Posts by Yan55

But you’re still young and tireless!!! More amazing discoveries ahead... For us, it was fewer discoveries, for sure!!! But still really nice...

Hi Marie Jo, I just read your travel journal from your trip to Laos. We went there in 2012—it’s been a while! But it doesn’t seem like much has changed... I’ll keep following your posts with interest... We just got back from a month in India, a relaxed trip to Kerala and Gokarna... considering our age now! 😉😎

If you're looking for authentic spots that aren’t too touristy, avoid Ait Benhadou—it’s packed with tourists and souvenir vendors. Near Ouarzazate, there’s the Fint Oasis, a really pretty and peaceful place with welcoming locals. We had couscous at a village woman’s house there. We were trying to buy some bread, and a woman we asked for directions took us to this local resident who welcomed us into her courtyard...

I wrote a travel journal on this forum about our stay in Morocco. You’ll find some useful info there that might help you.

Hi Sylvaine, If you want to avoid tourist traps, don’t go to Ait Benhaddou. We were there in October, and that’s where we were surprised to see so many people from all nationalities arriving by the busload. Though it might depend on the season... On the other hand, if Ouarzazate isn’t very interesting, there’s a lovely spot nearby: the Fint Oasis, where we had couscous at a local’s home. Merzouga is also a very touristy destination, but it’s beautiful... We did a road trip with our camper van in September and October. You can check it out in my travel journal on this forum or on our personal site: "unendroitoualler.fr"

Hi Romain, No need to cover your head in Morocco, just like it’s been said, avoid clothes that are too short. You’re right to head south because in February, it can get cold. By the way, it’s snowing right now around Tafraoute where we were in October and it was really hot then. On the coast, it should be nicer in February. You might want to consider heading toward Sidi Ifni...

I had replied to you in a private message, but you probably didn’t see it. I think you must have arrived safely in Thailand by now...

Yeah, it’d be great to have dinner together. We’ll be there around 8 PM. If you wanna spot us, there’s a photo of us on our site: un endroit où aller.fr

Yes, Jean Marie, but we always decide at the last minute and we plan our trips only a short time in advance since we’re old now 😄 and we don’t know if we’ll be fit enough to go back to India... Besides, we hadn’t even booked the train to Kannur and there weren’t any seats left until this morning. Our wonderful landlady managed to find us a tatkal ticket, luckily! Phew! We’ll arrive tomorrow around noon in Kannur. I totally understand that you can’t host us and I’ll say bon voyage again and thanks once more...

Hi Yves, It's funny, we ate at the same restaurant—maybe we saw each other but didn’t know it!!! We go there every evening. Yesterday at lunchtime, we had lunch at a little dive near Aspinwall House where part of the Biennale is being held... Thanks for your message...

Hi Jean Marie, and have a great trip back to Thailand! It’s too bad you left just as we’ll be in Kerala... Hope you have a wonderful stay in Chiang Rai and the surrounding area. And that you’ll give us a little recap afterward, despite what you said...

We’re currently in Kochi, where we spent a great day visiting the different exhibits as part of the biennale. There are several along Bazar Road, which lets you step into old houses and warehouses and discover little gardens overlooking the fishing port. We’d been to Mattancherry several times before but hadn’t been able to go inside the buildings...

Tomorrow, we’re taking the train to Kannur! !

Thanks Monique, we’ll check that out. We just arrived in Kochi and tonight we went to Anantha Bhavan Inn, which we already knew and still love. Pure veg Indian cuisine in a patio with a big tree... Really good, cheap, and on Jacob Rd...

Hi Monique, I’ve known Kochi for a long time and go back regularly. The restaurants there are usually packed with Western tourists, and we much prefer the small, local eateries—which are hard to find in Kochi. I know one or two spots we go to regularly when we’re in the city, but that’s not many, and I was just wondering if anyone had a little gem to recommend to mix things up. Indian tourists don’t bother us—we’re in India, after all! And I don’t need a lecture...

I'm looking for a small, not-too-touristy restaurant in Fort Kochi. Do you know one not too far from Jacob Road? Thanks

Thanks for enjoying my story... These beaches are indeed really beautiful and not very crowded (at least in September—there must be more people in the summer when it’s hotter, I think...), and we really loved the lovely medina of Safi. We were so sorry to hear about the recent disaster there.

