Portugal- The Algarve part 1

We stayed at the campsite in Tavira for 2 nights, using it as a base to catch the train to Faro and also to explore the town of Tavira itself.  We walked down to the closest train station Porta Nova.  There are two stations in Tavira.  The other station (a half hour walk from the campsite) we found out later has slightly more frequent trains to Faro.  At the station we used there was no timetable, so with not having done any prior research (oops) we had to wait and see.  We had seen a train going in the opposite direction and assumed that it would go to the end of the line and come back.  Unfortunately that is quite a distance and saw us waiting 80 minutes for the train.  It got to a point where we didn't want to give up as we knew one would come eventually.  After some time people starting arriving at the platform and we knew the wait wouldn't be much longer.  The train journey was an hour and pleasant enough with towns and countryside to gaze at.

After all our waiting, we arrived in Faro at midday and headed to the Carmo church and skull chapel.  The chapel has over 1200 skulls, which is quite believable after a quick estimation as they are laid out in rows.

The Carmo Church

The skull Chapel

We next explored the old town, which is nice with cobblestone streets and cafes that spread out onto the pavement.  It was rather quiet on a Wednesday in spring, with only a few tourists about.  We went to the Archaeological museum which is housed in an old convent.  The convent is well worth seeing in itself, and it is nice to see that it has been upkept through the years as it has had a few uses after its time as a convent and before becoming the museum.

The old town

The Archaeological museum

We got off the train at the other station in Tavira which meant we could have a look at the town on our way back to the camp.  We climbed up to the castle for some views and meandered our way though the streets.  Tavira is known for it's decorative chimneys on many of the houses in town.

The next morning we left the campsite and drove past Faro and skirted the edge of Albufeira.  We stopped at a tourist information on the outskirts of town which Dale was able to pick up some useful information on events happening in the Algarve.  It turns out a womens football tournament called the Algarve cup 2014 is on and also many music events, flea markets and fairs.

We headed to Silves for the afternoon, a beautiful town set on a hill with a Cathedral and Castle on top.  The town has some interesting/somewhat sad history when Christian invaders arrived in 1244, killing the Moorish people who lived there, the last of them hiding in the castle.  We drove to a car park on the edge of the town, which had been taken over by about 15 motorhomes, many of the owners were lounging in the sun working on their tans, and it felt a pretty safe place to leave the van.  We set off for a walk up to the castle, finding a shop next to the entrance selling ports and wines.  The shopkeeper there was very informative and told us about the ports, differences in quality and about vintages.  We even got a free tasting.  We wandered the streets, there were lots of craft shops and we were tempted again to buy items totally unsuitable for taking on the plane- tiles, plates and Dale even took a fancy to a some candlesticks!  We found free town wifi that actually worked in one of the squares- bonus (we find free wifi sites invariably don't work).

The view of Silves approaching from the main road

The car park/ pseudo campsite

We stayed the night with the other motorhomes and the following morning returned to town for some more wifi and a stop at Lidl supermarket.  We then headed to Parchal where two matches in the Algarve cup were taking place.  We arrived early and took a drive to a couple of lookout points for Portimao.  We decided that the skyscraper dense city didn't look inviting to venture into, but was nice to look at from a far.

We watched an afternoon match between Japan and Denmark.  Denmark were somewhat lackluster during the first half and Japan were far the superior team and scored late in the first half.  Denmark did create more opportunities in the second half, but the score remained 1-0 to Japan, and it was an enjoyable afternoon watching some football.

