Why does one go to Avila, Spain? For the walls, of course.

Avila became a sort of no-man’s land in the wars between Christians and Moors. Around 1088, the Christians walled the town and those walls still stand in beautiful condition. It is a bit of an archetype of a walled city on a hill. The views are magnificent. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ávila)

We settled into the Area (municipal camping area), which had a great view of the city walls. Quite spectacular, and an easy walk (climb) into town. Here are views, up to the city and back down to the parking area. Medieval cities were always on hills to keep the tourists fit!

Avila’s cathedral is unusual in that its back wall is actually part of the city wall. (Seems like a really bad decision.) The choir has some amazing high relief carvings of episodes in the life of the Christ.

The cathedral was used as the interior and exterior of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the film “Kingdom of Heaven.” (https://catedralavila.es)

The next morning we drove to the overlook for a last view of the city.

From Avila it was a short drive to Tordesillas. Tordesillas is famous for a treaty between Spain and Portugal in which they basically divided the world between them. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tordesillas)

Panoramic view from around 1565. Note that Tordesillas is titled as “Tor de Sylla” – Tower of Sylla, from the Roman Turris Sillae, or Tower on the Hill of Siellas. May also refer to a tower erected by the Roman general Sulla (Siella), possibly a siege tower. Got all that? Everywhere you go, there is a lot of history. Enlarge the image – most of the buildings and features, including the bridge, are still in use.

Tordesillas is also home to a campground with a great restaurant. Our friends Ron and Ton had written about the asada and we had to try it: https://travelintiger.com/a-list-of-places-we-have-visited/countries-we-have-visited-in-europe/spain/castile/may-2-2025-tordesillas-sp

There is a little museum dedicated to the treaty, but its most interesting exhibits are a review of the evolution of European understanding of the world, as shown on ever more accurate maps.(https://www.tordesillas.net)

The big surprise in Tordesillas turned out to be a subterranean winery. (https://www.bodegamuelas.com) The town of Tordesillas sits on a network of interconnected, excavated caves and cellars, that date back to medieval times. Once you know where to look, you will see the air vents everywhere on the streets. The caves extend some 20 meters down. (Some of the connections, as to the drug store and the winery, have been blocked off for security.) Can’t find any mention of the caves being used during sieges, etc., but it seems logical. Today they are used mostly for storage, or as in the case of the Bodega Muelas, for winemaking.

The tour was one of the most comprehensive and informative winery tours we have ever taken. The caves were interesting, but our guide (possibly Reyes Muelas, the great granddaughter² of the founder) took us step by step through the process of assessing a wine. This did not make experts of us, but gave us a much better understanding of what we were seeing, smelling, and tasting. Lots of fun. And the wines were excellent – we bought several!

After visiting the winery, we stopped for a bite in the main square. There was a musical group performing and we, and the local kids, enjoyed the performance.

One of the main attractions of Tordesillas is the palace where Juana the Mad was confined. Sadly, this was closed, but we enjoyed a wander of the scenic streets. Juana was the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella, los Reyes Catholicos. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joanna_of_Castile)

We then headed some 280 km up the road to Logroño. We skipped Burgos because of the weather, so El Cid got to rest in a bit more peace.

In 2021, we hosted a visit from Carlos and Magy, some serious overlanders. They were finishing up a trip from South America and shipping their truck back to Spain via the port of Baltimore. (https://erg-adventure.com)

Carlos and Magy are just back from an epic trip through the Middle East as far as Afghanistan and India and were eager to host us. We were eager for the opportunity of some shade, so we settled into their garden. They were welcoming, generous, and gracious hosts and we had a wonderful time. Even taking advantage of their well to wash the truck – it really improved solar performance to get a few kilos of Moroccan dust off of the solar panels!

They whisked us off to the Castillo de Clavijo, the site where St. James is supposed to have appeared as Santiago Matamoros – St. James the Moor slayer.

The castle was under renovation and it was wild to see the huge crane towering over the site. They didn’t have that back in the day!

We then heading into town for a tapas crawl.

We visited San Vicente de la Sonisierra, starting with a wine tasting. The venue was a large commercial winery. It was fascinating to compare/contrast this visit with the Bodega Muelas, a tiny establishment in Tordesillas. (The Muelas wine was MUCH better.) The views of the surrounding countryside and the church/castle on the hill were great. And a lot greener than the south.

This area was on the border between Castile and Navarre and the local lords spent as much time raiding each other as they attacking the Moors. We visited the castle. As these are ALWAYS on the top of hills, the views were great.

We had a wonderful visit, and even adjusted to Spanish mealtimes! (Almost)

Carlos and Magy worked every morning, before it got too hot, getting their truck ready for their next trip – Spain to South Africa.

At the end of a wonderful visit, we drove north to catch the ferry from Bilbao to Portsmouth, UK. Our luck held, we had great weather and a smooth crossing of the notoriously rough Bay of Biscay.

From Granada we headed to Playa Mojacar. Rather than retrace our route past Baza, we decided to try the coast road. This proved to be a bit of a disappointment – few views of the sea and miles and miles of plastic greenhouses. This part of Spain produces the majority of Europe’s winter vegetables and these are grown under miles of plastic sheeting – so much plastic that it can be seen from space!

The campground near Playa Mojacar was very pleasant and we were able to find a site with shade. Playa Mojacar itself was our first exposure to the famous expat communities of Spain. We had heard of them, but it was still jolting to see half of the street signs in English. The air conditioner tech was wonderful, spending days trying to repair the air conditioner, but in the end, we needed a 110v compressor and they are not available in Europe. Bummer.