Hey Joël, yep, we passed through Ketama. No problem at all—we even wandered the streets where there was a big souk... Some guys offered us hash but didn’t insist. We’d already been to the Rif in 2009, but back then it was pretty close to harassment! Still, we were amazed by how widespread the cultivation is—it’s really everywhere. And the weed smell was something else, no need to smoke!!!

After Oued Laou, the road is no longer covered in dirt, and we arrive in Tetouan around 12:15 PM without any issues.

There’s a lot of traffic in the city. Despite that, we manage to park in a lot at the foot of the medina and head to the restaurant « El Restinga » for lunch. Oddly, there aren’t many restaurants in Tetouan. This place is packed, but there’s still a small table for us. Lucky! It turns out to be really good and affordable—we enjoy an excellent chicken pastilla. A great spot!

White Tetouan

Stroll through the medina: After wandering through several alleys, we take the busy « Rue de Fès ». Lots of vendors selling all sorts of things: food, odds and ends, cosmetics, materials, etc. It’s like a flea market all along « Rue de Fès » until the Souk El Fouki. Near Bab-Sebta, there are tanneries (they seem a bit abandoned now—we visited them in 2009, and they were in better shape). They’re not easy to find, either. We ask several people before finally locating them.

In the medina’s alleys

Rue de Fès, the food section

Near Bab-Sebta, you’ll find the Zaouia of the Derkaoua (a Sufi sanctuary)

The tanneries

The Jewish cemetery climbs up the hill

After running a few errands, we leave Tetouan... We park by the Asmir dam lake. It’s a bit tricky to find a spot because it’s crowded—families are picnicking with their braziers, despite the gray weather.

Just after we manage to park, we spot a young couple in trouble by the lake. Their car got stuck in the mud—they got too close to the marshy shore. We try to help with our recovery boards, but it doesn’t work! Luckily, some other young people come to the rescue, and after pushing hard, they finally get the car out. But now our boards are covered in sticky mud! By evening, everyone leaves. Tomorrow, we’re leaving Morocco. The ferry is scheduled for 1:30 PM. We still have a few days of travel left: driving up Spain with some nice stops along the coast, then crossing France to get home...

We arrive in El Jebha (or El Jebeha). After parking along the port, we go for a walk. It’s an active fishing port with white and blue houses. In the afternoon, there are lots of fish stalls in the streets. Fishermen are grilling sardines on braziers. Many restaurants have barbecues on their terraces and also offer grilled sardines. We buy about ten to take away because it’s 4 PM and we don’t feel like eating sardines at snack time! We’ll enjoy them for dinner.







Here, like everywhere in Morocco, you see cars with a coffee or tea percolator attached to the back.

Where are we going to park for the night?

We discover there’s a small campsite in the village of Thagassa. Thagassa is about ten kilometers from El Jebha. To get there, you have to take a small road that descends very steeply to the bottom of the cliff. At the bottom, there’s a mosque, a few houses, and fishing boats in front of the sea. To reach the campsite, you have to take a rocky, potholed track, crossed by a small wadi, at the end of the village. Yannick goes ahead to scout it out—it should be passable. Let’s go! And we’re glad we did! We’re welcomed warmly. The sea is right in front, and chairs invite us to relax. Perfect! (100 Dh/night) There are already three vans parked in this little secluded spot (a French couple, a German couple, and a solo Belgian).

Relaxing by the sea in Thagassa

The campsite’s little restaurant

Friday, October 10: We’re comfortable here, and the weather is beautiful... We’ll stay for a day of relaxation and sea bathing. It’s a good thing we’re staying today because it’s Friday, and that’s couscous day in Morocco—so also at the campsite’s little restaurant. It’s really excellent and hearty!

The day goes by pleasantly, but in the evening, the weather turns bad. Here comes the rain. Let’s hope we can leave tomorrow without any problems.