Andalucia

Making the crossing back to Spain although only 1.5hrs became an all day affair.  Up early to make sure we arrived with plenty of time for the supposed 11am crossing.  First duty was to use the last of our Dirham on petrol, achieved after doubling back after passing the last petrol station (20 miles from the port).  We arrived and after some confusion regarding which gate we needed we were advised to take our ticket into the big Gare Maritime office and get a confirmation at the desk (oh damn the boat is 12noon apparently).  Confirmations in hand we entered and promptly drove straight past the police that needed to do our exit documents and passport (it would have helped if they didn't have their window closed and if they made any reaction as we drove up). I here some whistling and I say to Nicky is that at us? is it the Police? and sure enough I had to back up.  No dramas though and pleasant guys (also only one tout in the Gare so easy as).  Next step the customs guys who take your vehicle importation documents and do their stamping and signing and we are on to the vehicle scanner.  Once positioned we have to wait for 2 other vehicles to arrive to fill the bay and then the big truck scanner goes to work and again a clean bill of health.  Now down to the gate number 7 second last.  Had to stop for 2 attendants on the way to check our confirmations and guide us to gate 7 (although you'd have to be blind Freddy to miss it, unlike Algeciras where a certain level of detective skills were required and there were no guides).  Cool second in line and about 2 hours to wait, no worries one last go with the internet (going to miss our Dongle).  Unfortunately as someone else said ferry times in this part of the world are purely aspirational (and they appear very low on aspiration).  So 12 came and went and we still hadn't been loaded, got on about 12.30 but the ferry still didn't depart until 1.20pm so a full 4 hours after arriving at the port, sigh.  We arrived in Spain and realised with the time zone change we had lost another hour and it was nearly 4pm and passport control to get through and down to the supermarkets at Los Barrios to get all the things we have missed in the past 3 months.  By the time that's complete the day is pretty well done and it has been pretty much entirely devoted to getting from Morroco to Spain (with only about 40 miles of driving).

The next day we returned to the supermarkets and looked at costumes for the Cadiz Carnaval.  We had been thinking about how we could make a costume from things in the van but when we were in Carrefour we saw a pair of Native American Indian outfits we thought would work.  We also got a chief headdress for me.  Then it was off to get LPG and our first tourist stop Vejer de la Frontera. The van was put to the test on the climb up to the town, I think we came in the steep way.  They had a little tourist office which was handy as we picked up a town map.  Armed with this map we took in the towns main features in about 1 hour.  Then we continued to Conil de la Frontera where we had planned to spend the night at the local motorhome dealer, unfortunately due to siesta when we first arrived they were closed, so we spent an hour down in Conil, on the beach and around the waterfront.  Back to the dealers and someone was there so we could buy the toilet chemical we needed, dump and refill waters but unfortunately the manager was going away for the weekend to a campervan festival so we couldn't stay.  Which was a bummer as it looked spot on, electric and wifi for only 7 euro.  We ended up using Playa de Castillo near Cadiz and had to rethink our Cadiz Carnaval strategy.

Vejer

Conil

The new strategy ended up being to stay at Las Dunas camping at Puerto Santa Maria and take the ferry across to Cadiz.  We dressed up in our costumes but it seemed a bit premature on our part as Friday seemed to be more for the kids.  Also we were having a devil of a time understanding the programme (all in Spanish).  We did manage to catch the finale of a childrens show.  We just can't adapt to the Spanish system of doing everything so late, everything didn't start until after we would be in bed, so we walked around looking at the sights of Cadiz before heading back to the campsite so we could rest and make a bigger effort the next day.

So on Saturday there were many more people in costume and everything was looking a lot more promising.  Unfortunately for the second day running we missed the ferry we wanted while in the queue to get tickets.  This time it was very much their fault.  This is pretty much the biggest day of the year for them and they still only had two girls selling tickets (there are no automated machines) and they were having to work out of one ticket window.  So the queue moved very slowly and as a result the boats were leaving only half full while dozens of customers were stranded in the ticket line.  Our boat loaded then sat at the dock for about 12 minutes and during that time we think only another 12 people managed to get on.  Worse was to come as the crossing was very choppy and Nicky and I ended up clinging on to the rails trying to get fresh air.  We were decidedly secondhand when we got there (strangely we seemed to be the only ones, maybe the Spanish have great sea legs).  We vowed to do our utmost to get the train back that night even if it involved an hours walk to get to the campsite. Sufficiently recovered we made our way to Plaza de Candelaria where we found our interpretation of the programme correct, something was going to happen.  They had these chorus groups all dressed up, about a dozen with various guitars and at least 2 dozen singers.  They were entertaining and would have been more so if we had understood as they weave a fair bit of comedy into the performances.  After a bit of that we went over to Plaza San Antonio where the main stage was but nothing was happening there so we stopped in at the Museum of Cadiz.  Then we decided we had enough time to check the train schedule.  By this time many people were arriving into town off the trains and many were still arriving when we caught the 22.10 train to go (we didn't get back to the van until midnight - on Spanish time the party was still beginning).  More failed interpretation of the programme followed but then we went to the Plaza de la Cathedral which was teeming with costumed revellers, pretty much drinking heavily and being generally rowdy.  The side streets in this area were getting pretty dire and it wasn't even 8pm and large puddles had formed which were nothing to do with water.  So our final fling with Carnaval was to go back to the main stage for a show due to start at 8.30pm.  We managed about an hour but standing in a packed crowd not understanding a word of a comedy routine that was all we could manage as we were pretty tired and Nicky had a sore back.  So 2.5hrs from Plaza to campervan (nearly 2 hours walking) and we were shattered, decided it was good that we did it but it just wasn't our idea of fun.

