As-salaam,
We left Cabopino, our fellow travellers ( their not pikey's, we have met them at several sites, and given us some good tips) Paul and Jan (Spanish international bowling team players)) with the Irish looky-likey Elvis impersonator. And travelled on to Gibraltar 04/09/09. We parked outside and walked on. We had a shared tour taxi (the taxi driver kept breaking into a Jeeves and Wooster accent) with a Danish couple and toured the island, Europe point, The great siege tunnels, and of course the Barbary apes, one took a shine to Oonagh and sat on her head and couldn't be persuaded to get off (much giggling). After a walk through the town centre with the british policeman and union Jack flags flying, we left for Tarifa a windy frontier town and gateway to Africa. Everyone seems very Boho and is called "Dude", This is really the haven for the beach bums and the wind/Kite boarding fraternity (there are loads of them) and a picture perfect beach.
Saturday we set off in the dark and cycled 5 miles to the harbour (it dosen't get light till after 8am), for Whale watching, we had been told this was the last chance of the boats putting to sea because of strong winds later this week. ( We thought we were beinging had?, But its been blowing a gale ever since), We saw a school of Pilot whales and followed them for an hour (Dale had the Handycam ? Martin Scorsesse has nothing to worry about).
Sunday another ride in the dark and off to Morocco and Tangier, A choppy ferry ride thats meant to be 35mins but ended up lasting 1hour due to the high winds, We had arranged a guide before hand, which made life easier, Today is the 16th day of Ramadam, so the lazy b*****s were in bed till lunch time, so the morning was very quiet, we toured the Kasbar, Medina, Oonagh rode a camel, we had lunch (not a pang of guilt while there fasting) and ended in the souks, Dale was offered a carpet for Oonagh, (part worn) so it was declined.
Tuesday we took a ferry from El Puerto Santa Maria ( a ghost town since the season finished, which has a brass marching band that practices in the beach car park untill 11 pm) across the estuary to Cadiz, the locals stormed the ship, and we where left with what we thought were the worst seats, High winds and choppy sea's led to them being soaked by the bow waves, while we remained dry. great start to a good day, we both enjoyed Cadiz, it seems to married old and new, as well as having a good beach resort matched with its history.
Wednesday started with us heading to Isla Cristina, changing our minds halfway, we ended up in Portugal in the working fishing town of Olhao (read Grimsby, odour de fish). highlight of the day is sardine fleet coming back. Although it has 2 sand spit islands that are inhabited and they have fantastic beaches. It also has the cheapest camp-site so far. On friday we reached Quarteira on the west side of Faro
Ma'as-salaam the Chaffers