By motorbike from Prague to Sahara – part 14
The Blue City of Chefchaouen
When you meet a guide
In the morning while having breakfast in the riad in Tetouan I noticed the presence of another person. He was an American living in various European countries and making a living as a tourist guide. He sat down next to me and we started talking. He visited Morocco 10 years ago and the experience was not entirely positive. But they decided to give Morocco a second chance. And this time he was excited. He rented a car and drove across Morocco. It was his last day in Morocco, so he immediately advised me what to avoid, what to watch out for and what not to miss.
What more could you ask for at the beginning of exploring a foreign country? I get on my motorbike and head towards the blue city of Chefchaouen.
Meditation in the grass
There is nothing like summer days when you just sit on the grass in the shade of a bushy tree, listening to the wind playing with its leaves. Liberating paralysis in a moment. It’s hard to convince yourself at such a moment to get back on the hot seat of the motorcycle and continue on the road. But I only have 4 days to get to Marrakesh. It’s time to move on.
Meditation in the grass
There is nothing like summer days when you just sit on the grass in the shade of a bushy tree, listening to the wind playing with its leaves. Liberating paralysis in a moment. It’s hard to convince yourself at such a moment to get back on the hot seat of the motorcycle and continue on the road. But I only have 4 days to get to Marrakesh. It’s time to move on.
The Blue City of Chefchaouen
I enter the city of Chefchaouen and I am immediately greeted by the street parking attendant. He shows me where to park the motorbike and assures me that he will look after it. I’m going on a detour around town. I know from a guide from Tetouan that this town is a tourist trap. Everyone who comes to Morocco wants to see this city, so it’s like on the St. Matthew’s pilgrimage. Hundreds of shops and street vendors are waiting for the next opportunity to start selling tricks.
Blue Labyrinth
The city is full of winding little streets and everything is on a hill. So you are constantly wandering up and down, you go up endless stairs to a place where the only way leads, and that is down the stairs. Finally, I manage to reach the upper walls of the city, where a little boy is already waiting for me with a pointed finger pointing to the best place to view the city. Apparently he expected a tip for the advice. I, in turn, expected that he was directing me into a trap for robbers. We both didn’t get one, which is fair. I avoid the place where the boy pointed and got a wonderful view of the whole city and the surrounding countryside.
It’s lunch time. I’m going back to the labyrinth. The steamer is to die for and I order something typically Moroccan to eat in the cozy little square. That’s exactly what my order was: “Something typically Moroccan to eat”. I get tagine and this is what it looks like.
I have to admit that the city of Chefchaouen is really beautiful and worth a visit. I took the advice of the guide from Tetouan not to stay there more than a few hours. There’s definitely a lot to discover here, maybe I’ll come back here on the way back.
Spoiler: I won’t return.
I arrive back at the motorbike. A volunteer security guard is showing a lady how to park. It doesn’t make the situation any easier for her and the lady doesn’t even follow him, but that doesn’t bother him at all.
He casually stands nearby, I hand him some change and we both say goodbye with a smile. It is one of the more pleasant experiences with the self-proclaimed guardians of cars and motorbikes that still awaits me in Morocco.
