Panorama Photo

One morning I was in Sidi Ifni, the old Spanish protectorate on the Atlantic coast of Marocco, and I went looking for the postal office, famous for still bearing the Spanish inscription "Correo". It was only 1 km from my hotel. Once there, I wondered: Why not go south to the harbour? Is is only a few kilometres away. Once at the harbour, I wondered: "Why not visit Sidi Ouarsik", a shrine 20 km south?
So, after several other "why not" questions, I happened to find myself in the remote place depicted here. I had neither food, nor a single drop of water. So I wondered if, following the track that one sees pointing to the beach, I could find some people and/or provision. For several minutes I walked through what looked as an abandoned place, but later I heard some low voices. Under the shadow of some reeds sat two people with a little child. The girl was more prone to communication. She explained to me that "nous sommes le café de Foum-Oued-Assaka", and that the next time that I passed through the place I could considered to have lunch at their tables. "Well - I answered - to tell all the truth... I does not happen everyday to me to go through Foum-Oued-Assaka... Can I ask you to give me something to eat and drink right today?" There was not much, indeed, but it was indeed welcome! After the essential meal, Hanane prepared for me a map depicting the way to trace my steps back through the stunning Fort Bou Jerif. Her paperwork turned out to be simply perfect!
The first fork was little after the half-fallen bridge - find it marked in the image. Had I gone straight, I would have headed to the Plage Blanche, an incredible (find it in Google Earth) 40 km stretch of desert sandy beach, which is sometimes crossed by 4WD, paying particular attention to calculate the timing after the tides. This endless beach ends at the doors of Tan Tan, which is then followed by Tarfaya, Laayoune, the Spanish Sahara, the Tropic... in one word: Africa!! How many dreams I had to leave behind at that fork, while unwillingly turning left.