Wednesday 1 February 2017

We've now been left home for a month but it doesn't feel like it. But at last we've found some nice warm weather. Today started bright and sunny with the temperature rapidly climbing. Once breakfast and a few chores were out of the way we left Jamie with plenty of shade, water and treats and set off for the city. He shouted a little bit at first but really he would have been a liability if we'd taken him with us.

The authorities are making a big effort to clean and tidy up with extensive repair work almost completed on the promenade and street cleaners in evidence everywhere – the place is looking very attractive. As we hadn't visited the port before we walked round there first, encountering a very busy area, the fishing boats back in and what looked like a bustling fish market on the pier.

The current harbour

Old harbour

Medina

From there we wandered into the medina, the old part still abounding with tourist-attraction shops but never the pressure and pestering that we've encountered elsewhere. The locals simply seem to just accept us and are all friendly. Our wandering took us into the (relatively) newer part of the old town onto the wide street where you could buy just about anything you could think of, and lots more! Eventually we found our way to the small square with half a dozen restaurants we've enjoyed before, and just couldn't ignore this guy's huge smile!

Lunch stop

Sat in the sunshine we enjoyed a lovely meal and were entertained as well by a couple of singers and a small troupe of acrobats. Well they weren't that good but added to the ambience that was now pervading us. Three courses with appetisers, squeezed orange to die for and coffee for less than £10 per head. However the sun was beginning to take it's toll, i.e. sunburn, and of course we needed to return for Jamie, so a slow amble back to the van.

Cuppa then took Jamie onto the beach for half an hour, but he didn't like the surf kites at all and stuck very close to us until we were well away from them. The beach is enormous, must be a couple of miles long, and next to the parking area surf schools, cafes, camels and horse rides abound. Jamie is not too sure about camels either!

So as we write the guardian has just been to collect his money and, as usual, asked if we had a little “cadeau” (present) for him. He's such a nice guy we gave him a cold beer. It's still 23 degrees in the van and the forecast is good for tomorrow when we're planning to move on further south. No idea where yet, we'll discuss it with our friends later.