenty minutes we seemed no nearer and eventually we agreed for a guy to guide us, for an aggressively demanded tip, in a haphazard way back to the area we had started in, near the parking, and eventually the Riad el Ansari.
Feeling rather tense we were greeted warmly and given mint tea and cakes while we registered. It was a wonderful hotel. We were taken to our suite the Burgundy Suite which was spacious and lovely with access to an internal balcony or by going downstairs and up again to the roof terrace.
What a contrast from the previous night’s car park with no facilities but mountain views. Not being able to face the Medina again we opted for a meal in the hotel and the enjoyment of our facilities and advance booking of a guide for the morning !
Thursday 12th March – Fes
Valencia cancels the Fallas Festival along with all public events in Spain.
Laila was our guide and delightful.
She first took us on the hill below the Merinides tombs and gave an overview of ‘her city’ pointing out landmarks.
We then walked down into the local’s food market where all the women were buying their fresh daily produce for the day. She encouraged us to look at the ordinary doors. Many were a small door within a large door with different knockers.
She explained that this was so women could just open the small door which had a softer knocker sound and keep their privacy whilst allowing men and other visitors to use the louder knocker on the larger door.
Also different hinges showed who lived in the house. If it was a five fingered hinge it was Muslim, three fingers and it was Jewish and one was a business.
Next was a visit to the Chouara Tanneries. Here a local guide explained the process of first soaking the hides in lime/pigeon poo, salt and vinegar for fifteen days, before washing them well. They were then soaked in one of the natural dyes for two days before being dried in the sun for a further five days.
The leather was then either used in the factories on site or sold on. On site and in the surrounding streets leather goods were made and sold in outlets one of which we were taken to.
We were not being interested in buying but usefully learnt that if you wanted to test if something was proper leather you held a lighter against it and it didn’t burn. aeila then took us to another artisan and we saw some engraving.
Next to see was the Al Kairaouine Mosque complex which housed the most ancient university in the City set up in 800 AD by a wealthy woman from Tunisia called Fatima. . It was the centre of learning in the known world for many centuries and was critical to the growth of the City. It was closed to non Muslims
We then visited the mausoleum of Moulay Idriss II. Moulay Idriss I was the cult leader of the Moroccans in 700 AD and was poisoned. His son Moulay Idriss II was brought by his mother to the valley of Fes as a baby where she was watched over by Berbers living in the valley. She lived close to where Fatima established the Mosque of Al Kairaouine.
The Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss II was another building we could view from outside. In the streets around this area there were low wooden barriers you had to duck under to ensure you approached the Mosque and Mausoleum with your head bowed.
On our initiative we got Laila to take us to a carpet shop which was a typical old house with balconies filled with carpets. The shopkeeper told us all about the Arabic and Berber carpets and then showed us different sort. We eventually bought a very expensive saffron-coloured Berber carpet with lots of symbols on it, which was duly sent to our hotel.
Laila was still with us and next took us to a weaving shop before going back to our hotel. It was super having her and I think she enjoyed being with us.
We spent time recovering, Janet on the terrace and Graham in the room before wandering up to the Blue Gate and through the Gardens between the old town and the new town. Here the sun was hot something we had not noticed in the shade of the Medina.
We walked up to where we had been with Laila in the morning before finding the restaurant Chez Hakim to eat a Kafta tagine with eggs and Couscous Royal on a terrace above the busy streets.
We arrived back at the hotel to find that because of COVID 19 the border had been closed between the Spain and Morocco which spooked us. Ahmad the hotel manager assures us that Cueta border is open as he has guests arriving
Friday 13th March – Fes
Ferry Company advises us that maritime borders between Morocco and Spain are closed and ferries have been cancelled indefinitely.
After a leisurely breakfast we wander out in the warm sun.
We walked around the walls down to the river exploring some small alleys to the east before entering the old city by the tanneries.
We then stumbled across the Medressa Cherratiene, a part of the old university founded by Moulay Idriss II. It has a lovely fountain courtyard surrounded on the next two storeys by small rooms fot those attending the university to stay in. We had great fun opening doors and exploring cell like rooms with their small wooden latticed windows giving glimpses of the internal courtyard and the surrounding green tiled roofscape.
