Marrakesh to Skhirat, which is really close to Rabat

I know I've spoken much about going to Morocco over the years but what it really became was - I really want to go to Marrakesh and in particular, Jaama El-Fna.
Now it's - Been there. Done that. Next!

We left the Kenzi Farah a little late due to a dispute over the bill.
Seems one of their employees had under-quoted the bill for our stay, but the hotel felt it was not their responsibility.  Strange attitude but, as callous as it sounds, it was not our problem.
We got away about an hour late.

Getting through the Marrakesh early morning traffic was not as problematic as I thought it might be.
It would not have mattered if it was, as I felt quite invigorated  after not being in the saddle for a whole day.

Our plan was to make Oualidia, a coastal town, for lunch.
By lunch I mean Spanish time for lunch, which is somewhere between 2, which would be an early lunch, and 4, which we would be a little late.

To back track a little, last night I caught up with Jesus just after dinner and he excitedly told me "Mañana marisco!"
I may have some latino in me (I hope Italians, and their descendants, are considered latinos.) but what I heard made 50% sense. "Tomorrow ???"
So, Jesus reaches for his phone and comes up with photo of a huge seafood platter.
"Muy bueno!" this antipodean latino responded.
Later I catch up with the rest of the crew and I mention the fact that we're having seafood for lunch at this little resort town on the way to Rabat.
Quick as a flash Stela replies, in Italian, "Tomorrow afternoon we all die!" and cracks up laughing.
I would say she little faith in seafood and even less when it is in some Moroccan backwater.

We made it in good time and most of us had a good and enjoyable fill of very fresh seafood.
No-one wanted any of the sea urchin so I got the lot, and it was a lot.

 This, a rather large plate of shrimp, oysters, sea urchin, scampi, gigantic crab ... 

..... became this.

Courtesy of our host - orange mille fuile  ..........

.... served up by someone looking remarkably like our Princess Stela!

Tiz on the beach after lunch

Tiz and I on the way out of the town, which is in the background.

By now we were running quite late and the roads ahead were going to include some long straight roads.

Allegedly, some high speeds may have been reached.

We did take a short break at a fuel stop. Our vision had been a little blurred by wind buffeting etc.

One of the group was a little disoriented and wandered into the wash area of the prayer room and mistook the wash basin for something else.

He was genuinely and extremely apologetic, having not meant any disrespect, but some people in the area found it, shall we say humorous.

   Blue toilets - Red prayer room

Having them close together is not a good idea

After a short, much shorter than it would have taken at 120kph, while we arrived in Skhirat.

It's a seaside resort about 30kms before Rabat with the L'Amphitrite Palace Resort, in which King Mohamed VI and his missus hang out. 

We parked the bug splattered and dusty bikes amongst a few Ferraris and Porsches etc. and proceeded to our rooms to unpack.

The bed was large and comfortable, 

and so high that Tiz got vertigo every time she looked over the edge 

 A cute little balcony to allow you to have chat to your neighbours

The bathroom suite was so big I thought about calling a taxi to get to the other end.

Below are some pics of resort from the pool bar

It's getting close to midnight on Saturday so I'm going to clock off.

I will cover the Skhirat, which is really close to Rabat, to the Malaga Finish Line leg tomorrow, hopefully.

In the meantime, take care and try not to throw sand in each others eyes.