Over the weekend we headed up the coast to see if we might have better luck with the agency that represents our air conditioner brand in Spain. We spent the weekend at a pleasant beach resort up the coast, but learned Monday that they had no 110v compressors and that shipment from Asia would be slow. Double bummer! So we gave up and headed out to Segovia.

Scouring Park4Night for an overnight stop, we found an “Area” (municipal campground) in the little town of Castillo de Garcimuñoz. Little? Population 163 little. But it boasted a small castle with free camper parking. By the time night fell the lot was full and campers were overflowing into the tourist parking lot. The castle, which functions as an arts venue was, sadly, closed. First time we have camped  directly at a castle. Not your typical KOA!

The castle had morphed into a church and finally into a art venue, but, when built, it was the real deal, high up on a hill and right in the middle of the wars between Christians and Moors. We used some of our time to finish a puzzle.

Bypassing Madrid due to its size and the heat, we pressed on to Segovia. A Roman aqueduct, a Moorish alcazar, and a cathedral – what more could you ask? Well, we wanted a campground with a grocery store nearby. We got it, and our neighbors even loaned us a nifty shopping trolley to make it easier to get our groceries home. Nice.

We took at taxi to the Alcazar, at it was the highest and most distant point. The idea was then to walk back, downhill, through the city. The Alcazar in Segovia dates from the twelfth century and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.  Originally a Roman castra, it was rebuilt by the Berber Almoravids, then built in stone in the time of King Alfonso VIII in the 13th century. It was a royal residence and fortress and used for storing the Castilian Treasury.  Our visit was fun for the art, the views from the top, and the artillery school.(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcázar_of_Segovia).

We started our visit with a coffee and then the obligatory tourist shot at the entrance.

A long climb took us to the top of the tower and great views.

We then moved on to visit the rooms and galleries. They were full of interesting objects and art.

He was, however, opposed to the arrival of the new wave of Almoravids from Morocco, but only if it threatened his hold on Valencia. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Cid)

Alphonso X was known as “El Sabio” (The wise). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfonso_X_of_Castile) He was an accomplished musician and collector of music. Fred has a CD that contains some of his “Cantigas de Santa Maria.” (Did you know that when Moroccan kings put the image of the Virgin at the head of their armies they won?) (https://www.sequentia.org/recordings/recording09.html) But he was also a Castilian king and took the city of Cadiz from the Moors. Doing so, he also claimed the ocean for Christians. Note the detail on the right – while everyone is hailing the conquest of the sea, is that a Moor and a Jew weeping at the loss?

The Alcazar houses the Spanish Artillery School museum. Lots of exhibits about things that go “BOOM!”

The cathedral, built very late (mid 18th century), was not out of the ordinary, but it was wonderfully cool inside! (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segovia_Cathedral)

The Segovia Aqueduct is really neat, if only because it is big and built without mortar. But it also features a nifty filtering system and was used all the way into the 19th century. All in all, amazing, and a nice counterpoint to our visit to the Pont du Garde in France. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aqueduct_of_Segovia)

We ended our town visit with a typically monstrous Spanish lunch. The food, eaten outside in a pleasant plaza, a bit out of tourist central, was great and we had a nice chat with our neighbors at the next table – a British gentleman with a French wife. A French wife who has spent most of her life in England.

We finished the day with an easy taxi ride back to the campground.

After we left the Cordoba campground, we began to think about whether we would be able to visit Granada and the Alhambra or whether we were looking at high temperatures like Seville. We went first to Ubeda, which had the advantage of a free city campground and a certain amount of altitude. Ubeda is a UNESCO town with an interesting archeological museum and a large Carrefour supermarket. What more could you ask?

The next morning we unloaded the bicycles and set off for the Carrefour to go shopping during the cooler part of the day.

Shopping accomplished, we went looking for the museum. The route to the museum was through the old town and the streets were some of the narrowest we have ever seen.  Barely wide enough to bike through!  But we found the museum, in an old Moorish style house. (https://www.museosdeandalucia.es/web/museoarqueologicodeubeda)

One of the best parts of the visit was seeing (feeling?) the classic Roman/Moorish model of housing in action, four two storey sides around a large enclosed patio with plants. And the patio drew in an amazing, cool breeze.

The museum is small and low key, but one exhibit simply jumps out and grabs you with a direct link to the people of an ancient time.

This is a funerary stele or commemorative stone. There are lots of these around, usually of reasonably famous people or, as in Roman forts, those of soldiers. But this one is for a 25 year old slave woman. Who died in child birth. And it carries a poem, which, between abbreviations and gaps in the stone, says:

“Gemina, slave of Decio Publicio Subicio, aged 25, lies here, having died in childbirth. Gaius Aerarius had the marker put in place.

You would be my Fates if you carried me from where I am with the strength of a winter amethyst. If you loved me, take me from here to Tag …

May the earth be light upon you.”

Who puts up a stele for a slave and announces such love? Seems that while rare, it was certainly not unknown. And who was the father? Decio, the owner, or Gaius, who put up the marker? Probably the later. No idea where “Tag …” might be. Her homeland? a paradise? We will never know. But we do know that someone loved her very much and wished her easy repose. Here is an interesting link to a similar stele in Germany. Note that the “earth be light on you” phrase is common to Spain and to to other places. (https://dottietales.wordpress.com/2024/07/20/a-memorial-to-a-roman-slave/)

Finishing our visit, we then headed for a nice sidewalk cafe and enjoyed coffee and ice cream.