Saturday, October 11: It rained heavily with wind all night. We’re worried, but the campsite owner tells us it’ll be fine. He goes ahead to show us the best place to drive. It’s pretty slippery, but we make it—phew! The wadi coming down from the mountain has swollen a lot. The sea is all brown. The waves are carrying mud from the wadi. Impressive. Well, the first obstacle is behind us, as well as another branch of the wadi. But there’s still the very steep, wet road climbing up to the top of the cliff. Fortunately, our van climbs well, and here we are on the road. Phew again!

We follow the coastal road toward Tetouan. It’s raining, and the road is lined with large rocks that have fallen from the surrounding mountains. Not very reassuring! The sea is very rough and full of mud carried down by the wadis flowing strongly. When we pass through a small seaside resort near Oued Laou (maybe Quaa Asserasse?), the street along the coast is cluttered with large piles of earth and stones washed down from the ravined paths behind. Excavators are working to clear the road.

Bad weather this morning—the sea has changed color...

The wadis swelled enormously during the night...

Our overnight stop: After some research, we’re parking in the cedar forest just before Azrou on a high plateau at 1,800m. To get there, you take a dirt track and, along the way, we’re surprised to come face-to-face with a big truck. What’s it doing on this narrow, remote track? The driver signals that it’s passable, and we take the chance to ask what he’s carrying. He tells us it’s pozzolan—a volcanic rock—used to make cement. He even grabs a handful from the back to show us! He explains there’s a quarry further on. All evening, big trucks make round trips loaded with pozzolan. From where we’re parked, we can see them passing on the trail. Luckily, by 9 PM, it’s quiet. Let’s hope they don’t start too early tomorrow morning!



Wednesday, October 8: No big trucks during the night—phew! And this morning, the first one only passed at 8:30. We hit the road again toward Michlifen, where there’s a small winter sports resort with ski lifts. The mountain landscape, with its green meadows and cedar forests, contrasts sharply with the desert expanses we’ve just crossed. We pass through Azrou, then Ifrane, where the king has a summer residence. It’s very upscale there, with well-maintained flowerbeds and urban planning. The Ifrane forest is the most beautiful cedar grove in Morocco. Barbary macaques—also called "Berber macaques"—live here, and you can easily spot them by the roadside. They’re the only macaques found outside Asia.

We arrive in Sefrou, a small town we really liked... We park in a lot across from the medina. What a beautifully colorful and lively medina! It’s surrounded by crenellated walls and split in two by the Aggay riverbed (completely dry this season—and full of trash).

Along the riverbed: pink facades and tall trees





Several medina streets are filled with artisan workshops making passementerie (trimmings for dresses and djellabas). We’re intrigued by the number of shops selling small, flexible colored plastic tubes. A friendly merchant explains they’re used to make little round cherry-shaped buttons (a local specialty), embroidered with twisted thread and small motors. These buttons are used for caftans and djellabas and are made by many women in the area. Further on, we find ourselves in the food stall district. We buy some bread and small anise-flavored shortbread cookies. But also thick pancakes—smooth on one side and covered in little bumps on the other! They’re made from semolina... We’ll enjoy them for lunch.

Leaving Sefrou, we take the road skirting Fès. We visited its grand and beautiful medina in 2009 and want to keep the fond memories we have of it. Plus, we’re eager to end our trip with a short stay on the Mediterranean coast, so we’re heading north—and there’s still a long way to go. So, after Fès, we take the road toward Al-Hoceima. The landscape along the way is really unique—lunar, with white hills that look like giant crumpled dunes... A lunar landscape



There’s quite a bit of traffic on this road—big trucks moving very slowly and cars overtaking anywhere... On top of that, the road’s in bad shape, full of rocks and ongoing construction. It feels like driving on corrugated metal—really tough on people and the vehicle (everything shakes inside!). We turn toward Ketama, and luckily, the road gets better... but it’s still rough because Moroccans drive pretty badly, and there are several small, congested towns to get through. We need to find a spot to stop for the night. No campsites around here, and the first place we found isn’t accessible anymore due to major construction. We keep going another 50 km before finding another spot (thanks, P4N). It’s a small pull-off near the road, surrounded by vegetation. The scenery is gorgeous: sloping mountains planted with olive trees and holm oaks, with water down below... It could be worse! In the end, we slept well in this little spot... We heard trucks in the evening, but it quieted down at night. The next morning, kids on their way to school come by for a shy visit. They’re not used to tourists around here. After standing in front of the van for a long time, they finally ask, "Money?" When we say no, they don’t insist...

