So, we got up early on Sunday and had breakfast in the hotel. We left at 7 and headed to Chef Chaouen. When we arrived, we were able to use the toilets in the hotel and found that the lights didn't work. All the girls started flipping out "I can't go to the loo in the dark"! I suggested that they use the light from their mobiles. My mobile actually has a function called flashlight, which converts it into quite a high-powered torch, so I had no problems.
Then we met our guide and were given the tour of the medina. It was the most idyllic place you can imagine. Whilst maintaining many of the market aspects of the Tetwan and Tanger, Chef Chaouen lacked the grime and claustrophobic feel of them. It is painted in bright white and blue and the inhabitants repaint all the buildings and walls 5 times each year, so it seems clean and well cared for. The sky was blue and the sun was shining, so the colours almost hurt your eyes, they were so vivid. It was without doubt the most beautiful town I have ever been to.
The town was built around the river that runs down from the mountains and the old medina is still visible in the mountains but, apart from the Mosque, the old buildings are apparently in ruins. The town is named after the mountain, meaning something like "2 horns" because of the peaks of the mountain. The people of Chef Chaouen still wash their clothes and rugs in the river and use the public steam baths to wash themselves.
We were taken to a shop where they make rugs and throws. They demonstrated how they make them on a loom, using cotton, silk and camel hair. We then had the chance to purchase some. Unlike the day before, this place didn't use haggling - the prices were fixed. I was very amused to see that far more of us wanted to buy something here - we just are not used to haggling and feel safer knowing what to pay.
I bought a beautiful large throw with a picture on it. I didn't have enough cash and was taken to the bank to withdraw some money... but the banks were not working. I couldn't understand the reasons given "No hay luz" (there's no light). It was only later that I found out that the whole town had had a power cut, hence lights and banks were not working! In the end, the guide lent me the money and I paid him back when we reached Ceuta and a working bank.
Later, we had free time and I visited several (bartering) shops and stalls. I got some presents and managed to barter quite well.
We then had lunch in the hotel (they had a generator for the kitchen!) and then made our way back to Ceuta where we said goodbye to Tarik and then got the boat back to Algeciras. Some of the boys had purchased Moroccan clothes and had decked themselves out... I didn't like to tell them that, when they put the hoods up, they looked rather KKK!
I finally arrived back in Málaga at about 11pm, exhausted but having had the most amazing weekend of my life!
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