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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Feb 10, 2005 07:00 PM 4WD to the Ouadane...
The cost of the expedition is not so high if you will find few people to share: landcruiser cost 18000 ougija for the car with local driver plus fuel...
Alejuta in the local dress and black turban arrived at 9am...
He is experienced driver. One hour later we crossed picturesque range of Adrar Mts. It was all gravel road full of stones and bumps; only climb to the pass is paved. First stop was close to the picturesque historical ruins of Fort Saganne. Then it was long drive to Ouadane by the piste...
Can you imagine the palm oasis towered by the ruins of XI-century stone town located in the middle of nowhere? The town is larger then I expected - it is just a labirynth of narrow streets, alleys, public buildings with very few people still living there. Entry to the ruins cost 500 ougija.
We spend the night under the tent in Auberge Vasco run by the local women. Bring your sleeping bag, but you will still pay 1500 ougija for the overnight. It is desert! In the evening they played at the camp traditional music and we had a chance to see dances... Unforgetable day!
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Feb 09, 2005 07:00 PM Atar - resting in the Sahara Desert
Yes, I can recommend this place: camping Bab Sahara run
by the Dutch - Justus and his wife is located on the outskirts of the town of Atar.
They have big tents and two stone rondavels - each for 4 persons. And they charge 7000 ougija /like 20euro/ per rondavel. There is only cold shover but the hosts are very friendly, very knowlegeable and helpful. Local cook will prepare for you the rice with fish and salad for 600 ougija.
Atar is very tiny - the capital of province has no high buidings,
only one internet cafe and 4-rooms museum... Atar has inexpensive charter flights from France by Point Afrique /from 220 euro each way - what a deal!/ and is used mostly as a base for the expeditions to the oases in the desert. We will start our tomorrow -Insz Allach!
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Feb 08, 2005 07:00 PM 450 km by the ore train... Mauritania
The station proudly marked GARE de VOYAGEURS is located in the sand in the northern outskirts of the town... In fact it is only one little shelter abondoned during the day. People appear around 1 pm. The train is departing according to the schedule daily at 2.50 pm. It was 2 pm when I disembark there the taxi /500 ougija/ carrying in the heat my backpack, good supply of food and water and ready for the railway adventure.
This is private railway built to carry from Zouerat into the coast the iron ore -in fact the only resource of Mauritania. Once a day they attach one passenger car to the 2.5 km long train. They say it is the longest operating train in the world. -Monsieur, do you want a ticket?
You can travel for free in the ore carriage under the sky - in the dust. Passenger carriage gives some comfort... for 1000 ougija.
3 pm, 4 pm... the train arrived at 5 pm. Hurry up... it is only 10 min stop: one entry for ladies and one for gents - to avoid harrashment... Uff... inside it looks like a dusty cattle carriage - most peple just lay on the floor. What a experience! 11 hours in such a crowdy car! Dust and noise but you are going on! At 4 am in the dark we landed in Choum. Junky landcruiser took us for 2000 ougija to 4 hours distant Atar - promised land after such a trip... Enjoy your Mauritania!
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Feb 07, 2005 07:00 PM Nouadhibou - did you hear about it?
It is second town of Mauritania... Do not look for the center... you will not find it... Dusty streets... Wind and sand. Donkeys... Garbage around...
Central point is probably where Hotel de Ville or Town Hall is located... I stay in the Camping Abba - friendly place where they have space for tents but also few rooms. They charge 3400 ougija for double with good, hot shower . In Mauretania you will find quite good black market for western curriencies. Ask at any shop, not on the street : they will give you 385 ougija per euro and 300 per USD. In the bank or official exchange office you will get 30-40 percent less. If you are coming from the north they will also offer good price for the dirham - 35 ougija.
Food is cheap here: french baguette cost 50 ougija, one egg also 50, the bar of french butter - 400.
In the afternoon I took a short tour to the Cape Blanc - the guide books recommend its cliffs - in fact it is now port and industrial zone - you have only like 500 m access to the coast and it is still nice place but not worth the half day tour...
Back from the heat and dust to the shower I feel like in the paradise... But it is still Africa...
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Feb 06, 2005 07:00 PM To Mauritania.... in the truck
It is Africa...
We departed from Dhakla at 10am. The truck was like a prison
car - with bars in the little windows. Local family in their exotic costumes travelled with us...
Desert, desert.... More then 400 km. The ocean is not visible from the road... No more convoys on this route - the UN keeps
the army and Polisario separated.
Police posts - a lot of them - you are registered many times
on the little pieces of paper or in the school-like notebooks.
Keep your passport ready and smile to the guards.
Heat, take a lot of drinking water...
The border post are in the little rural houses. The custom officer liked my hat but I said I have only one - for me....
One more post of Morocco - the real border. End of paved road: bumps - landmines around - they say.
Mauritanian posts are in the little timber huts...