We hit the road again... It’s still full of construction. There’ve been landslides, and large sections of the road are covered in rubble. Further on, other parts are being repaved, so we get our hopes up—only to hit more construction with big machines, piles of dirt, and rocks everywhere. Plus, we have to deal with big trucks and cars/minibuses overtaking anywhere! Lots of curves—it’s a mountain road, and the edges are often damaged. It’s no picnic, that’s for sure!!!

In the Rif, it’s cannabis harvest season! Around here, it’s grown on a large scale. You can see plantations everywhere—on hillsides, near houses, on the smallest plots... The harvested plants are left to dry in the sun on rooftops, balconies, tarps on the ground, etc... The smell is strong! Kids leaving school walk through the cannabis fumes.

Some men offer us some, but when we refuse, they don’t insist. Cannabis and hay drying side by side!

Ketama: There’s a big souk in town today, and the streets are packed with all kinds of vehicles, pedestrians, and stalls... It’s 10:40 AM, and not all the vendors have finished setting up. Trucks are still arriving, and the fishmongers (coming from the coast?) are just starting to unload their crates... Finally, we manage to cross the main street and park at the edge of town. Then, we head to the market to do our shopping. It’s lively, with everything you could want. Each specialty has its own section—beef, poultry, vegetables, etc...

At the edge of town, there’s even a cannabis producers’ cooperative!

Our journey continues. After Ketama, the road is in good condition. Very winding, it snakes through stunning mountain landscapes. The weather’s beautiful—the sun’s warm, and the cannabis fumes really stand out. The whole mountain smells of it! After lunch, clouds start clinging to the peaks, and soon, we’re surrounded by fog. We’re definitely in the Rif! Luckily, it’s not too dense, and the white line marking the middle of the road is still visible.

After the Todgha Gorge, the palm grove, and the village of Aït-Boujane

we head to the parking lot/belvedere overlooking the large palm grove. There are souvenir vendors, of course, but the parking lot is very spacious, and we find a quiet spot to park and have lunch (after shooing away the kids who are quite a nuisance around here). Tour buses or cars occasionally stop to admire the view of the palm grove. Immediately, they’re swarmed by vendors trying to get them to buy something… Next, we go to Tineghir:



We park in the center and walk to the old ksar Aït Lhaj Ali and the mellah (the former Jewish quarter). Earthen walls line the narrow alleys, and in the commercial district, there are various small shops. After visiting Tineghir, we want to see the old Ikelane mosque/medersa. We get lost on the way and struggle to find it. Fortunately, some very friendly kids help us navigate through the palm grove… What’s more, they don’t ask for anything and even refuse the reward we offer for guiding us there… We follow the paths through the large palm grove, which is more like an olive grove in this area. Very lush, it’s planted with many fruit trees (olive trees, pomegranates, fig trees…) Arrows pointing to the mosque are painted in several places, but we had to find the start of the trail! There’s probably another access through the ruined ksar behind it—mystery! The guardian (whom we wake up!) shows us the different rooms, gives us lots of explanations, and takes us up to the muezzin’s terrace. At the end of the visit, we give him 40 Dh (you give what you want). In the Ikelane mosque, the prayer room

The ablution room, with a 28m-deep well that still has water...

On the terrace, the dome that was damaged by lightning

Beautiful view of the palm grove (or rather, the olive grove) from the top of the terrace

For the night, about twenty kilometers from Tineghir, we park on a bare patch of land in the mountains. Stunning view and absolute tranquility… Monday, October 6: We cross more arid landscapes until we reach Tinejdad.

