Tlemcen

After a real nice, but short stay in Oran, we had to continue our trip.
I was a bit worried if Lieske could make the high ramp out of the underground parking.
But just as always .. she did it. Easy. Were is my confidence?
Anyway.
Our next destination is Tlemcen.
But before we leave we say goodbye to all the new friends we already met.
Driving in Algeria is just do as you like. If there are traffic lights, you respect them. But not too much. Nobody is patient and all are in a hurry. Push, honk, go!
So, sadly, Nika had still not driven Lieske on the African soil. But she will.
Highway driving is ok. But city. You need eyes everywhere. Fun part: Our Lieske is not the slowest vehicle on the road! Hurray!
Driving from Oran to Tlemcen (next to mis a EXIT or two, so you see quite some interesting hidden "gems",) means also regular police roadblocks. On this go, around 180km, we had 4 roadblocks, and in two of them, we were actually stopped and checked. Once only papers, second time also inside the car to see if we were just us two.
But it is all friendly and easy going.
I forgot to mention, that as soon as Lieske hits the road, almost everybody is waving, thumbs-up and honks at us.
People take pictures and even film us as they drive by.

Just before Tlemcen, we decided to take the side road into town and head directly for our new host Fatima.
It's not as easy as in The Netherlands with fixed postcodes and street names. So we have a Google location, and take it from there.
But as soon as we arrived, people come to show us were we should be, and in an blink of an eye, we are seated and threated as kings.
After a welcoming lunch, a meet with Father, mother, brothers.. Fatima took us up to the famous Plateau Lalla Setti. Up with a cablecabin and have a beautiful look over the city.
We had a nice walk around the park and wanted to go down. But sadly, the cable cabin was closed, so we had to take a taxi.
Being with a female host, means looking at the Algerian society from -for me- another side.
It's sure not like with the boys in Oran. Having a drink on a nightly terras or boulevard...
I am typing this a day late.
As after again a wonderful dinner, coocked with love and also vegetarian, we talked about our trip and the time we might need. So It was late as we went to sleep.
Now I am awake. Nika is still asleep. I have to do some home work. ;)
Goodmorning Tlemcen. Let's see what the day will bring!Read more