Welcome to Africa, Tangier and Medina

  1. Roadtrip to Morocco
  2. First leg on the road trip – from Copenhagen to Alicante
  3. Welcome to Africa, Tangier and Medina
  4. The last days in Morocco, the Hercules cave, Casabarata and a Hammam
  5. Making it home for christmas – no, wait. Making it to Madrid for New Years!
  6. What is a Hammam and why I decided to try one?

First night in Tangier

At around 20:00 (8pm) we arrived at Tangier port. With a beatiful view to the oldest part of the town, Medina, and the walls surrounding it, we entered Africa. Immediately we were approached by a seemingly friendly guy that wanted to show us around and help us find a hostel or a place to stay. The prizes he quoted seemed reasonable compared to what we could find on the internet but as we didn’t want to book the first the best thing we got offered, we decided to say no. He then offered us to buy some hash instead which we also politely refused.

We walked for about 5 mins out of the harbor (about 5 guys asked us if we wanted a taxi) before another guy told us not to go the direction we were heading because it was dangerous. We decided to follow his advice and go another way. He followed us and started talking to us and of course he wanted to show us a hotel he knew (very good price – best price and good beds) – this guy, however, didn’t stop following us until we gave him some money. It turned out that this was neither the first nor the last time that “helpful” locals offered us their help. Later that evening after we had found a hostel we walked around the town for a bit and a guy offered to help us. A “no” and “please leave” didn’t deter him and after we told him more and more sternly to leave (and gave him some money) he left us with a “Fuck you!” as his last words. We then had a tea and pondered upon our recent experience.

For another hour we walked around Medina and looked at the people and the surroundings. This place is like taken directly out of a James Bond movie with extremely narrow streets and odd buildings. People hanging on every street corner and small shops selling all kinds of things and trinkets. It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before and something worth experiencing! It was very easy to get lost and we did so too a couple of times which resulted in us ending up in dead ends of various more or less illuminated alleys. Despite dark dead end alleys it all seemed safe though.

I could see James bond jumping between this buildings, chasing a perp
I could see James bond jumping between these buildings, chasing a perp

Second day in Tangier

We had a delicious breakfast at the hostel and ventured out. People kept approaching us to help but we got better at saying no right away. Telling them we knew what we wanted and where we were going helped, politeness and no thank you didn’t. We walked around and outside Medina to see if we could rent a scooter but with no luck.

Instead we got to see alot of the town and some nice views over the Mediterranean Sea and we found a local watering hole with a very (genuinely) friendly bartender who talked to us and explained things while we had a beer. He also kept bringing us tapas of various kinds, until we were completely full – for free! He was indeed very friendly and made me restore faith in people not wanting something for their help 🙂

We also had Flag and Stork beer
We had a local beer called Casablanca

He also told us where to get a Shisha and surprisingly we found the place about 10 mins away very easily.

The tea was very sweet!
Shisha and Tea

I am now back in the hostel and it was actually a very nice day. Tomorrow we plan on going to see Chefchaouen up in the nearby mountains which is apparently a very nice place with excellent views!

First leg on the road trip – from Copenhagen to Alicante

  1. Roadtrip to Morocco
  2. First leg on the road trip – from Copenhagen to Alicante
  3. Welcome to Africa, Tangier and Medina
  4. The last days in Morocco, the Hercules cave, Casabarata and a Hammam
  5. Making it home for christmas – no, wait. Making it to Madrid for New Years!
  6. What is a Hammam and why I decided to try one?

We started directly from after our respective Christmas lunches with our families. Said goodbye to our parents and to all the people that told us this was a bad idea and why didn’t we just fly?

At 20:30 (8.30pm) we had made it across the ferry to Germany. I took the first leg and before we knew it, going 180km/t on the German autobahn, we had made it to Liege, Belgium. The gas mileage dropped from 18km/L to about 12km/l but the average speed was above 150km/t according to the car computer.

Belgium had some of the most empty roads I’ve ever seen. Not a car going the opposite direction for up towards 10 mins and lots of empty parking lots. Didn’t see a rest stop or a gas station either for several 100 kms but luckily we had enough gas. At 04:30 (am) we hit Luxembourg and had a local waffle and beer (Bofferding beer) and I went to bed on the back seat.

They were delicious
Waffles and Beer at a rest stop in Luxembourg

When I woke up about 9 hours later we were on the border to spain. We had passed France while I slept and from the sporadic conversations I had heard from the front seat, French drivers are really bad drivers. Mileage was now up to 18km/l due to the more moderate average speed of 120km/t

I took over driving again and 8 hours later at 22:00 (10pm) we checked in to a hostel in Alicante, Spain.

In Alicante, we had the most awesome tapas and beer and Sangria. All tapas was 90 eurocents and all beers were 30 cents. The waiters were running around with beer and tapas of various kinds, chicken, squid, anchovies, ham, sausages etc. and whenever you wanted some you just grabbed it from the plate. In the end they counted the empty glasses and the empty plates to get the final bill. Such a simply concept and such brilliant food for so little money. Why can’t we have this in Denmark!?

To sum up : in about 24 hours we had driven 2800km non-stop across 6 countries and had made it from the north of Europe to the Mediterranean Sea. Only about 6 hours driving and a ferry from Tarifa to Tangier and we are in Africa!

At a rest stop in France
In France they are very zealous about signs. I think I understand that this is the wrong way
Exciting!

Roadtrip to Morocco

  1. Roadtrip to Morocco
  2. First leg on the road trip – from Copenhagen to Alicante
  3. Welcome to Africa, Tangier and Medina
  4. The last days in Morocco, the Hercules cave, Casabarata and a Hammam
  5. Making it home for christmas – no, wait. Making it to Madrid for New Years!
  6. What is a Hammam and why I decided to try one?

Taking a roadtrip all the way to Morocco in Africa from the cold north of Denmark, Europe might at first glance seem like a fool’s errand. It’s more expensive, slower and more uncomfortable than flying. And to top it off we, me and two good buddies, only have 8 days which is barely enough to drive the 3200 km’s there and the 3200 km’s to get back again. So why even do it? The answer is simple – because it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. Just grab your car and drive to Africa. Tomorrow, on the 2nd day of christmas, after christmas lunch with the families we are heading off down the German autobahn, crossing through France and Spain (and possibly Switzerland or Belgium and Holland depending on the route) all the way to Algeciras, Spain. From there we will take the ferry to Tangier.

We don’t have much planned other than to celebrate New Years in Morocco which itself could turn out to be quite the experience, seeing as they don’t really celebrate it down there and also due to the fact that alcohol isn’t really such an incorporated part of their culture as is it is back home. Maybe smoke a shisha?

Alright then, but that’s it for now. Better get packing. Stay tuned for updates the next couple of days.

With satnav and bluetooth!
Our chariot for the trip