You have to stop just before the actual town of Tinejdad to access the old ksar. We visited it in 2009. Back then, the oued had overflowed, and we had to cross a temporary bridge by wading through. Today, the oued is completely dry, and we cross on foot after parking the van across the way. Here, women wear "haïks," black (or white) fabric embroidered with bright Berber patterns. In 2009, there was a women’s cooperative selling embroidered haïks—I even bought one. This time, I didn’t see anything; everything was closed… The old ksar of Tinejdad

And we arrive in Goulmina:

We stop along a shopping street to pick up a few supplies. As I step out of the van, I come face-to-face with a man who looks like a Westerner. He’s accompanied by a Moroccan. I ask them where the "old ksar Goulmina" mentioned in the Gandini guide is. They tell us it’s 1.2 km away and kindly point us in the right direction. Soon, we arrive at the gate flanked by two towers, one of which is the mosque’s minaret. Across from it is a large open space used for threshing during harvest season and as a parking lot the rest of the time. That’s where we park the van. A guy quickly introduces himself as an official guide (he has a badge)… We accept his offer. He only asks for a ridiculously small payment, and he turns out to be very interesting (so we end up giving him more!) He explains the life of the ksar’s inhabitants, takes us through the different alleys, courtyards, and covered passages, and shows us the stables where goats and donkeys are raised… The gate of the old ksar Goulmina

After visiting the ksar, the guide shows us the lush gardens behind it: palm trees, fig trees, olive trees, and various crops

It’s high time for lunch when we leave the ksar and our friendly guide. To exit the ksar’s neighborhood, we have to take a fairly narrow alley, and it’s school dismissal time! Lots of kids on foot and bikes flood the street. We have to wait a good while before we can get through! After lunch, the road continues north. We cross the city of Errachidia, passing near the Hassan-Addakhil dam lake—a vast expanse of intensely blue water surrounded by rocky hills. Tamarix plantations have been set up all along the road, which is a great initiative. For now, they’re still very small… Then we follow the Ziz Valley…

For the night, we’re setting up at the "Jurassic Park" campsite. This campsite is pleasant, not overcrowded, and affordable. It’ll let us refill our water and empty the tanks. There’s even a pool, but we won’t get to enjoy it—it’s too late tonight… Tuesday, October 7: We leave "Jurassic Park" and head north toward Midelt, passing under the Legionnaire’s small tunnel. In Midelt, we go shopping at the municipal market. The city seems much more modern than we remember (though maybe our memory is playing tricks on us!) We have lunch on the terrace of a small eatery, the "Berber Restaurant." Good lamb tagines and vegetables (45 Dh each)… We leave the city and make a short stop to have coffee near a small oued that forms a kind of oasis in this desert landscape: grass, reeds, apple trees, and almond trees. This bucolic scenery is very relaxing. Too bad the road runs so close by… As we drive through the mountains, the sky fills with thick clouds, and a few drops even fall. But the blue sky quickly returns… Greenery now lines the road, and in the fields, large herds of sheep and goats graze—even cows! What a change of scenery! The road is good, but there are lots of big trucks loaded to the brim (straw bales sticking out everywhere), and since it’s uphill, they’re moving very slowly. With all the curves, it’s hard to pass them. Sometimes we have to drive at 12 km/h for several kilometers.

Friday, October 3: We set off fairly late from the Amridil campsite, and drive to El-Kelaa des M’gouna, through a rather unappealing landscape of vast, rocky desert. Still scorching hot today! In El-Kelaa, we do some shopping. The town is packed with shops selling rose-based products, but we still manage to find bread and vegetables! We head toward Bou-Tahrar... The road leading to the Valley of Roses on the outskirts of El-Kelaa is under heavy construction. So much so that we have to drive on a bumpy, gravelly track covered in dust and pebbles. Speed limit signs are everywhere. And it goes on like this for about 20 km! There’s so much construction work in Morocco these days... Finally, we emerge onto a well-maintained road that follows a beautiful green landscape: eroded ochre and pink mountains overlooking the oued lined with vegetation. It’s a welcome change from the desert expanses we’ve been crossing!

For lunch, we take a small road/track down to the edge of the oued. We stop for a much-needed break in this lovely setting. The spot is flat and sandy but firm, so there’s no risk of getting stuck... After this pleasant moment—a picnic by the water—we get back on the road and follow the oued through breathtaking scenery.