The next day we headed a bit further south to a fascinating place, Cuevas Andalucia.  (https://www.cuevasandalucia.es/es/vacation-home-rentals-unusual-ecolodges-responsible-andalusia-cave-house) Built around a series of artificial cave houses, this holiday rental has expanded into a campsite. It is run by a charming Belgian couple.

It wasn’t cool, but it did have a small pool and laundry. (No need for a dryer!) We might have booked a room to escape the heat, but they were full. We did have one rainstorm which really helped!

On our last night we joined everyone in a meal, typical of Andalucia, “Migas” or “crumbs”, prepared by a professional chef. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migas#:~:text=Migas%20(Spanish%20pronunciation:%20%5Bˈmi%C9%A3as,Mexican%20and%20Tex%2DMex%20cuisines.) A fun evening in a bewildering collection of languages! The day we were leaving our host suggested we call a friend of his who was an air-conditioning specialist in Playa Mojacar.  Perhaps he could do something with our broken air conditioner.  The temperature had dropped just enough that we felt we could manage one night in Granada so we could keep our reservation to see the Alhambra Palace.  We set up a visit to Mojacar to visit the air conditioning specialist in a couple of days and headed to Granada.

The campsite in Granada proved to be pleasant and even had a little shade. It was carved out of the parking lot of a restaurant and they were working to upgrade all of the facilities. The restaurant looked quite good, but it was closed. We settled in and then took a taxi into town. 

We had some time before our 7 PM appointment so we took a ride on the Little Train.  This gave us some feel for the town and an easy way to get up the considerable hill to the entrance. Granada is a big, modern town, but the Casco Viejo, the old town, featured classic architecture with narrow lanes and steep hills.

We stopped for some liquid refreshment (squeezed fresh orange juice, “zumo” and a  bottle of sparkling water) and then entered the Alhambra complex. The Alhambra was built very late in the Moorish era and was taken over and used by Fredinand and Isabella, the (im)famous “Catholic kings.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alhambra) It was here that Cristobal Colon received his commission to look for a new route to the Indies.

The Alhambra is huge and there are many different sites to visit. Trying to outmaneuver the crowds, we started in the gardens which were very beautiful. 

We then worked our way down past the church and the fortress to the main square and we were in the line for the 7 PM entry to the Nasrid Palaces at the right time. 

These ceiling paintings are rather odd. They date from the Muslim era, but were clearly done by Christian artists as most Muslims will not make a representation of any living thing. Also note the most of the clothing is more Christian than Muslim. They were done on sheepskin and attached to the wooden ceiling.

We have never been great fans of the “Reyes Catholicos” as, among other things, they launched the Inquisition against the Muslims and Jews in Spain. But in one area, they were way ahead of their time.

Although scholars debate the exact details (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanto_monta,_monta_tanto,_Isabel_como_Fernando) it appears that Ferdinand and Isabella held that what either said, held for the other. A huge step for women’s equality in an area where queens were often married for political purposes and then relegated to the nursery.

Because of our Morocco experiences and visits in Seville, we wondered if the Alhambra would live up to its hype. In the end, we were pleased – the Alhambra really was quite spectacular.  We recognized the Moorish origins but the admixture of Christian elements, creating what is called “mudejar” made it different. A great experience.

We were tired by the end of the visit and went to eat in the “tourist” restaurant across the road. (Recommended by Rick Steves. https://www.jardinesalberto.es/en/home/) They were busy, but found us a lovely table. Our waiter was a charming gentleman from the Dominican Republic, so much Caribbean banter ensued. We selected Nasrid dishes and they were very good.

We were then fortunate enough to find a taxi right outside to take us back to the campground.

“Eventful” is not a word that you ever want to use when describing part of an overland trip. Our drive from Sevilla to Cordoba was eventful. We stopped for fuel and discovered that we had a new air leak. We built up enough air to drive into the large lot behind the station and park. Fred went to the station to ask about the options for repair assistance. The short answer was “none” and less on the weekend. The answer was the same at the restaurant next door. Not good. An hour on the internet and phone get the same answers – it is the weekend, we don’t do trucks, call your insurance. Grr! This was not good. A friendly truck driver parked next to us confirmed that roadside repair was basically unavailable. He suggested that we needed an air line union, but he did not have one. Beginning to look like we might be stuck at Los Potros for a LONG time.

Just then a truck swung into the lot and blew his horn to greet two truckers who were parked on the other side of the lot. After he roared off, Fred wandered over to chat. He noticed that the two trucks had Moroccan plates. Maybe they, as foreigners, might have some good ideas. The drivers had swung down a camp kitchen at the back of one of the trailers and were fixing dinner. After exchanging greetings, Fred explained the problem. Might they have any ideas? Ideas? They had better than ideas. They dropped everything and raced over. We got out tools and tipped the cab. Fortunately, it was easy to find the leaking air line. The senior driver went back to his truck and returned with two air line unions of different sizes.

Once he decided that we need the 6mm size, he browbeat the junior driver into cutting the line, with a knife – not wire cutters! A final shot of WD-40 to clean everything up and the line was repaired and holding. Catastrophe averted, there was now only one problem – the Moroccans absolutely refused payment. Hmmmm. What to do?

So Fred asked, “Do you guys have wives? Kids?” Well, it turns out that they had both. “OK, so if you travel to a foreign country you have to bring back presents, no?” They agreed. So they could accept money to buy presents. Problem solved! (Fred also resolved to find a parts store to buy some air line and unions.)