Chorus singers

 Lights at Night

 People beginning festivities in the Plaza de Cathedral

A very sound sleep was had and the next morning saw us moving on to Seville, via the bullring in Puerto Santa Maria (supposed to be the oldest I think), where we arrived at the camperstop and found it was there and open and the anticipated price, result. Seville had a camperstop run out of a car logistics yard.  It was basic but affordable for a inner city site although you had to walk to town as public transport didn't go close.  Fortunately that side of Seville is totally dominated by a giant park walk Maria Luisa which was developed in 1929 for an Ibera American exhibition, so some of the walk is pleasant. The park brings you up to the area with the Alcazar and Cathedral and continuing past this you head into the Santa Cruz district.  Seville has a large navigable river running through the centre so there are port activities as well.  Nicky and I both found Seville a very agreeable city and a surprise as neither of us knew anything prior to visiting.  We pretty much just spent 2 days trooping around as we only went into the Alcazar at 4pm on Monday, for about 1 hour, as it was free then saving us 20 euro (many other people had the same idea, including guided tour groups).  It was rather manic inside at times with people and groups rushing around trying to see as much as possible before closing.  Our other planned visit the Archaeological Museum was curtailed as it was closed for some reason.

In Maria Luisa Park

 Plaza de Espana - also in the Park

 Cathedral

 Golden Tower

 Triana suburb

 Bullring

 Alcazar

We were very pleased that we made one last stop before heading for Portugal and this was the ruins of the Roman city of Italica (just outside modern day Seville).  The ruins that are on display are of a city expanded by the emperor Hadrian (of Hadrian's Wall fame, remember the campsite we worked at :-)).  Hadrian's father came from Italica.  There are many mosaics on display in situ, a baths complex and an amphitheatre.  There are a lot of area being saved to excavate in future generations which is good.  That afternoon we drove a couple of hours to Portugal and our first stop at Tavira. We are at a campsite which is pretty much European standard but Moroccan prices so pretty happy with it.

We are thinking of everyone back home.  Thoughts to Aunty Chris who wasn't too well this week but on the mend I understand and those in Christchurch with the flooding which it seems resulted in Nicky's Grandma being rescued by boat.

Morocco- Moulay Bousselham, Chefchaouen and Tetouan

Before heading to the campsite at Moulay Bousselham we headed 30 kilometres north on the motorway to Larache. We went to Lixus, another site of significant Roman ruins in Morocco, which we found after some circling of the area (ambiguous and poor signage). It is free to access but has onsite 'security' (two guys one with a jacket with security on it). Ok, well maybe that is a good thing right? We were pointed in the direction of a path we should take which leads up from the fish salting plant to the amphitheatre, then up to the top of the hill. There is beautiful scenery- the site looks out onto a lagoon and Larache.

Unfortunately for some reason which will forever remain a mystery to us one of the guards kept watch on us the entire time. He generally kept his distance but it still made us feel quite self conscious. The problem started when we had walked from one end of the site to the other. 

The guard started to point where we should go, which annoyed me and I planned to walk back through the site so I ignored him. However half way back he got insistent but i stood my ground and managed to get back to the amphitheatre. However after a minute or two there the 'guard' got very unhappy and I (Dale) ended up in an argument with him. With him insisting for some reason we must walk back over the hill and down the other side, while I'm insisting I want to walk back the way we came in via the fish salting vats (neither of us speaking a word of the same language). We had just given in when his colleague arrived (he was tailing the other foreign couple on the site, for some reason Moroccans were left on their own) they discussed the crazy tourist (me) and suddenly we were allowed to go where I wanted. We were pretty much fed up and left as fast as possible at this point. I guess they have a job to look after the site or something, but it was thoroughly annoying as at Volubilis they leave you be and it actually has stuff of value and their only protection is a rope. There is nothing but stones and weeds here, and unless we arrived with a spray can and shovel in hand we were unlikely to do any damage.

