The benefits of biking become clear, when we smell the scenery, colliding with very fragrances that make Morocco so different from Europe. This may be a cedar forest or perhaps rotting dog or rubbish dump; regardless of the source it makes for a total sensory experience. The plastic bags and litter decorating trees, fences and roadsides creating a festive effect, the colours lighting up the countryside like a dusty, filthy Christmas day.
After the previous days experience of being offered 'special tobacco' on several occasions, today we headed towards Fez, famous for its 'happy tobacco'. You can smell the stuff as you ride by, tainted with local olive oil pressing/ processing, make for interesting sniffing as you ride by.
Turning away from the direction of Fez we stopped for lunch; it was a meat stew in a very local 'restaurant' at the top of a foothill with spectacular views. It was very tasty, once you put the hygiene questions behind you. Some hard core off-roaders on their way home to Liverpool joined us, they were knackered; they had been riding down in the Western Sahara (47 degrees C) pushing bikes in deep sand.
We were hassled a bit today, people wanting money. We asked one lad, why aren't you at school? He said he been expelled for breaking things! His Dad was loitering watching his technique, he eventually told him to stop bothering us – he didn't.
There are fewer tourists now, definitely 'into the country' now, rather than the fringes. Staying in Auberge Du Dernier Lion Atlas that seems pleasant enough (150 drm for B and B) searched around a bit for it though, shower was fantastic!
Cracked the 1000 mile mark today. Tomorrow Marrakech maybe?
Mileage: 158In Azrou
Mark just filled up
Crossroads
Setting off from Azrou
Air guitar in the Atlas
Hot
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