In our search for cooler climes, we had found a campsite located in the hills above Cordoba. It rejoiced in the name of “El Lagar de los Perezones.” (The Vineyard of the Lazy Ones.) Sounded promising and had great reviews. (https://park4night.com/en/place/487523) Reaching Cordoba, we climbed about 10 kilometers up a very narrow winding hill to the site and opened the gate, which fortunately had a Park for Night sign on it, so we could recognize it.  We drove through the 50 hectare site and eventually came to a patio with a stunning view of the city of Cordoba. 

And there was even a beautiful pool!  We picked our spot and settled in. 

Five very enjoyable days followed. We relaxed, enjoyed the view, and swam in the pool. Fred borrowed a ladder and used our grey water to wash the solar panels. Our hostess offered us a meal typical of Andalucia one evening, which was wonderful. And vegetarian.

She also called a taxi for us, and we headed into Cordoba for the day. We were not up to playing with a twice a day bus.

Cordoba dates back to well before the Romans, but it reached its zenith under the Umayyads who made it a center of learning.(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Córdoba,_Spain) To quote Rick Steves: “At its zenith, in the 10th century, it was the leading city of Western Islam and a cultural hub that rivaled Baghdad and Constantinople. In an era when much of Europe was barbaric and illiterate, Córdoba was a haven of enlightened thought — famous for a remarkable spirit of religious tolerance, artistic expression, and dedication to philosophy and the sciences. Jews, Christians, and Muslims had figured out how to live together more or less harmoniously. Everyone spoke the same language, cooked the same dishes, wore the same type of clothes, and shared the same public baths. It was one culture, with three religious traditions.” We loved Cordoba. It was probably our favorite visit in Spain.

Like most tourists, our first stop was the cathedral, universally referred to as the Mezquita, Spanish for mosque. (Possibly built on the site of an earlier Christian church, possibly built on the site of a Roman temple. You get the idea.) We were prepared to be impressed, but the reality is simply overwhelming.

The mosque is large, built to enable 20,000 to pray at the same time. But, in an incredible act of good artistic taste, rather than raze the building, the Christians simply built a cathedral inside the mosque. Amazingly, this actually works.

We took a ton of pictures, but they cannot begin to convey the majesty and beauty of this building. Not your classic gothic cathedral! Not at all. Put it on your short list. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosque–Cathedral_of_Córdoba)

After the cathedral/mosque, we headed to the Jewish Quarter to explore, shop (less tourist junk), and visit the Casa de Sefarad. (https://sefarad-vr.com/en/sepharads-house/) The history of Jews in Spain is long and complex and well worth a least a quick study: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Spain Spoiler alert: It does not reflect well on Christians. (But, to be fair, the rest of Europe was not doing any better.)

We enjoyed the visit, especially the three songs performed by one of the staff. We have a neighbor who plays lute in a Sephardic music group and it was fun to hear the music in situ. He sang in Hebrew, Ladino, and one other language.

Across the street is one of the few remaining synagogues in Spain. This tiny example was repurposed into a hospital, which is why it probably was still standing. It is the only synagogue in Cordoba which was not destroyed during the many persecutions of Jews in Spain. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Córdoba_Synagogue)

After a pleasant lunch in a garden patio, and an ice cream (there is a pattern here!), we reconnected with our taxi driver and returned to our campsite.

Cordoba was, for centuries, the center of Muslim rule in Iberia. The Christian reconquest, “La Reconquista” was a long, long struggle, but worth understanding if you want to understand Spanish history. Here is an easy to follow history: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMp3UCK2uwk

Let us close our visit with a nighttime view.

After spending the night near the Carrefour, the next day we headed to Seville. Seville is at least 2,000 years old and has a lot of history. (Duh!) What is most surprising, however, is that while it is way inland, it was a major Spanish seaport until the silting of the river caused the main port to move to Cadiz. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seville)

We had expected southern Spain to be warm but we had not anticipated the kind of crushing heat that hit us when we found our way to the campground. The campground was a part of an auto storage lot, but despite having no charm, it did have all the required facilities and was wonderfully located to bicycle into town. There was, however, no shade of any kind, and it was close to 100F (40C). The first afternoon we turned on the air conditioning to cool off a bit. It worked well and we were pleased.

The next day we set off on the bikes for an exploratory visit.

We stayed on our side of the river and found a wonderful sidewalk cafe where we ate a merienda consisting of bacon bagels! 

We then crossed the river and headed towards one of Seville’s landmarks, the Torre de Oro. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torre_del_Oro) We didn’t visit the tower, but a quick cycle down the riverwalk led to a decision to take a boat ride down the river. They even agreed to take the bicycles on board.

After viewing the city from the river, we then headed back towards the campground. But first, we needed to find an ice cream and sparkling water. We cycled back through the Maria Luisa Park and enjoyed the odd fountain or two. There was also a big display of Ferraris that Fred admired (or perhaps it was the young ladies showing them!).

Then, ice cream found, we returned to the camper and turned on the air conditioner for a second night, as the temperature soared above 40C.

