On to Morocco & Madeira



Before leaving Rota we saw the bride off to her wedding 

 

 Then an overnight sail south saw us met by the marina`s pilot boat off the entrance to the river.

 



 

 We crossed the bar in quite calm seas.  It can be too rough to enter at times.

 

Up the river for a mile  

 

Past some locals fishing
 

To be met by the authorities and the sniffer dog, an uncontrolled young lab. Below decks it was a mess after he had finished.

 

 

 The river divides the old town of Sale and its medina from more modern Rabat across a bridge.

 

 Sale`s medina was for locals, not tourist.

 

The so-called fresh market was anything but. 

 

The chooks ran wild, and the mess was indescribable.

 





Meanwhile there was work to done aloft.  We were berthed between silly little finger pontoons with no cleats.

 Across in Rabat the medina was more civilised.

 

 Sorting out which eggs had gone off.

 

In the kasbah, a mainly residential neighbourhood

 

 



 

 

 Don`t ask, the blog has a mind of its own.

 

The turkey seller didn`t want his photo taken but his hand were too full to do anything about it. 

 

 We saw the unfinished minaret and the site of an ancient mosque destroyed by earthquake.  Must have been quite a place.

 

 

Guarded by these guys who had just caught sight of someone good looking.

 

 

 We took the train to Fes and visited the medina and its various souks.

 

 The donkeys played soccer with the kids.

 

 

The butcher sold who knows what. 

 

 

Huge variety of stuff.

 

A hand and foot operated wood lathe.

 

Lunch in a local restaurant  

 

And relaxed by the water wheel.

 

 

We sailed four nights west into the Atlantic to Funchal in Madeira.

 

Which looked to be a bit different to Morocco

 

The cruise ships were in.

 

The trip boats were out.

 

The marina was being extended.

 

?

 

Very Portuguese, black and white stone.

 

Boy, do they have a fresh market.

 

lovely malls and shopping streets.

 

 

A drink at the Ritz

 

And a view over the marina.  Funchal is a wonderful, picture-postcard perfect town.  Everyone we knew who had been here said it was a beautiful spot and we agree.  One of the most attractive places we have seen in our travels and worth the effort to get here.