9 March 2023, Azemmour, 44.26km
Hasna’s apartment R560.99 [DH316.60]

How civilized is this? At random points along the R320, men dispense coffee to drivers (and cyclists) from the back of small cars...
Soon after leaving Sidi Rahal, our wide road with its safe shoulder narrowed to single lane, no shoulder, and a little rough around the edges. So for the first time we got to ascertain the awareness and tolerance of the average Moroccan driver. Turns out they are awake and forebearing - always a plus for cyclists.
We managed 44km to Azemmour, fielding calls of bonjour and Bafana Bafana.
Morocco is a Mecca for stray dogs and cats, all fed by a kind populace. Cats forage beneath your table in restaurants; dogs on the whole loll idle and lazy-eyed on roadsides. Today, however, our passing triggered aggression in a dog that chased after me, lips drawn back from sizeable teeth. Nothing to do but yell and keep moving...
Getting fit again after a long period off the bikes means using granny gears on mild inclines to conserve your knees, stretching your sciatic until it (hopefully) stops trying to yank your toes inside out, and at all costs avoiding chafing (dollops of Vaseline avant and Prep shaving cream après - too much info?)
This morning, still a-bed at 0630, we listened to the calls to prayer from three nearby mosques...
We're in a foreign world.