Updates from the 11th sep - Dan
Quite a day. After a marvelous breakfast of crepes i headed to Fez. The sun was out and the ride was fantastic through roads surrounded by fields of varing shades of burnt amber. Fez is the cultural capital and no sooner had i found secured parking for Shirley, i was haggling the price of a tour with a toothless old man with skin of leather. The tour was supposed to last two hors but became extended visit by visit to places he thought i should see. He was very good at knowing just where to stand for each photo and prompted me to get out my camera. His mixture of arabic, french, english and gummy made me smil as did his nature as he beguiled. We visted the sites of interest from the guide books and details not mentioned within them. The streets are a maze of closely knitted businesses and housing and they soon became quite a warren. Visitting a potters factory and tannery were interesting and smelly but as we settled into a shop in the bazaar the heavens openned and a magnificent storm began. Apparently Moroccans believe the rain to be lucky…it was for young salsa sophie who asked me to bring her a presnt back since as the rain came down our bazaar refuge became a haggle to pass time and get her gift. The city became frantic and the excited chatter was lovely. We left and found out why. The streets had become deluged torents of churning brown ankle deep water. A fault of building on steep inclines and poor drainage, mostly because they traditionally have little rain here.
I thought the ride to Moulay Idress and my hotel was going to be wet but i was in for quite a shock as the roads were full of rush hour traffic, broken down cars but most noticably, water. It ranged from ankle to knee high and for around three or four miles to the outskirts of the city. The thunder and lightning was…quite naturally… Heading west as i was! The pink sky gradually became grey then black and the clouds formed Thors fist throwing amazing lightning bolts horizontally across it. The wash from the hills crossed the road in places carrying with it rubble which ranged from sand and bags to boulders as big as my hand. Then Shirleys lights failed and the fun began. The homicidal lorry drivers now were not only a nuisance but a tragedy waiting for their debut. At least every now and then the lightning shocked the earth into showing me a rought through the north foothills of the Atlas mountains. Wet through in trouser t shirt and trainers it was getting cold and…i was beginning to worry, just a little. I could always grab my tent and bivvy in a field but i guessed i was only 8km from the final turn and 15km from there would be my steak dinner. After an almighty bang under Shirley that nearly had me off…again…i saw the turn and in ten minutes saw the lights of Idress mountain village. My reception in the hotel was good, a round of applause from the staff as they knew my plans for the day and the storm raged around the panaramic restaurant. Dinner, a hot shower, and non alcoholic drinks for us in a cafe followed and, i decided, deserved. Tomorrow Shirley gets some TLC, then im having a rest!
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