From Spain to Morocco

Stopped at a small city called Chiclana de la Frontera and ordered new rear shock absorber bushes promised in three days.

Chiclana is a pleasant place and my hotel had a lock up garage as well as being in walking distance from the centre.

There is a popular beach 26km away with a (rare) self serve automatic laundry.

After three days I went back to the motorcycle shop and they replaced the rear brake linings and changed the oil for E75(AUD$113) but said the bushes were still three days away.
Next day went for a ride to Cadiz

The museum was free and well worth a visit.

So after the sixth day my kindly hotel receptionist telephoned the motorcycle shop to see if the elusive bushes had arrived. NO. Wait another three days. This is when I regretted my Spanish lessons did not include swear words. Left the next morning for Algeciras and went to the Yamaha dealer there and paid for the bushes for collection on 28th when I will be back from Morocco. Left all my camping gear at the hotel and caught the 90 minute ferry to Africa the next morning.

The cranes which unload the container ships are some of the biggest in the world

Police on board stamped my passport and pre-printed customs declaration for the bike made customs on arrival pain free if slow.  Found an ATM for some Moroccan Dirnams and happily the insurance office was shut so made a saving there. On the road to Chefchachoan where found Dar Scotlandee, a guesthouse high up on a breezy hill overlooking the valley.

Morocco is very third world with lots of rubbish, piles of neglected rubble everywhere and donkeys and horses used for transport.
Chefchaouen is known as the blue city.

The guesthouse staff were rearing an orphaned desert fox as a pet.

Spent two nights at Chefchaouen then left for Fes.  Without Sat Nav maps for Morocco the strategy is to ride as close as you can to your hotel, then pay a taxi to lead you there.

Road wound through the Rif mountains and straightened out onto plains with intensive agriculture.
My Fes hotel was right next to the medina (Old town)

Next morning made my way to the famous Fes tanneries, in constant operation since the 14th century.

 All natural ingredients are used. The white vats are used for softening the hides with pigeon poo. Yellow is saffron, brown from henna etc.