Septembre 27, 2002 –
Tangier – Chefchaouen
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This morning, I decide to take time, to end the trip
very calmly. So I go to te bakery to find something to eat for breakfast and
then I reach a terrace to drink some coffee. Tangier seems to be the ideal
city in Morocco, the citizens are relaxed and take time to leave with no
hurry, like me they are at the café to talk and drink something.
Old canons facing Spanish coast!!! place des
paresseux I go back to the kasbah and then to the Dawliz
complex to have a tea on the terrace before leaving for Chefchaouen. The departure at the CTM station is delayed. As
always CTM buses are very comfortable but the drivers are like in other bus
companies, they hardly know the basis of driving on roads. I think that I have
my champion during this trip. Our driver is specialist to overtake in curbs
with no visibility and and the white
line in the middle of the road has no signification for him. In the bus I meet a French guy and a Moroccan lady
living in Paris. The discussion is very interesting and I don’t feel the time
passed when we arrived in Chefchaouen.
As soon as you get off the bus, you are surrounded
by the atmosphere of the place, locals come to you asking you if you need
something, in fact something to smoke. Chefchaouen is well known for its
cannabis cultivated in the mountains all around. For me, the only thing I am looking
for is a place to buy a bus ticket to go back to Casablanca tomorrow morning.
One guy will help me and I buy the ticket for the bus at 5:15am to be right
on time in Casablanca to visit the Hassan II Mosque. Then I am heading to downtown to find a room for the
night but at my huge surprise it seems that everything is sold out.
Chefchaouen is only a city of 7 000 inhabitants and it is nearly 3pm. All the
hotels mentioned in the Lonely Planet have no more room for me or just double
or triple ones. So I chane my mind and I find a new address not in the
guidebook but really beautiful at 20m from Uta El Hamam square. I meet the
boss a young guy for sure younger than me and he prposes me a double room for
the price of a single one. Thanks!! As I don’t have much time, I wander the streets of
this beautiful city. Like in Rabat in the kasbah, they are all in white and
blue and the effect is great.
Then I walk quickly to the Hotel Asmaa to see
Chefchaouen in its globality and of course because it is the sunset. I think
I found the perfect location to enjoy the event.
The evening begins with a good meal at the hotel and
then I am going to one of the numerous terraces of the square. I find one
mainly occupied by locals. That’s what I want, the perfect place to read,
write and to talk with some of them. The night will be short as I have to wake up early
to catch the morning bus at 5:15am in downtown. Main expenses of the day : Bus CTM Tangier – Chefchaouen: 35 DH + 5 DH for the
bag Pension Al Kasbah in Chefchaouen: 30 DH Drinks (water, soft drinks, tea…) + Lunch and evening
meal: 70 DH |
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Other travels (Syria,
Jordan, Egypt, USA...) (Hotels, Transportation
timetables…) D1 :
Luxembourg – Paris – Casablanca D4 :
Meknes – Volubilis – Meknes D9 :
Tinehrir – Ouarzazate – Marrakesh D13 :
Refuge – 4167m –Tizi Ouanoums D14 :
Tizi Ouanoums – Amsouzert D16 :
Azib Likemt – Tacheddirt D17 :
Tacheddirt – Imlil – Marrakesh D19 :
Essaouira – El Jadida – Tangier D22 :
Chefchaouen – Casablanca D23 :
Casablanca – Paris – Luxembourg |
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Last update : January
2003
Contact : pindavid@hotmail.com