The next day we had an appointment for the Alcazar Real.  We decided that lunch would be in the same cafe, as we had really enjoyed the merienda the day before.  We then cycled through the old town and found a bicycle rack near the Alcazar, where we stored the bikes. We had a moment to spare, so we visited the General Archive of the Indies. The archive was set up to hold all of the documents relating to Spain’s colonization of the Americas. Some interesting things to see, but really a depository of original documents for serious scholars, not for tourists like us. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Archive_of_the_Indies)

That night, the air conditioner failed.  By the next morning, we felt very uncomfortable and as the temperature continued to climb we decided that our visit to the Cathedral was going to be cancelled.  Without air conditioning, camping was too unpleasant.  Time to head for the hills.  So we looked for camping that might be cooler, and found a lovely campground in the hills above Cordoba, so off we went. And that will be another story!

Then it was on to Chefchaouen, our final stop before taking the ferry to Spain.

Overlanding friends declared Chefchaouen to be their favorite city in Morocco. But we had another reason to visit – we were going to meet up with one of Denise’s school friends from Sydney Girls High School. We had visited them in Australia, and, amazingly, they were visiting Morocco. (https://pbase.com/diplostrat/oz_reunion) Took some back and forth, but we managed to synchronize our schedules and we set a date.

Chefchaouen has a fabled history. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chefchaouen) We camped in a lovely campground up high above the town, with fantastic views and even some shade. Great thrills as the GPS sent us up a one lane road so steep that we had to use our crawler gear. That’s steep! (There was, of course, an easier road.)

We enjoyed the ugly camper parade.

Afraid to go into town too early, as everything would be closed, we walked down the very steep hill one afternoon to explore. 

The streets of the Medina are, of course, narrow and very steep and many are just steps.  Chefchaouen is noted for its blue buildings (most Moroccan buildings are either white or cream.) 

We made our way to the Place Uta-el-Hammam where we were able to acquire the necessary ice-cream, before entering the Kasbah and museum. 

Begun in the fifteenth century, the Kasbah shows a lot of Andalusian influence. 

Fred climbed up to the ramparts to admire the views and we both admired the beautiful gardens. 

We then headed back up to our campground with a delightful taxi driver, who offered his services for the following day.

We were meeting our friends from Sydney, for dinner and needed transport into the town in the early evening and transport back to the campground afterwards. We were not going to tackle all those stairs again! With the taxi driver’s phone number in hand, we were all set. We met our friends in the delightful hotel in which they were staying. We then walked into town to a lovely restaurant. Was a bit of culture shock, as we were suddenly in a mass tourism area, a change from the more isolated campgrounds where we have been staying.

We then called for our taxi back to the camper. He showed up right on time, with his cousin, and we all had a great natter driving back up the hill.

After a very early start the next day, we made it to Tangier Med for our ferry, only to discover that it was going to be two hours late arriving. This upended all our plans for arrival in, and travel beyond, Algeciras. Fortunately, we were chatting with the young Spanish couple who parked next to us at the “Jurassic Park” hotel. They told us of a free parking lot, right next to the large Carrefour supermarket in Algeciras. So we had a solution to the problem. The ferry did finally arrive almost two and a half hours late and we successfully boarded for the short trip. The crew was clearly in a hurry as, no sooner were we out of our truck than we were off. If the ship could have left a rooster tail …

Customs and immigration in Spain were easy, but appallingly slow. But, after what felt like an eternity, we were on our way to the Carrefour. We shopped, found the parking lot, had a light dinner at the very Spanish hour of around ten PM, and collapsed into bed.

Good night all!

The Gara Medouar successfully viewed, and the Mummy successfully avoided, we headed to Rissani to acquire some fruit and vegetables. 

The latter were limited but we purchased some wonderful melons and also some fresh dates. This area is melon growing country and they were freshly picked. In fact we passed many small trucks, loaded to the gunnels with melons, heading to the main cities.

Partially for old times sake, Denise wanted to at least see the dunes on the very southern and western edge of Morocco, the Chebbi Erg. (Morocco does not actually have a lot of sand dunes.) We had seen dunes in the Sahara in 1974 and in Jordan in 2017, where we rode a camel and camped in the desert, tourist style. So we headed to a lovely campground called Haven La Chance. (https://www.havenlachancehotel.com) It was very hot (about 100F) but the campground did have some shade.

As promised, it did back right onto the dunes so we could easily wander out and do some sand walking. Fred was in no mood to see if he could stick nine tons of truck in the sand. He had dealt with than when he was younger! And it was no fun, even with a lighter vehicle!

We are used to being the odd camper out, so it was comforting that there were about five other expedition campers, built on a variety of trucks from a German Mann to a Unimog.  One even had 3 axles and was going to be shipped to Canada.  One wonders why such a huge truck would be needed there. But it looks comfortable.

Finally heading north at last, our next stop was a campground with the delightful name of the Kasbah Hotel Jurassique, in the Ziz Gorge. We quickly dubbed it “Jurassic Park.” (https://www.kasbahjurassique.com)  It was a great campground, with a washing machine (!) so we stayed an extra day to do laundry. When we arrived, there was only one other camper there, and they left the next morning. But after having the place to ourselves all day, the next evening a half a dozen campers arrived as well as an equal number of motorcyclists. Met a nice young Spanish couple.

We also ate dinner there and it was excellent.  We both decided to have shish kebabs rather than face another tagine. Our kebabs arrived and were much enjoyed; then another set arrived. There was no way we could eat four more mixed shish kebabs, so we asked very nicely if we could take them with us. Of course, but don’t ask for a doggie bag – just take the plate and bring it back when you can! Thus we ended up with a delightful dinner the next night.

