I spent the first 3 months of 2025 in
Morocco and visited and/or stayed in 6 cities: Tangier, Asilah, Martil, Rabat, Tetouan, Chefchaouen. It took me that long to discover that this culture is NOT for me. I only made one friend while living there, but many people were very helpful along the way. But the standards are low compared to Canada. Animals on the loose and a cash society. It was Ramadan that did me in. The whole month of March with nothing being open all day..... No chance of celebrating St. Paddy's day. I found a nice restaurant in
Martil, once the sun goes down, and I sat next to a woman who helps me order with her Arabic language. The next time I went to the restaurant she invited me to join her family at their table. One day I rented a vespa and rode to the enclave of
Ceuta, Spain just to sit on a patio with a beer and food at lunch ! I have been learning Spanish on Duolingo for a year and a half now. Canadian passport makes it quick and easy to move between these countries.
I also rented a bicycle and rode for 2 hours until it started to rain buckets. I have registed on a site called HelpX where hosts exchange room and board for help with chores for a specified amount of hours.
I found one offer in
Los Canos de Meca, Spain. Late March I took the ferry from Ceuta, Spain - the enclave in Morocco - to
Algeciras, Spain and met the Canadian Consolate to Morocco on board. She and her daughter were going on vacation in Spain. Had dinner in this city and then got a taxi up the coast to Los Canas de Meca. Big beautiful beach and a lovely sunset followed by a sky full of stars !
I meet a new French friend there, Francoise, and we are keeping in touch, but the host was not on the up and up. I got out of town 5 days later by hitch hicking.
Another nice French woman, Valerie, picked me up and drove me to a hotel in Barbate, Spain where I stayed the night. Getting cash from the bank here cost 8 Euro in service fees to add to the exchange rate on the Cdn dollar. Lovely small city with a big wide beach.
There are war ships on the horizen and stealth aircraft around. I am told this practice happens every year at this time. A taxi back south to
Tarifa, Spain where I got a hostel for 2 nights. This is a Kite flying town. It is also the southern most point on the European Continent.
But I was unhithered and went back to
Tangier on a ferry on rough seas. Arrived in Morocco without wifi at 6:30 pm. A very helpful American family (who did not want to admit to being American) helped me find my bnb in the madinas aray of lane ways and poor numbering system. Noise all night. Arranged to get out of Morocco a few days later via a flight to
Montpellier, France. The line up for customs was too long and only 4 staff and people crowding me. The Air Arabic flight was 1 hour behind, but got off the ground quickly. Had a nice conversation with a gentleman on my flight who was practicing his English. French Immigration was very quick and efficient. I got my luggage and a taxi to the train station. Then caught a train to
Beziers - just 30 minutes away but it was 11 pm and a French man helped me buy a ticket as the kiosk was in French. Got to my University apartment at midnight after walking 6 blocks in the dark. In April not many students around and breakfast is included. It is very peaceful all night - no animals or people noise - such a relief.
Got yet another Orange sim card from a Tabac for 10 euros. I have been wandering the streets and took a little train ride and trying to figure out my next move. There are a surprising large number of Muslim here. French culture is so easy to align to and I meet and talk to people so willing to converse in my limited language. The streets are clean (after Morocco I have an issue with garbage) and things are calm and beautifully preserved. The HISTORY... even in this small town. And my Tangerine debit card works perfectly. There is a large beautifil garden - Plateau de Poetes - in the centre of town, with an impressive fountain of Atlas.
A beautiful outdoor mall has a carosel, bowling and a cinema. The weather has been great. To fill my time I have found a aquatic centre to go swimming in....after all this time I have not gone swimming ! I will get a train into Montpellier to explore that city. There are many historic churches here and an old prison converted to a hotel. I will have to get working again as despite the lower costs here I am certainly not saving anything with travel costs. It is 7 pm here in Beziers and the sun is still up and I can walk around the corner to a cafe next to the river Orb that has life and people. What a wonderful thing. The Orb river has a set of locks. I find parks and walk thru them. I walked by a large, old stone round structure that was a bull ring in some other time. On Saturday I walked over an hour to a 3 Brasseurs. This is the 2nd one in France (the original in Lille) to add to my Montreal and Toronto visits.
