Friday 19 February

Wind and rain overnight had died down although there was still a breeze drying things out when we made a latish start – we can't hear the Immams call to prayers here see.........

After breakfast a session cleaning and servicing the van again – the outside is filthy after yesterdays journey and it's going to need more than a bucket and cloth this time. Anyway there is still rain in the forecast so it can wait a bit. Incidentally we learned that it was actually snowing up at Tafraoute – looks like we got out at a good time.

After lunch the skies cleared so, as hoped, we walked down to the town along the seafront and to the Medina, which is still referred to as the Portuguese City, despite them having left 450 years ago! The Rough Guide was mildly enthusiastic about the place but we found it rather uninteresting, most of the buildings poorly repaired and generally uncared for, which is of course quite typical for Morocco. The exception was the Cistern, an underground vault that we really couldn't get a proper idea of what it was for, except that the floor was mostly covered in a thin sheet of water reflecting the arches, and our “guide” only mentioned that when it rained it flooded. Photogenic though.

We explored a little further, investigating the walls and came across what was most probably the Spanish Chapel. The Rough Guide had warned that it was abandoned and our Cistern guide confirmed it's location, so we viewed what was really a derelict and defaced building, held up only by those surrounding it. No signs, nothing touristy at all, in fact even we were taken no notice of.

Don't ask me, no idea

So we wandered out of the Medina and crossed the main street to the town square which, it being 4.00 pm, was starting to come alive. We stopped for a coffee then headed back towards the campsite along what was very obviously the main street, full of shops and street traders, offices, apartments and new developments; in fact very busy indeed. El Jadida, as well as being the site of ancient settlements, is very much a modern city, as cities go in Morocco.

Back to the van (it surely wasn't that far when we walked in?) for a welcome cuppa before a latish tea and a quiet and probably early night. Tomorrow we hit the road again.

Incidentally the campsite has a small flock of peacocks, well one peacock and several peahens, one of which was albino.