The next great challenge ahead was the Legionnaire Tunnel. (https://sahara-overland.com/tag/tunnel-de-legionnaires/) Dug in the ’20’s, it is said to have 3.5m of clearance. We are 3.55m. Yet we saw trucks passing all the time. The hotel owner assured us that we would have no problems. Hmmmm. We set out with just touch of trepidation, with Fred carefully eyeballing every truck that passed.

Turns out, we fit with no problems. And then we moved into snow country. Yes, it snows in the Atlas and they close the roads. This area is used as summer pasture for sheep and they even have snow barriers, made out of adobe.

Moving up the Ziz valley we admired the views and the dense agriculture on the valley floor.

And on to Azrou, where, during the descent to the town, we saw more trees than we had seen in the last three weeks.  The town itself is encircled by cedars and holm oaks, and we saw a number of Barbary apes in the picnic areas, obviously awaiting goodies. 

We settled into a nice, locally run campground. (“My grandmother planted the cherry trees.”)

Azrou is famous as a source of Amazigh carpets, so, the next morning we drove into town. A little too early.  Moroccans really do not start their businesses until almost noon.  We wanted to look at a carpet place and, of course, they were all closed.  However, one man in the souk, who was open, agreed to find one of the carpet vendors, who was having coffee.  And once he opened up, he realized that we needed more choice and took us to his warehouse. So we headed deeper into the souk, down an alley, and up the stairs. We had a wonderful time shopping (more tea) and made some (too many?) purchases.

And on to our next stop, Fes.  One cannot go to Morocco and not go to Fes! Like many, we stayed at the Diamant Vert (Green Diamond), basically a huge water park with bungalows and a campground attached. Finally met the Dutch couple with a twin of our truck – they drove into, but decided not to stay at the campground in Zagora. Fred was off for technobabble about suspensions, etc.

We took a taxi from our campsite and asked to be taken to the Musee Dar el-Blatha. Trick was, the driver didn’t know where it was and we had to use our phone GPS to get there! The Musee Dar el-Blatha was most interesting.  It was originally a palace, begun by Moulay el-Hassan in 1873 and is now a Museum of Arts and Traditions with exhibits back to Roman times, at least. All very well done. It has retained its Moorish features, with beautifully decorated wooden doorways and tile work. 

We decided on a Moroccan restaurant near the souk. Our table was two flights of stairs up from the street, and then up on a tiny balcony. Amazing! Don’t find this at McDonalds.

Denise enjoyed her last Pastilla or chicken and almond pie!

After lunch, we plunged into the souk, looking for gifts.

In the museum, we had seen parts of a water clock. There is one outside the medersa. We know what they looked like, and where they were, but not how they actually worked. Somehow, metal balls fell from the top into metal bowls. Incomplete – no bowls, no balls, but way cool! (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dar_al-Magana) Look at the Wiki link for an historic image. Amazing to stand in the same place.

Then it was on to Chefchaouen, our final visit before taking the ferry to Spain. 

After leaving Ouarzarte, we headed down the Draa Valley through the desert plateaus of Jebel Tifernine, and through the hills of Ait Sauna. Then the road climbs through steep canyons towards the Tizi-n-Tinififft Pass. We stopped at the top of one of the long grades and had a most amazing shop with a roadside vendor. He had some really beautiful pieces, including a huge, decorated Tuareg cross. (Also called an “Agadez” cross, although each town traditionally has its own variation.)

There is always the question – is this authentic and what is it worth? Basically, it is worth what you will pay for it and what the seller will accept. And, unless you are going to try to sell it, what do you care? Authentic? Who knows, but it is hard to believe that anyone would go to the effort to fake this. Unlike the typical tourist junk found in the souk, this is a unique piece and very few non Tuareg would wear it. Denise loves it as it is another matching bookend to our trans-Sahara trip of 1974. The cross was on a typical, over the top, Tuareg necklace. Fred was impressed that it was strung with wire – should be strong. Nope. Broke. So now we have a winter project to restring a million beads! In the meantime, Denise has it on a simple collar.

This route we took is known as the Route of the Kasbahs and several large ones can be seen.  They are however in various states of repair.  We stopped at one but were told to leave as they were going to be using it for filming a British TV “Survivor” show.  We were somewhat irritated as no filming was taking place and we were refused permission to even take pictures of the valley. Most unusual. The gentlemen working in the parking area were most apologetic. Fortunately, there is no shortage of kasbahs in Morocco.

We spent the night at a campground in Zagora. We went into town to find an ATM. Our visit got off to a grim start as we watched a truck loaded with gas bottles run over a pedestrian. The ambulance was amazingly swift, but it looked to be too late. Sobered, we stopped at a supermarket before taking a taxi back to campground, loaded with groceries. We enjoyed an evening meal at the campground and chatted to the German tourists we had met along the way. Interesting the way we kept leap frogging some of the same people.

The next morning, we headed to Tamegroute, just in the south. On the way out of town, we had to stop and take the obligatory photo at the “Timbuktu, 52 Days by Camel” sign. Zagora was an important stop in the trade into Morocco from the Sahara and countries to the south of it. The trans Sahara trade dates back to ancient times and there were several eastern, central, and western routes. From below the Sahara came gold, ivory, slaves and other products. From north of the Sahara came salt, cloth, beads, metal and metal products, and more. By the colonial period, this trade had became a thing of legend – think “Beau Geste” and other tales of the Foreign Legion. 

52 days by camel. Could we do it in the 917? Of course, except for a few details. You cannot cross the land border between Morocco and Algeria and northern Mali is home to a branch of Al Qaeda – the same folks who tried to burn all of the sacred books in Timbuktu. Sad; would be a cool trip.

