Overall a rather lazy day. Started the day without coffee – and anyone who knows me would tell you that it leaves me with a temper – it is Ramadan and everything is closed – and it will be my first lesson of Arabic with M’hamed as my teacher. At the end of the course I got hustled for his sick sister undergoing radiotherapy, and thus was my contribution in exchange for the sounds that are so different sand cannot be captured phonetically. Thereafter set out again, continuing East from El-Jehba. Today was mainly tar, not for a lack of trying, but all the dirt roads took me to someone’s house, and I had to turn around again. In the end I found a beautiful road (coordinates saved as cannabis heaven) leading me to what I thought might be a secluded private spot on the beach, but it was not to be. Instead the pristine prime mediterranean beach front was home to large cannabis plantations right to the beach, along with a 3 engined speed boat to get the stuff across to Spain.

      And I do not think I was actually welcome there, even if the guy explaining me that the road was another dead end was friendly enough. Guys like bikes, and the dirtier you are, the more they seem to like it. So I am like everybody else :-).

After that I pretty much moved directly to Al-Hoceima, which is built on a mountain ridge above the sea. It is pretty impressive, and has some tourist monsters that would fit better into Florida with no one there. Let’s hope this is not boom and bust, and a mirror image of the coste del sol on the other side. The guide books say this place is peaceful and tranquil for tourists, and I confirm the experience. Much fewer distrustful stares, many more friendly connections without hustling. Crashed in the afternoon, not sure if for the intensity of yesterday’s ride, dehydration or heat exhaustion in this environment between 35 and 42 degrees Celsius, or a lack of caffeine?…. Anyway, for the hour after sunset the city was deserted, not a car or person on the road, just to explode like crazy right after. Ramadan at night is definitely not sad at all. Now sitting on a beach north west of the city and observing the people which have such a different concept of personal space and proximity to your average westerner.