Beautiful Blue Chefchaouen

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Arrived in the pretty mountain town of Chefchaouen after a 3 ½ hour bus journey from Fes. You know when you’re there as suddenly there is this blue painted town stretching up. Found another lovely little guest house where we were the only occupants. Beautiful town, most buildings are painted a sort of white wash blue, with blue front doors. After the relative quiet of the last couple of weeks we’re definitely back in tourist land. Every other shop is a gift shop. Took a lot of photos very quickly, it’s that kind of place.

Early in the morning we walked out of town past the laundry area where the river is channeled and a there’s a purpose built washing area under shade with scrub boards and flowing water. When we walked up there were a few local women at work. On the way back there were a couple of tourists washing clothes otherwise the whole river area was full of young men, just sitting and enjoying the river and young boys splashing in it. It was a great walk, the first part well paved up to the Spanish mosque. At the first farmhouse we saw some women at a big domed outdoor oven, we stopped and greeted them and tried to show interest in what they were doing. They were very friendly and offered us some of the lovely freshly baked cookies they had just taken out.

All along the walk were great views back to Chefchaouen as we were walking up a hill facing the town. Continued on up a rougher track to the next village’s mosque. Saw some pretty zebra-striped swallow-tailed butterflies.

After the hike (about 3 hours) we sat in the main plaza for coffee and cold water, good to sit and watch the world go by. As we walked around town today there was very much the feeling of preparing for the big festival tomorrow as today will be the last day of Ramadan. There were trays of biscuits cooling down in alleyways and women walking around with covered trays piled high with sweet things.

Had a pleasant evening at Aladdin’s restaurant. Way up on a top roof terrace overlooking the plaza and Kasbah. Much better food there than in the square below where we had eaten the day before.

For breakfast the next morning our hostess had prepared piles of different types of cookies and other sweet dishes as well as special crepes. Super filling and indulgent!

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