As we vaguely shift into holiday mode (well it is August, even if we arent going anywhere . . . ) I thought it might be a good idea to go on a little virtual roadtrip.
When I saw Sahars pictures on her site At Home in Morocco of her recent post lockdown road trip in Northern Morocco, I was initially struck down with travel envy, but I did manage to pick myself up and ask her to share this trip with us as a guest post. So for now we will travel vicariously through others but we can certainly start building our wish lists!
Like Sahar, I love the mediterranean and I cannot wait to be back in Morocco and do a little road trip of my own.
The North and the Mediterranean side of Morocco in particular, is generally not on peoples itinerary – this might change your mind!!
Going for a swim in the Mediterranean sea is what kept me somehow sane during the look-down
in Morocco. One hundred and five days to be exact in our house in Fes with my husband and cat.
As soon as we were cleared to travel from Fes to other cities in the same COVID zones, we
hopped in our car, and we drove toward the sea.
I learned how to swim in the Mediterranean sea many years ago, when I was a little girl in
Lebanon.
el hoceima
We started off driving toward Oujda in the northern-eastern part of Morocco bordering Algeria.
From the town of Saidia, where we spent a night, we continued driving on the coast overlooking
the Mediterranean sea. Saidia is known among locals to be the place to be in the summer. There
were plenty of apartments for short-term rental, and a few hotels that weren’t operating when we
were traveling. This whole new normal will take a while for all of us to adjust to this reality.
We continued driving on the coast, passing through El Hoceima. I have heard about it and
imagined it to be like most cities in the North. I have to say I underestimated the beauty and
charm of this city, astonishing beaches with crystal clear water with the Rif mountains as a
background. The scenery around El Hoceima took my breath away until we reached a town
called El Jebha, also known as Puerto Capaz. There we sat down at a local restaurant and had
one of the best sardines in the world, according to my husband, as I don’t eat fish.
lunch at El Jebha
People were happy to see us everywhere we went and greeted us with an enormous smile even
from behind the mask.
We continued to Oued Laou, where we stayed for a couple of nights before continuing to
Tetouan, my favorite city in Morocco. We took a day trip to the nearby town of M’Diq, which I
have to declare, it is the cleanest city in Morocco. Unfortunately, some beaches were still closed,
and we couldn’t participate in water sport activities like we usually do.
El Jebha
There is more to Morocco than just Jemma el-Fna and the dreamy desert sky. Morocco keeps on
awing me with its beautiful landscape and cute little towns like the one that we passed by when
we drove from Oued Laou to El Jebha. There, it seemed like the world that we know has no
effect on the inhabitants of this part of Morocco. Not necessarily, the friendliest people but the
most respectful and most genuinely proud Moroccans.
Tizgane
We made our way back to Fez, passing through the valley of Akchour. A place I visited in the
past and was discouraged by the crowd and the mess they created. It is a breathtaking valley
surrounded by waterfalls and only about thirty km from Chefchaouen.
We took a wrong turn and ended up having a great drive around the mountains surrounding the
second largest dam in Africa, Sad Al Wahda.
Akshour
Personally, the Mediterranean coast, whether in Morocco or Lebanon, will always have a special
place in my heart. I am fortunate to live in Fez, but every once and a while, I must nourish my
soul with some Moroccan vitamin sea.
x
She also has a beautiful Zellige inspired colouring book you can see HERE
