NORTHWARD BOUND

A milestone has been reached. We have turned northward. Our Southernmost point was Tan Tan Plage where we camped for one night. We were expecting it to be similar to Plage Blanc; windy, wild, no habitation and devoid of any amenities. Well, the windy wild and no amenities bit was correct but there is a substantial settlement there; a Moroccan seaside resort, with hotels, holiday apartments and the ubiquitous new build going up everywhere.

The only campsite appeared to be closed; so we joined all the other campers alongside the beach, where you could park for 10 dhiram (70p) a night. We didn’t think much to Tan Tan; nothing to laugh at at all. Actually that’s not quite true. We had a very happy interlude in one of the cafes on the beach. Bizarrely, stuck up under the television, was a large poster of the team Arsenal in their old yellow away strip. Those in the know will realise the effect it had on Pete. It turned out that the proprietor was a Thierry Henri/Barcelona fan.

Despite this we all enjoyed a chat about football and related topics; Pete commiserated with him that Thierry’s best years were with Arsenal and that he was now ‘over the hill’ at Barcelona. But you could see the proprietor didn’t believe him! The moment was recorded on film. It should be on this blog somewhere.

I don’t want to give a blow by blow account of the journey’s progress, but I think you would probably like to hear about the meeting with Hassan. We met him in Goulimine while shopping. We got talking and he told us that he had just started a campsite; literally within that week. His place was set on the edge of the oasis at Ait Bekkou, in the village of Tighmert. Okay, he was looking for customers; but he was so obviously a nice bloke that we said we would visit; as soon as we could drag ourselves away from our wild camping spot by the oued (river) Assaka. At this point I have to digress a little, to tell you about our favouritist spot in Morocco (so far).

After leaving Fort Bou Jerif we realised our desire to camp up by the side of the Assaka; just a sandy track off the road back to Goulimine, where a little bridge crosses over the narrow river. The shallow water flows over slabs of slate like rock at this point before falling down a small natural waterfall into a gorge on the other side of the road. All around are gently rounded hills of hard stony sand dotted with scrub of cactus, thorny bushes and the occasional Argane tree. Little yellow, pink and white flowers, lavender and thorny bushes covered all over with lilac/white flowers reminiscent of convulvulus. Clumps of rushes line the bank and, further up river are a few palm trees. On top of the first rise by the piste was a mud hut and, close by, several enclosures fenced with sharp pointed stones, enclosed what looked like graves; mounds of earth with more stones at head and feet. From below, where we were parked, you could see their jagged silhouette against the skyline.

At night we saw the sky; as we hadn’t since living at Clyn Coch; our smallholding in the hills above Carmarthen. Huge stars; the moon lighting up the landscape and turning the sand a ghostly white..The silence was so silent that, as Pete said, it almost hurt your ears. We were completely alone.

Except, that is, for the huge flock of goats that passed us, with their shepherds, at early light. Followed closely by an equally large flock of sheep with more shepherds. Then the women passed with all the donkeys; and, on the flat slabs of rock on the other side of the river, were the rock breakers. Three men had been delivered by lorry to the site and they busily quarried stones all day in the baking heat, filling up many tipper trucks (10 tonners) with stones; presumably for the miles and miles of excellent dry stone walling you see all over this part of Morocco. People were everywhere; cutting the rushes, walking the hills and tending the animals.

But it was the birds that were the highlight of our stop. Non twitchers can skip this bit but just to record we saw: Redshank, green sandpiper, little ringed plover, common sandpiper, shoveller duck, marbled duck, little grebe, moorhen, coot, redstart, crested lark, reed bunting, rough legged buzzard, rock bunting, willow warblers, chiff chaff, white wagtail, house martins, swallows, swifts; desert, black eared, mourning, white crowned, black and red rumped wheatears; black bellied sand grouse and, on our second visit, six black kites and one white stork sailing majestically Northwards.

More of the Assaka (only a little!) later. To return to Hassan. We followed the directions and found his place; albeit with his help after he chased us on his bike; seeing us go past his gate. Within his mud walled compound was a sandy garden and a flat parking area for vans, a newly built house and a Berber tent. There was one other camper there belonging to a French couple who were on their way back from a trip to Mali and Guinea -Bassau; another Pierre and Jacqueline! Very quiet and friendly; a combination you don’t often find among the many many French campers in Morocco. Also we met Katy and Ben from Bristol, who were desperately trying to avoid returning to Britain and, when we left there, were looking up cheap flights to India.

Hassan welcomed us into his home and, for two days, we were treated as family. We met his Mother, Sister and her two small daughters; and a variety of friends and neighbours The first night I cooked but, on the second night, Hassan’s Sister cooked an enormous, and derlicious, couscous and we all sat down together, Hassan, Pete and me, Katy and Ben, and Pierre et Jacqueline, in the Berber tent, and ate it; three nations together.

 

Despite the very rudimentary stage of Hassan’s campsite development, if his plans come to fruition, he will be ideally placed to provide a jumping off point to explore the huge palmery and surrounding hills; ideal, evidently, for trekking. By next year he assures us that there will be a proper toilet/shower block; so we will have to return! Anyway it was a great visit; we wandered round the palmery where orange mud walled compounds were dotted all about and made some new friends. Thanks Hassan, for making us so welcome. We’ll be back!

So, when we left Tan Tan plage where did we go? You’ve guessed it; the oued Assaka. The second visit was even better. This was the time we saw the six black kites circling overhead and diving down to drink; and the stork going North to breed. Late last Saturday night Pete called me out of Doris to listen to the children from the settlement singing as they walked the hills. Oh, did I not mention the settlement? When we walked up onto the first ridge we saw over the hill at least three settlements. Far from being alone this was a thriving rural thoroughfare; and a place where Moroccan families from Goulimine came for a nice Sunday stroll.

I’ll have to try to round this blog off before you all fall asleep. We are now back in Sidi Ifni, which we like, despite the amazing cacophony of noise from the dogs, cats and donkey, the Mullahs at prayer time and, last but definitely not least, the horn blowers in the early hours before dawn; When I awoke to this I thought that there must have been, at least, a major accident down the road; but no; Just Moroccans letting off a bit of steam!

And another thing; (nearly finished) one of the other main things we like about Morocco is . . no SUPERMARKETS; or very few anyway. Shopping is fun again. We go to the grocer, the butcher, the greengrocer, the draper, the tobacconist etc. etc. And everywhere unfailing courtesy and good humour. What more could a customer ask?

Finally, for now, I’d just like to say, thanks to Rory for sorting out the technical bits of this blog. All I’ve done is send him the copy and the pics and he’s put it all together. And very ‘tidy’ it is with him. Speak to you all next time and thanks for staying awake. . If you’ve made it this far.

There goes that donkey again; and the dogs have joined in too!