Morrocco Day 19 - Chefchaouen

Hiking the Rif  Mountains was today's agenda. We set off early and started the steep uphill climb.

 On the way we ran into an Intrepid group also hiking. They invited us to join them for mint tea with a local family. So we went, not knowing that this would involve a very steep, narrow track through the harvested marijuana plantations. We arrived at this small hut where a family of twelve children oversea the plantation. It got very stuffy in the tiny lounge room with dad smoking the harvest in the next room!

We said goodby to the group as we decided to continue up towards the highest peak in the Rif Mountains. That's it on the right of centre.

Nearly at the top, it was an exhausting climb.

Helen recovers.

I headed up to the ridge.

Thank goodness I brought my knee support, sure needed it going downhill. We kept lamenting the theft of our poles in Lisbon.

Crocus

The pictures never show how hard it really is!

There were lots of people up in the mountains, not always visible, but I'm sure they knew we were there. Couldn't work out what was kept in the tagine shaped structures.

Resting those knees.

At last we got back down to the Atlas Hotes where we had a well deserved Flag Special. Never has a beer tasted so good! 22km round trip.

We heard singing below and looked over the edge to see a funeral in progress. Only men. The singing, low and a bit Gregorian, lasted for ages.

Tomorrow Asilah, we have been warned that 'free seating' on the bus may not mean actually getting a seat.