We first arrive in Tamaloute, where we don’t linger, then in Bou-Tahrar, a pretty village with the old Aït-Oumergdane kasbah at its center. Kids are playing soccer in the street, others are carrying wood and branches on their mules, and some are racing down the street on their bikes. Since it’s Friday, the shops are closed—the street belongs to them... Friendly vibe. Often in villages, young kids, as soon as they see tourists, have gotten into the habit of begging for candy, pens, or dirhams. Now, the older kids keep an eye on them and stop them. It’s a good thing because it was getting pretty annoying! The kasbah of Aït-Boumergdane

He’s loading the mule!!! In Bou-Tahrar village, a soccer game in the street...

We decide to park for the night at the spot where we had lunch, by the M’Goun oued. Several vehicles pass by us since there are villages on the other side of the oued and a ford. They greet us warmly, and some kids on bikes even give us two beautiful pomegranates! Nice... Olive trees, pomegranate trees, tall reeds, and oleanders line the water, along with silver birches, corn, and alfalfa fields. It’s not rose season... As in all oases, women walk by carrying sacks of fodder on their backs to feed the animals kept in the courtyards. Saturday, October 4: We head toward Boulmane-du-Dadès... and follow the Dadès Valley. The road is lined with adobe villages, crops, and orchards along the oued, with rocky geological formations called “monkey fingers” towering above. A parking lot is set up in front of these rounded rocks to welcome tourists. It’s a major tourist spot in Morocco: hikers, cyclists with their guides come from Marrakech by minibus. The Valley of the "Monkey Paws"

After a quick photo stop of the rocks along the valley, we continue and enter the gorges. The road is bordered by magnificent rock formations, deep canyons, and breathtaking landscapes... And hardly anyone around!

And the big tortoise...

Msemrir: We’d already been here in 2009 and are having a hard time recognizing it. It’s market day, and there’s a lively atmosphere... It’s 3:30 PM, and the vendors are packing up their goods. Back when we visited, in Msemrir, it was the “end of the tarmac”... Some very friendly gentlemen tell us that now the road continues all the way to Agoudal, where you can reach the Todgha Gorges. So we’ll be able to take this beautiful, well-maintained road, which climbs gently through lunar landscapes dotted with stone houses and apple orchards. This is apple country! For the night, we park in the barren mountains at 2,815 meters altitude, about 20 km from Msemrir. The spot is a bit polluted with oil stains (it was a stop for machinery during the road construction), but the surrounding mountain scenery is stunning... Anyway, it’s too cold to eat outside! And it’s very quiet—no traffic around here...

Two little donkeys keep us company... It’s nice to see donkeys that aren’t tied up or loaded with heavy bundles! Sunday, October 5:

The night in the mountains near Msemrir was pretty chilly, but luckily, we have a good duvet (which we hadn’t had a chance to use until now)! We set off again on the beautiful road toward Agoudal... Along the way, we pick up an elderly gentleman walking with his stick and slippers! He wants to go to Agoudal, 18 km away, and there aren’t many vehicles on this road! There’s activity in the fields this morning: plowing with mule teams, women and children picking apples and fodder, others digging with hoes. Along the way, we spot Berber nomads with their herds in the mountains.

Soon, the road becomes completely wrecked, full of potholes, but the landscape is still magnificent! We buy bread in the village of Aït-Hani. The kids ask for candy, pens, or dirhams—one even throws a rock at us! What a welcome! But as soon as an adult approaches, they stop... Next, we arrive in Tamtatouche, which we just pass through. A dam has just been built right after the village... And we enter the Todgha Gorges. There still aren’t too many tourists—hardly anyone on the road...

The closer we get to the narrows where the Todgha has carved deep gorges, the more traffic there is.

At the entrance to the narrows, there are large parking lots, but very few vehicles are parked there. The strangest thing is that in the gorge itself—at a narrow passage by the oued—there’s a huge traffic jam: three tourist buses are parked on the side, and another is coming from the opposite direction. The driver, probably a beginner, doesn’t dare to move forward. He’s afraid of falling into the oued! Several people try to guide him. We’re completely stuck... After a long while, he finally decides to pass, and we can finally move forward! And all this because the buses, instead of parking in the lots, do it right in the middle of the narrows so tourists have less walking to do!!! Ridiculous! There are souvenir vendors set up all along... and even a little bar with a terrace! The locals, with their families, come to picnic by the oued. They watch this spectacle with amusement...