As it was Friday the Medina was much quieter and we had space to explore the souks off the main streets. We found one not quite open in which we purchased some soap dishes.
We then met up with the shop keeper who had given us directions on Wednesday afternoon. Grateful for his help then we were persuaded to buy a small Berber camel hair rug from. It will be a good replacement for the rubber mat left behind at El Cantonet.
As we wandered on we got into a conversation with a herb/spice seller. He gave us a lovely explanation/taste/smell of all the Moroccan herbs and spices and we came away with some Berber tea, saffron and a spice Raz al Haroun. He advised us to visit the Musée Nejjarine des Arts et Métiers du Bois nearby.
We plunged back into the Medina to find the museum which was in a stunning building laid out with many fascinating exhibits. Some curious some bizarre.
After a relaxing orange juice at our Wednesday afternoon café by the Blue Gate we returned to the hotel to discover that Morocco had closed the maritime border at Tanger. We were devastated and upset at the thought of not being able to return on the day planned.
To take our mind off it we went to the Medersa Bou Inania reputed to be the most beautiful building in Fes. But we felt we had seen better.
Opposite the Medresa was the famous Water Clock built into a clock house Dar el Magana by the Arabic astronomer Abou ‘l-Hassan Ali in 1357.
Metal balls were released from twelve little doors into brass bowls on the lower beams to signal the hours. The rafters on the top level originally supported a small roof, now gone.
We walked up onto the hill and watched the sun set from the tombs and ate in the Hidden Garden restaurant, which was a nice place but filled with European tourists and pricey (A bit like the Hidden Hut, what is it about the word hidden that makes things so pretentious).
We returned to our room to hear more news on what was happening COVID19 wise and to have a poor night’s sleep. We slept really badly and everything was getting totally out of perspective !
That’s Friday the 13th for you.
Saturday 14th March – Fes to Tattiouine
Spain declares a state of emergency and restricts non-essential travel and Morocco close air and maritime borders.
We decided to continue as planned and contact the embassy in Rabat when it was open again on Monday.
We wandered through the Medina to get some money from the ATM. It was warm and sunny and we had the journey to the mountains ahead of us.
As we settled up with the hotel it was good to hear that the sea border was open through Ceuta. Phew !
Leaving the city we stocked up at a big European style supermarket with enough food to get us through five days of travelling non-stop if necessary.
We then headed south stopping for lunch in the ski area south of Ifrane on a high rolling plateau.
Here remnants of snow could still be seen lying on the hills.
South again we passed through the Middle Atlas and down onto the yellow desert plain to the mountains and to Midelt which had the feeling of a frontier town. The landscape was huge the High Atlas like a mountain wall ahead of us. We were reminded of the Patagonian area of Argentina.
From Midelt we carefully followed the clear signs to the Gite Rural at Tattiouine fifteen kilometres away. The road to our surprise descended across a river valley before climbing up toward the small settlement of concrete and sandstone flat roofed houses surrounding a Minaret.
On arrival we were greeted and shown around a basic three bed roomed rural dwelling by Cherrif and his daughter Hanu and her son Zachariah (Otter’s age). They invited us into their home and gave us sweet mint tea, honey and bread and with our struggling attempts to communicate in French we established we would use the toilet and shower in the Gite and sleep in the van.
It was a humbling experience. We were welcomed into their home and their living space where a small iron wood burning stove boiled a kettle and kept us warm. There were couches around two walls and on the fourth wall opposite the stove was a small cupboard with a TV on top. Zachariah’s soft toy was a jumper tied in knots which he played with like a doll or a teddy bear.
They clearly expected us to have meals with them so we settled down and watched various TV programmes in French and Arabic which was fascinating. As the sun went down and it started to rain the room became very cosy.
A trip to the loo in the Gite ended up in tragedy for Graham. He slipped on the wet concrete floor and fell heavily on his left leg badly straining his ankle and was in a lot of pain, not good!
Dinner was a chicken tagine that we all shared (plus Hanu’s partner who had arrived back from work in Midelt). We ate with flat bread each tearing off a piece or if we were slow in taking some having a piece torn off and given to us.