Tamegroute developed into an absolutely fascinating visit.  It contains the Zaouia Nassiriya, a center of Islamic learning, home to a Sufi order, tombs, and a Qu’ranic library dating from the 11th century. The library is believed to have once held as many as 50,000 books, but it is down to about 4,000, the rest having been spread all over Morocco. We started by taking a guide and going to see the library. The tour of the library was given by a scholar who explained the ages and types of Arabic script used. The library contains a Qu’uran from the 11th century with gazelle-skin covers. There is calligraphy with gold dust and saffron illuminations and treatises on algebra, astronomy and literature. All of the books are behind glass and, sadly, no photography is permitted. But all of them are amazing and some are simply beautiful. Readers may remember our visit to the “Book of Kells” at Trinity College in Dublin. Same idea, but sadly, on a much smaller scale.

The tomb of the center’s founder, Mohammed Bou Nassi, has become a pilgrimage site, especially for people with chronic illnesses who stay at the tomb, hoping for a cure.

We then moved on to the Ksar and we learned about the seven trades concentrated there, each with its own kasbah and mosque.  He showed us where he lived, which looked like one main room with an outer small room where his wife was cooking fish over a small wood fire.  He invited us to lunch but we declined.  There was no way six little fish would feed five adults adequately. We felt that would be an imposition.  

We were then shown the pottery section of the Ksar, in which seven families produce  pottery with a traditional green glaze. We were shown all the stages of production, all manual, for the various platters, bowls, cups and plates produced there. It was emphasized that all pottery is for use in the house.  Some pieces were decorated but all were usable as any decorations were made with herbal dyes and were quite safe for food.

And, as might be expected, we ended up at the back of the pottery cooperative store. But we were game and, after a cup of tea, we were on our way with (lots of) goodies. You can’t negotiate a decent price without tea.

Driving out of town, we shed a tear for the closing of USAID.

Looking for a place to break the trip we stumbled across a listing for a campsite, six kilometers off the road, literally nowhere. We had to try it.

Camping Serdrar turned out to be charming. (https://www.facebook.com/campingserdrar/) The owner, a recent graduate with a degree in marketing, explained that the site was on the family farm. With the drought, they could no longer make it as a farm, but as a camp/hotel/restaurant, catering largely to the motorcycle trade, they were doing well. We ordered dinner and it was very good.

We liked the place so much that we stayed an extra night so we could go visit the neolithic rock carvings at Ait Ouazik. The track was a bit of a grind, but the visit was really interesting. We saw cave paintings in our trans-Sahara trip of 1974 and it is always sobering to realize that the Sahara was once much wetter.

There is a guardian, living in a small building at the site. From the internet and from conversations with people who come to study the carvings, he is wonderfully well informed and really made our visit. Still, it must be a very lonely existence.

We then continued on towards Gara Medouar. Most Moroccan service stations are huge, beautiful places, usually with a restaurant or coffee shop, store, car wash and more. But sometimes the lunch options were more basic.

To be fair, Gara Medouar is a rather silly destination – a round mountain, in southern Morocco. And we were never really great fans of the “Mummy” franchise. But Fred was determined to see it and so we set it as our turn around point for Morocco. (https://sahara-overland.com/2022/12/05/g-is-for-gara-medouar-popular-film-location-in-southern-morocco/0)

There really isn’t much there – a nifty shaped mountain and two ancient walls.

All the rest, for example, the ramp, was added for movies and most of it has been removed. But you can really see why it has featured in so many films. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gara_Medouar) Sadly, the site’s popularity for films and as a 4×4 destination has actually limited serious study.

So we parked where the ruins of “Hamunaptra” once stood and explored a bit.

There is an easy walking/motorcycle track up to the top and stunning views in all directions.

And, despite the isolation, there was a souvenir vendor waiting for us at the top. We looked, but, unlike the gentleman on the road, he did not have anything of particular interest.

We did not do any real serious exploration of the top rim but admired the views. At the end of the day, the vendor got on his motorcycle and left the mountain to us.

It was dark, and we were careful not to open any ancient books.

The next morning, we continued on to Rissani

From Taroudant we headed east towards Ouarzazarte. The road was slower than we expected, despite being a major route.  It was paved, but there were a lot of bumps and drop offs on the edge of the road.  But we made it in one piece, though we did learn to tape all our cupboards inside the camper.  Fred was gettin very tired of putting all our books and cupboard doors back after every drive! Aside from the odd dubious road surface, we enjoyed glorious views and steep grades everywhere.

Our first stop was Ait Benhaddou. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aït_Benhaddou) We had heard that it was possible to wild camp on the ridge overlooking Ait Benaddou and we drove up onto the ridge to evaluate.

Once we got there, however, the wind was fierce, to the point that Fred was not able to open his cab door easily and it was very noisy. It would not have been a pleasant night at all. So we carefully descended and headed into the “new” village to find a campsite.  We had however put the truck in 4 wheel drive to get up onto the ridge and the truck decided it no longer wished to go back into 2 wheel drive.  At least the light on the dash remained on.  We put this problem aside for the moment, found the campground and set up for the night.

The best time to admire the old Ksar of Ait Benaddou is at either dusk or dawn when the rays of the sun show the buildings most clearly.  (There is a reason photogs call this the “golden hour.”) So, after a quick meal, we walked the length of the village to a viewpoint from which we could take photos. We were a little late, but we enjoyed the view.

