Blog Morocco 2026
January 26, 2026
Sitting in a café in Tangier. Good but unnecessarily mixed feelings tonight. I am in Tangier for another 7 days. At the end of these 7 days I catch the ferry from Tangier Med, the port of Tangier for Barcelona and Perpignan. Louise and I have rented a house in the town of Céret just outside of the City. It was a great find through Louise’s sister who knew a friend of a friend. I look forward to getting back to France. I am concerned about the ferry. Last time I tried the ferry route I was left stranded in Tangier after the Ferry company, La Meridional, cancelled the return trip with no warning. The company I am traveling with I believe to be a little more tried and true but I will not know until I do. Then it will be another mad dash to Spain disassembly of the bike and a long train ride.
This trip, long planned for has not gone as supposed. Last time I was here it was sunny and springlike. This trip is absolutely contrary. The plan was to bicycle and use the bus on occasion as needed. I arrived in Marrakech on the 1st. My hotel was pretty sparse. It was located at the end of a very shabby alley. Difficult to find without help. This did not surprise me. That is how it is in Morocco. Last time I stayed in a Riad it was absolutely beautiful. This place was not. A shoddy single bed in a small room at the top of the house was my home for the next 6 days. I tried to like Marrakech but it never grew on me. Where once upon a time the ancient walls enclosed a Medina famous for its market at the end of long caravans across North Africa, it is now a trading place of Souvenir shops. Hawkers abound and are annoying. It is grubby but not cool grubby like other Moroccan towns. It is just a very old dirty tourist trap. Now, this is my experience. I know that others may have a completely different opinion and I am sure there are wonderful spots but I never saw it. The beauty is on the horizon where the Atlas Mountains rise up, snowcapped and jagged. If I was to return to Marrakech I would think about riding a bike but it would be towards the mountains. I would rent and equip the bike for lightweight adventure.
My plans were to bike from Marrakech to Tangier along the coast. The idea was to bike 20 to 30 miles a day. I knew longer distances were unachievable because I had to carry enough gear for 4 months. I do believe I bit off more that I was able to chew. So, after talking to a local bike shop I was advised to take the bus to the coast and Start in Safi. This was a good decision. However, my plans were about to be completely redirected by foul weather and a extremely bad head cold. From Safi my plans were altered.
Safi, Morocco
Safi is a beautiful spot on the Atlantic coast. It is a port city. Safi is dominated by the walls of the Portuguese fortifications of the old city. There is a strong European feel to the new city where Architecture is undoubtedly influenced by France. It is the old town that interested me the most.
Safi is famous for its vibrant, colorful ceramics. It is a major working port on the Moroccan Atlantic Coast. It was occupied by the Portuguese in the 1500s. The walls are evidence of this. While I walked along the alley that skirts the interior of the old town I saw a cannon sitting on top of a tower. Crumbling stairs led up to the tower. Avoiding the evidence of this being an emergency toilet I mounted the stairs. The tower demonstrated how fast the Portuguese seem to have had to evacuate the town. The tower looked down upon the port and the ocean spreading out beyond. Inside this old Medina I saw evidence of something I have seen in several old towns.
These places are hard to maintain. The sewage systems must be very difficult deal with. Delivery of basic modern services is difficult at best and I am sure very expensive. There were several homes and businesses falling into disrepair. It must be hard to keep younger generations fixing up these old places when modern apartment complexes are springing up everywhere. Safi is a noted Surfing center. As I biked up the coast I saw beautiful breaking waves. There is a small but lovely corniche bordering the steep cliffs. Safi was fascinating and is worth a visit.
To Oualidia
The next day I headed up the coast learning about what the future had n store for me. It is quite the climb out of Safi but at the crest of the hill the rain started and has not stopped. As I sit here in my little apartment in Tangier it is raining. It has been raining everyday I have been here. It is also unseasonably cold. I was not prepared for this.
So I made plans to make smaller trips. I stopped at a small campsite that advertised rooms. On arriving I found the rooms were not close to as advertised. They were partitioned walls with concrete floors. I asked if there was anything they had for the floor so they brought a carpet. I put my pad down on the carpet and slept surprisingly well after watching “football” featuring Morocco fighting for the Africa Cup.
The next day I headed out towards my next destination, Oualidia. I had found a nice little apartment for $22 per night. After a night I woke up with a cold. After a nice walk along a beautiful beach I realized the cold was going to be a serious one. I extended my stay and I am glad I did. I was bedridden for two days only venturing out to find something to eat. After the third day I ventured out a little further. I found the Portuguese fortress and more canons left on the tower and a few spread out in front of the main entryway. Again it appears as if the Portuguese left in a hurry.
Oualidia is a lovely Moroccan town. Inexpensive with a great beach. The king had a palace here which is now a ruin. It is a popular place to retire for Europeans. There are RV campgrounds everywhere. The beaches are gorgeous but litter is everywhere.
No comments:
Post a Comment