You will fill here your currency declaration - do not declare the money you want to change on the black market...
Surprise: from the posts the road is new and paved;
we reached Nouadhibou after dusk - it was 11 hours of the
drive from Dakhla... Ufff! Enough for one day...
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Feb 05, 2005 07:00 PM How to get to the border? - Western Sahara
Dakhla is the last big town if you are going south to Mauritania...
Surprisely clean and nice - developed by Marocco. Again no info in the guidebook so let you know: inexpensive and friendly place to stay - Hotel Bahia just at the CTM bus station - only 30 dirham per bed rate, share shower, one sheet only but beautiful view of the sunrise on the bay just from the room window...
No more regular buses on Atlantic route - I was forced to look around the town for the onward transport. It took half a day and now I know:
ask people at the market and little hotels for Mauretania truck drivers - their little trucks park at the check point at the entry of the town. They take cargo to Mauritania and also passengers to Nouadhibou. Bargain is hard - finally I got the price applied to the locals: 400 dirham in the front cabin and 300 dirham in the back - with cargo. We will depart tomorrow at 8.30 am......
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Feb 04, 2005 07:00 PM Already in Western Sahara!
The state-owned CTM bus company is worth to recommend. But be prepared to pay extra for your luggage at check-in.
For the ticket from Agadir to Laayoune I paid 190 dirhams. And then 10 extra for my backpack. It was 12-hours night journey... We arrived to Laayoune - the former capital of Western Sahara at sunrise. Desert is around, but the town is surprisely clean and new-painted... It is well off the beaten trails... UN observers stay in the best hotel...
The cheapest option to stay (not mentioned in the guidebook) is As Sahel hotel (45 dir per double without bath). Internet in the cafe around the corner is inexpensive: only 5 dir (like 50 eurocents) per hour.
In the morning we took a tour by car to little Lamsid oasis - 14 km in the interior - there is restaurant and tented hotel but do not expect any local folklore...
Tomorrow we would like to go further south via famous Atlantic Route trying to stay away from the landmines planted during the conflict...
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Feb 03, 2005 07:00 PM The king is here! - Agadir...
Here in Morocco if the people at the desk say: the bus ride to ... will take 6 hours you must add another two and you will be close to the true... It took us 8 hours and 150 dirhams to come from Casa to Agadir - the big resort on the Atlantic coat of Morocco... We got small but clean rooms at Canaria hotel - just one block from the CTM bus station... They charge 45 dir per person in the twin room without bath. The hotel has nice patio.
There is not much to see in Agadir once badly destroyed by the earthquake... The beach is wide and nice. I was looking for the royal palace. There are two of them: the old and ond new one. Long walk... And then - dissapointment because both of them are hidden in the gardens and from the gate you cannot see any buildings - like in Rabat or Tetouan... Today it was even forbiden to take the picture of the guards at the gate (there were 7 of them - in different uniforms) Reason:
the king is here! So I enjoyed the strong winter sun and went to photoghraph two city mosques...
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Feb 01, 2005 07:00 PM You must remember this: the kiss was just a ....
Do you remember the movie CASABLANCA? And my favourite melody?
When I have been to Casa for the first time 26 years ago I was asking people where is "Le Cafe Americaine" They said: -In Holywood!
Today I found one: since 2004 there is Ricks Cafe at the port with all US swinging standards played from the tape, pianist in the evening, cosy atmosphere and Casablanca beer /50 dir/ at the bar - all recommended!
The highlight of tourist Casa is the huge, new mosque of Hassan II located on the sea coast - very picturesque but entrance for the public after 2 pm only...
Busy Medina with the labirynth of the shops and stalls is also worth a visit.
We got today our visas to Mauretania in the consulate.
Take the bus no 7 to get there. The cost of the visa is 200 dirham. But the staff asked us to pay 8 USD extra to there pockets... - othervise you can come tomorrow and maybe aftertomorrow...
Yes - it is corrupted Africa...
Tomorrow we will take the bus to the south - to Agadir!
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Jan 31, 2005 07:00 PM Our first medina... Tetouan
After crossing the border to Morocco we took big taxi to Tetouan. There is plenty of them waiting. They will ask for
150 dirham for the car to Tetouan. Ignore them. Go 150 m along the olny road uphil and stop any empty taxi - the price will be only 100 dirham. There is no free currency market
in Morocco - rates are equal everywhere and no commision:
8.3 for USD and 10.9 for euro...
Tetouan is worth a stop. We left luggage at the bus station: 4dirham per bag and take a walk around interesting medina - the old Arab town. It is very interesting - more authentic then one in Casa.
There is a lot of stalls, small workshops, traditional bakeries...
Also small mosques /tourists are not allowed to get in/.
Kings Palace is also worth a photo...
At 4 pm we took a bus /6h-73 dirham/ to Casablanca.
First day in the Kingdom is over...
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