Luckily Graham had read a blog shortly before we came here and knew to just eat from the edge of the bowl of food facing you working from the outside to the middle where the chicken was buried under vegetables carrots, potatoes and peas. This was followed by oranges, tea and nuts, it was lovely to be part of the family. We retreated to the van in the rain, with a now hobbling Graham, and received a phone call from Kirstien which was nice.
Sunday 15th March – Tattiouine
We slept well, with a gentle wind and a little rain overnight it was nice to be back in the van. We had a breakfast with Cherif of bread, honey, jam and oil washed down with mint tea. He gave us directions for getting up into the mountain driving up into the mountains.
Getting there was not straight forward. Once out of the village the track deteriorated into a stony piste.
Crossing the main river valley it disappeared and we had several attempts at finding the right route through. The track leading up to the ridge diverged from the track leading to the famous Cirque de Joffar which led out of the valley and over the Col to the south.
Janet examined the way ahead and the track leading to the Col was too rough for the van.
We made our way to the top of the ridge with stunning views over the snowy mountains and Graham settled down to enjoy the view and watch the shepherds and goatherd moving out from their encampment taking their flocks out over the mountainside below us.
Janet wandered her way up a track that was being widened to a view before the path descended and starting climbing up to the Col and the snow covered Mount Mitkane 3737m on the Jbel Ayachi ridge.
Graham wandered up and down the track watching the birds and exploring the flowers and bugs taking it slowly and resting often.
We got back together at the van and had some lunch before spending a chilled afternoon as the sun slowly disappeared behind the gathering clouds and it started to rain. When the rain got steady we headed back to Tattiouine.
Unfortunately our host was obviously expecting us for lunch so at 5.30 we were eating a tasty reheated egg dish with salad and cold chips. The hot water immersionheater had been put on for us to have a shower unfortunately the hot water in the kitchen did not reach the shower so we carried buckets of hot water and poured it over ourselves.
Luckily we could warm up in the van before we were asked over to join the family for another meal and dose of Moroccan TV in Arabic. It”s subject was focusing on the Covid 19 and the closing of the Moroccan airports etc. Scary as we were just getting the story from the pictures.
It was nice having Hanoi, Cherif’s wife there. She with great vigour massaged Graham’s foot, found the problem spot and put a coin on it to put pressure on it before bandaging it up with the help of Hanu’s husband. Graham found the bandaged foot far better to take his weight.
After a shared meal we returned to the van and slept well.
Tomorrow was to be our Race Across the World !!.
Monday 16th March – Tattiouine to Tarifa 400 miles
France restricts movement of citizens and close borders to non-EU states.
En route to the border speak to UK embassy in Rabat who advise us that there are no flights from Morocco after 6pm tonight and to follow Foreign Office advice. They don’t know if the border is closed at Cueta.
Speak to FRS who are selling tickets for ferries from Cueta to Algeciras but don’t know if the border is open at Cueta.
Brittany Ferries cancel crossings from all ports except Caen.
Book a return crossing from Caen on the 19th giving us time to reduce our rate of travel
It was a very cold night and a lot more snow on the mountains. We had breakfast with Cherif and his wife and paid for two nights and received a round loaf of flat bread. We gave him copies of our passports so he could hand them in at the police station.
We dropped him off in Medelt and drove towards Azrou through, rain, thick fog, cloud and sun and the cedar forests and hills . As we drove through the fog around Azrou road signs cautioned against monkeys on the road, an unusual hazard !!
We emerged from the fog just before Meknes, where we joined the auto route all the way up the west coast past Tanger to Ceuta the Spanish enclave in Morocco. En route we saw lots of storks and in the lagoons south of Tanger flamingoes.
Just before we arrived at the Spanish border we passed through the Port Tanger Med a huge new container port which dominated the coast. From here to Cueta involved a very steep climb up through the mountains descending equally steeply on the other side. We used up most of our remaining Dirhams filling up with petrol.
We approached Ceuta with trepidation as we were unsure whether it would still be open. We soon established it was but only if we had a valid ticket for the ferry to Algerciras. We only had tickets from Tanger and were sent back to Fnideq the nearest Moroccan town to find the ferry agent and buy a new ticket, as we were purchasing it other European motorhome owners joined us.