I later read in the guidebook that about 15 years ago the site guardian's son dug up a mosaic in order to sell it. There is also Moroccan patch up work to put some of the stones back together which does not look like authentic Roman building work (more typically slapdash Moroccan style). You know how sometimes in the West reconstruction is done so it stands out from the original, here you could just tell cause it was crap. The guards presence really baffled us and actually made it a rather disappointing experience. We have had a couple of instances in the north like this and has made us think that the people in the south are much friendlier.

We enjoyed some down time at Moulay Bousselham and the weather was pretty good. An English couple whom we met here at the start of our trip turned up the night before we left so it was really nice to catch up with them and hear about their trip.

Next stop was Chefchaouen in the Rif mountains. Again there were positives and negatives. The positives were that the town is extremely picturesque with it's white and blue houses and the surrounding countryside. Just superb. The negatives for us were the people. The service staff (campsite and restaurants) were unfriendly and you were badgered by touts that wouldn't take no for an answer. As it is squarely on the tourist trail they seemed to be exploiting the tourism there to the max. The campsite was expensive by Moroccan standards given there was no hot water. We went to a couple of restaurants both of which had poor food and very rude service. The touts in the main square were also ludicrous. One approached us 5 times in the space of about 30 minutes. After being here nearly 3 months, we really struggled to just say 'no, thank you' and we let them hear our anger a couple of times. I (Dale) would say they could do with bucking up their ideas a bit as being a somewhat attractive town (just okay by European standards) may not be enough to keep the tourists coming. We for example would not return for a second visit next time and would follow the motorway south.

We did meet up with our friend Gabrielle again which was great. We enjoyed a day walking around the town with her and shared a grand taxi up to one of the doors at the entrance of the town. She also got henna done on her leg and hand which was fun to see.

In the Grand Taxi

We were planning on staying three nights there, but gave it two before moving on. We just couldn't face another day of touts annoying us basically.

Oops and I forgot another negative. The Rif mountains is where they produce a large quantity of the world's marijuana. So as you can imagine, a lot of people are trying to sell it to you. I was going to list reasons for not buying it here, but instead I will just say that it would be a stupid thing to do!

So we headed to Tetouan which was only 1.5 hours north on our route to the Tanger Med port where we will catch the ferry in a couple of day time. To be honest Tetouan, didn't offer anything particularly special for us- there is a medina (which is UNESCO) and souks, a nice Spanish church and a pedestrianised street named after a previous King Mohammed V. There is a convenient car park in the city for 20 dirhams (1.80 euro) for 24 hours, which is a little difficult to get into as the markets seem to spill out onto the access roads. Again we were accosted by touts here spouting the usual lines 'what are you looking for?', 'where are you from?', 'I am on my way home, I will show you the way' and our favourite 'there is a Berber market on today, it only happens once a month'. 

The Royal Palace

The Spanish Church

After Chefchaouen, we really just wanted to be left alone to explore for ourselves. One tout approached our van in the car park even claiming he worked at the car park. He said he finishes work soon and would be going to the Berber market to buy gifts for his 3 sons, if we wanted to join him. When he came back to the van about 10 minutes later I asked him if he had finished work. He said he had, so I replied that we wouldn't want to hold him up as he had earlier advised us that the market would be closing soon. The offended and annoyed look on his face said it all as he sulked off. It has gotten to the point here in the north that we can't trust anyone, whilst in south we found people much friendlier.

From Tetouan we headed to the coast, which is full of Spanish style resorts. We are chilling here for 2 nights and working on our plans for Spain, Portugal and France before we get on the ferry tomorrow. We have loved Morocco- we have had fantastic weather, seen some nice sights and managed to stay here for an average of 23 euros a day (for both of us and including our return ferry from Spain).

One last story, we are chilling in a deserted car park and today we have observed a handover of some sort of shall we say 'smuggled product'. A car turned up, there has been a handful come and go but then another car turned up and parked right beside and now between the two cars there were about 7 young men. After a while I noticed they were taking a lot of interest in the first cars engine bay. A couple of bits of cardboard and perhaps tape were cast aside and suddenly shrink wrapped parcels about 2 Litres in size were being extracted from cavities in the engine bay and transferred to the boot of the second car. Once they had thoroughly checked that they had got everything both cars left, the one now carrying the parcels being bump started across the car park.

Au revoir Morocco!