Time for our first adventure on the road with the  Mighty Mia. Two and a half years has flown by and we have very itchy feet! We were undecided weather to take the bikes, and in the end we chose a taster of backpacking with a toddler!! With short and cheap easy jet  flights we decided on flying into Gibratar and out of Marrakech.  We have often met people travelling with young children on our travels, but when it came to our own trip we were surprised how nervous we felt about a simple two week break, but flights booked and bags packed we were on our way to Morocco.

An easy flight and we arrived in Gibraltar, we were not sure how quick it would be to cross the border into spain, but a short walk and we were over the border and at the bus station, waiting for a bus to Algeciras.

 Ted safe in the backpack, we were on the Ferry to Tangier, It was easy to buy a ticket when we got to the port in Algeciras and luckily a delayed ferry was leaving at a good time for us.

 Africa.

 Tangier, beyond the Green tiles of the  Grand Mosque, the view from our room, so an early wake up call from the Muezzin.

 First things first, mint tea in the Cafe de Paris, once a favourite spot for secret agents and more recently as a setting in The Bourne Ultimatum.

  Just around the corner, so a happy Mia.

The tiled floors of the kasbah.

Patterns in the kasbah museum. From floors to walls and doors.

 We really enjoyed Tangier, it was easy wandering in the medina and with plenty of cafes and places to escape the heat. We could see why people have so often been drawn here, and you can still feel how it may have been in the days of the Beats.

Tangier.

 After a couple of days in Tangier we took the bus to Chefchaouen.

A couple of hours on the bus and although a bit hot a good time for a nap!!

We had read that Chefchaouen was a blue town and it really was!

Blue blue doors of Chefchaouen!

With no traffic at all in the medina this was a perfect place for exploring, and we had a really friendly welcome, while playing on these steps the doors opened with very friendly faces, although Mia was a little nervous of the beckoning hennaed hands she was very happy with the cake she was given!!

Opening her cake, the first of many presents, including lots of sweets, a rose, a postcard and rather randomly a sweaty wrist band!

other medina residents!

Some colour amongst the blue.

not so sure about the animal print ones!

more colours below the blue walls.

trying to get a “good price”!

Chefchaouen, trapped in a fold in the mountains, once very anti-european and autonomous, now a welcoming and laid back town.

At the top! Just in time to hear the Call of Prayer echoing off the mountains.

Back down in the blue alleys.

Quiet streets. Morocco is slow to wake up in the morning, but with Mia as an early riser it was a good time to be out exploring.

too much exploring!

Holidays!

Much to Mia’s delight cats rule the streets.

Waiting for food scraps!

flower power!

It was really easy going here and a great place to waste days wandering, drinking tea and getting the feel for Morocco. But we had to make our way to Marrakech, so onwards to Fez………