We could only but a ticket in cash and we had spent it all so Janet shot off to the nearest ATM whilst Graham obtained a ticket on the last ferry out that night at 8.30pm.
Having secured a ticket for the ferry we went slowly through customs to the port where we waited on the Quay. Here a loud speaker continuously warning people in Spanish, Arabic, German, French and English to return to their homes because of the COVID-19 emergency . The ferry departed on time, it was by no means full but we secreted ourselves in a nook on the top deck and kept away from others.
Algeciras was spooky with nobody about. We were quickly at La Paloma campsite which we knew had been closed. We continued up the road and camped in an empty car park surrounded by pine trees and the dunes , what a relief to be in Europe. We celebrated by having granola, yoghurt, hot chocolate/mint tea and slept well.
Tuesday 17th March – Tarifa to Aire d’ Urrugne 715 miles
Spain closes all land borders. Brittany ferries cancel Caen ferry crossings. Not clear if the French /Spanish border will be open as France is limiting travel.
Calais here we come
We awoke to a cool cloudy day. Janet wandered off to look at the dunes and was reprimanded by a Spaniard driving past and told to go indoors.
We had prepared to abandon the bikes if the campsite was impregnable but luckily the campsite had workmen in it, including Janet’s angry Spaniard, so we quickly retrieved our bikes and travelled north.
Our original plan had been to travel past Seville to an area called Gata a unique rural area south of Salamanca before spending a couple of days in Salamanca. We passed Seville admiring its skyline and drove up into the hills past Merida towards the Gata.
Snow was now very evident in the hills. When we got high up near Bejar we found a picnic area high on a pass called the Mirador del Embalse overlooking the land top the south.
There was snow in the undergrowth around us but the sun was bright and hot and we cooked a hot meal in the van which we ate with our Morrocan bread at a picnic table before heading on.
Up to then we had seen no people as the Spanish authorities were insisting people stayed inside as deaths had increased dramatically. We stopped nearby for some fuel and found cars in the garage covered in snow.
Our visit to Salamanca lasted two minutes rather than two days as we passed the city on the autovia. We similarly visited Valladolid and Burgos before it got too dark to see the landscape around us. We kept driving on filling up with fuel just before reaching the French border around 11pm.
We expected to have to answer lots of questions and justify our forward travel at the border , but we were amazed that there was not a hint of control we just drove straight across the border unchecked and made our way to the Aire d’Urrugne an overnight parking spot we had sussed out the previous year.!
We were soon parked up at the rest area and settled down for the night having used the spotless, clean, facilities with background music. Before sleeping we discovered that Brittany ferries had cancelled our ferry!
Wednesday 18th March – Aire d’Urrugne to Veryan 1030 miles
We were both awake at 4.30 am. We decided to head for home. As the sun rose across a misty Landes Janet drove well past Bordeaux while Graham spent time phoning Brittany Ferries to see if there was any room on any of their ferries. There was not.
We changed drivers and Janet managed to booked us onto a P&O ferry from Calais to Dover at 4.20pm with a flexible ticket. So we aimed for Calais and drove non-stop.
The roads in France were generally busier than Spain and it did not feel as shut down. We reached the port around 3.30pm and were soon on the ferry and heading for Dover. On board it felt a bit weird. Everyone was very quiet. Luckily they were serving food so we had fish and chips to sustain us for the further long journey.
Graham was tempted to kiss English soil as we got off the boat but his foot hurt too much. Instead we popped into Sainsbury’s in Folkestone to pick up some food. A silly idea. All the fresh produce shelves were empty as were many of the others. We were both really taken aback. Panic buying was happening on a big scale!
Graham drove the first stretch which was really busy and Janet drove from Honiton where we able to get some food from the garage. The last bit was rainy and misty eventually home was reached around midnight.
What an eventful shortened holiday the repercussions of which continued the next day with Graham going to St Austell Hospital for an X-rayed on his foot to discover it wasn’t a sprained ankle but a double fracture to his left leg, both tibia and fibula bones, just below the knee !
But we were home that was all that mattered and ready to self-isolate for seven days.
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