Africa, Morocco, Tangiers, Rabat, Fez and now Casablancha

eThe continent of Africa.

Morocco the town of Tangiers.

Hans, Stephanus, Mariana and Elisme had their first view of Morocco the town of Tangiers, threw the window of a luxuries Ferry.

A fascinating picture.

Through the window of the Ferry Africa, Morroco

Forest Cumb said, “My mum use to say you, life is like a box of chocolates you never know what you’re going to get”

Did she know AFRICA?

Coen and Shanhaze came 2 day before us to Tangier. They were so kind to meet us on the Port.” I wonder did they know about our luggage’. Hans was constantly reminding us, about carrying your own luggage. “Please don’t buy any stuff.” Needless to say Elisme didn’t listen

Shanhaze negotiated a could price for a taxi to take our luggage. Hans and Shanhaze went off to the hotel  with the taxi. Coen walked with Mariana,

Stephanus and the rest of us, at immegration on the Ferry.

 Elisme and Stephanus. On root we pasted the old market. Suddenly we realise this is a different continent from Europe, but we’re children of Africa. We love our continent

Our group was now together, the only things that was missing and had not arrived from Cape Town was our vehicles.

Hans, Stephanus and Coen were as they say “back to the drawing board”. After all the organizing from SA to get the Vehicles here, with the shipping company, contact person a Glen in Cape Town. Seems the company and Glen disappeared.

Hans Coen and Stephanus made their own arrangements to try and establish where our vehicle are. They managed to get “new” connections. There was no way to get our vehicles in Tangiers. The ship is still on its way to Tangiers and from there they will go to Casablanca.

Rabat the capital of Morocco our next stop.

Coen and Shanhaze is fluent in French, thanks for that. Coen work at the SA embassy, a time ago. They got an appointment with the Ambassador.

Stephanus, Hans and Coen visiting the SA Ambassador

Letter in hand from the SA embassy, they went off to apply for our visas. Mauritania, Mali and Cameroon were the first 3 countries we applied for.

Mariana, Shanhaze and Elisme went of exploring Tangiers. The view over the sea didn’t disappoint us. A lot of history lies in Tangiers.

Street Cafe’s are all along the street, men are sitting there sipping espresso and a glass of water. They are all facing the street, watching the world go by all day

Three Girls arriving in Tangiers.

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The Gates of the Old Madina in Tangiers, was welcoming us. This was a different world, very Narrow Street, cars, bicycles and does nkie carts riding, people are walking. The cars hooter is an instrument of communication; they use it all the time.

Everybody is trying to sell his own product, sometime just a table with his goods. The spices were spreading an exotic flavour as we got close. Olives in all the varieties you can think of, heaps of them

Gates of the Old Madina in Tangier

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The Tram was a new one for us girl, it was also brand new in Rabat. We thought this will be a nice way of exploring Rabat and were it. We saw everything from the old to the new. The walls of the old town were stretching around it for km.

Coen new of a 2 beautiful Restaurants. They were exotic. The interior was Moroccan. The food was traditional. We enjoyed the washing of our hands before the meal. Al though the dishes were stange to us, the taste was good. Most of their dishes are vegetarian dishes. They never put salt an pepper on a table

Beautiful restuarant in the Old Madina

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Coen,Hans and Stephanus managed to get our visas, with this in our hands we set of to Fez.

Hans  made contact with a good friend Dr Sulliman from the UK’s sister, who stay”s in Rabat. She invited us to come and stay with here. Once again al the luggage in hand, but this time we ordered a taxi, we set of to the station. By now we were experts on using trains.

Fatima met us on the station. I think she couldn’t believe her eye’s, 6 people and al this luggage

Fatima and her French friends with us having a SA braai.

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We were welcomed in their manchion of a house like “KING”. The family really went out of their way to treat us.

The boys offered to do a SA braai. Fatima invited some French colleaus to join us. This was a very pleasant and unforgettable evening. Around the table we were talking, French, Moroccan, English, Italian and Africans. Sometimes it was difficult to understand each other, but it was a very jolly group.

Fez is well known for the biggest Madina in Africa. People, work  and stay in this market. There are  beautiful mosque in the madina. We were told there are 9500 street, if this is true I don’t know.

Many of the street are only selly one product, there for you get a Shoe street, nougat street and cakes, leather street, a silver street. Street which .sells head scarfs

One of the shops in the street where they sell Head Scafs