We also found a wonderful shop selling interesting jewelry items and were able to purchase one, although we had not brought much cash with us.  The owner gave us a super deal. Sadly, he was closed the next day so we were not able to stop back with extra cash.

The next morning Fred got up early and headed out for more photos.  His timing was a little better! 

We then headed out to visit the Ksar and crossed the bridge over the Wadi Mellah.  The Ksar is  a fortified cluster of kasbahs, some decorated, on a steep slope, with mud brick houses behind them.  It is an evocative site, which has been used by several film directors for films as far back as “Lawrence of Arabia,” up to “The Mummy”, “Game of Thrones” and the second “Gladiator”.  In fact, friends who visited this week told us that they were filming a French film there!

We ran the gauntlet of vendors selling earrings and everything else until we found a tiny shop run by a a charming Mauritanian gentleman. We had a great visit (and tea) and bought some Tuareg items. (And some of them might even be authentic! They certainly brought back memories of Niger in 1974.) It was interesting, his shop was small, but his merchandise appeared, to our inexpert eyes a least, to be much, much better than that sold in other stalls.

After a long discussion with a young lady artist, we bought a modern, but spectacular painting of a Tuareg face, complete with real fabric head covering. Quite unique.

Back across the river in the new town, we bought argan products from a lovely lady at a co-op. We had never heard of argan, but it is a most remarkable tree/seed/oil and unique to the Maghreb. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argan_oil)

We next headed to the Atlas Film Studios in Ouazazarte. (https://ouarzazatestudios.com/accueil/?lang=en) A quick negotiation with the guardian confirmed that we could park for the night – one of our more dramatic sites!

Hungry, we had a lovely lunch in the Oscar Hotel, which is part of the complex. (Took us a minute to get the name.) We were a bit surprised to find a hotel on site, but, it actually makes sense when actors and crews arrive for a movie and generates additional revenue for the studio. And tourists like it as well!

After lunch, we set off to tour the studio. The studio is rather straightforward, with a couple of big soundstages, some still dressed for past productions, and a large backlot which features a maze of “ancient” streets and houses. And temples, both Egyptian and Tibetan.

Some are in the classic plywood, plaster, and steel scaffolding, but some are mud brick. In the dry climate the don’t deteriorate that fast and can be redressed for different movies.

The Egyptians built for the ages. Movie sets? Not so much!

The sound stages contained the tomb passages from “The Mummy” and prison corridors from “Prison Break.” Interesting to see them from the outside.

We paid a little extra so we could visit the Jerusalem set from the Kingdom of Heaven film, which is a huge set and built at a distance from the rest. They warned that it was a dirt road! Actually, there was no real road and the site was surrounded by a trench to keep out cars. Fred loved it!

The Jerusalem set is huge, arranged so that it can be used from both sides, and now features “Game of Thrones” and “Gladiator” add ons. Oh, and no one cleans up after a battle. Siege towers, standing, fallen, and burned, everywhere. Along with trebuchets and battering ram. Messy!

Will have to rewatch “Kingdom of Heaven” with the pause button at hand to see if we can recognize all of the different sites. You really have to appreciate the tremendous planning to coordinate the set and the various shots needed for the movie. You don’t need to build anything that you won’t use.

And, who can forget the “Jewel of the Nile”?

We stopped in town to make a stab at figuring out why the 4×4 light would not go out. Not totally successful. We then retired to the commercial campground for the night.

On to Taroudant

We decided to take the road through the Tizi N’Test pass to Taroudant instead of taking the interstate to Agadir and then east to Taroudant. It was a national road so we did not expect it to be that difficult and it would be a lot more interesting. Constructed in the 1930’s, it is the highest pass in Morocco – and we needed at least one superlative. Well it certainly was interesting – the views were spectacular. We knew that the road was being repaired after the terrible earthquake. We did not realize that that included well over 50% of the road. Nor did we appreciate the tremendous destruction of the villages in the back country. Reconstructing a mountain road means that there is no possible alternate route. When the road is full of huge boulders which have been dug out of the cliff face by serious road building equipment, you just have to wait until they have been removed before you can pass. We expected a 4 to 5 hour trip and got an 8 hour one. And it was very rough and dusty. We had hoped that we might be able to wild camp in the mountains, but there were simply no safe spots. But, as noted, the views were indeed spectacular!

Taroudant was our next stop. It proved to be much more fun than we expected. A small, fortified town, it still has its ramparts, though in some parts they have had to be repaired.

One of the recommended ways to enjoy the ramparts is to take a horse carriage around them. We love these and it gave us a much better idea of the old town than walking would have. 

We then picked a restaurant for a cup of coffee in the main square and noted the Toureg man selling items in the shade of a large tree. This, again, reminded us of our trip through Niger and Algeria, back in 1974. 

As we were drinking our coffee and people watching, an older man in a costume and carrying a golden flag walked by, heading for the souk. This was interesting, so we followed. Then we heard the sound of drums and pipes and we had to investigate.  Follow that music!

It proved to be a number of people playing pipes and drums and carrying flags. They set off and proceeded to stop at various places in the souk to play and burn incense. 

We were not sure of the reason for the parade, (Probably religious, Sufi?) but it was great fun and we joined the many people following them and taking photos whenever they stopped.  If they could take photos, so could we. And there was not a tourist in sight. They had a beat and they danced to it.

We headed back to the main square for lunch and watched the band come by again.

After lunch, Denise sought out vegetable and fruit barrows to supplement her food stocks. Then we walked to the taxi rank and got a ride back to the campground.