0232. Big crowd in Targuist... (Mor 080-new)

I said goodbye to my new friends and headed off through the forest back into town--refreshed and eager for the last leg of this journey...

Al Hoceima--it's still a good distance farther, and I'm almost out of time, but I know if I don't go there now, I'm have to backtrack even further on a future trip.  Parkbenching in Al Hoceima is a must.

But there is one little town on the way that is beckoning me, so when the bus finally shows up, I get a ticket to Targuist.

The scenery ever since Taounate has been absolutely splendid... mountains, mountains, mountains--with little white hamlets peppering the slopes as far as the eye can see...

Each time I get on a bus, I pray that someone with a small child won't sit next to me--nothing against kids.

Finally, around a bend, and there's Targuist in all its glory...

A sizeable town and fairly modern, the main street winds down the hillside into town.  I come across a brand new park and plaza, with a couple of clusters of benches.   On one cluster there were a group of schoolgirls... a great opportunity to try out my "Pied Piper" skills--so I pulled out my guitar at the other cluster of benches... Sure enough--pretty soon the girls overcame their shyness and came over to listen--soon the boys followed--trying in vain to chase off the girls... Later on a couple of nearby shopkeepers called me over to entertained them while they sold their wares... a great vibe overall...

They begged me to stick around for a music festival that'll take place in a couple of days... but that won't be possible... But one thing for sure--Targuist would be a really fun town to come back to--if just for the eager audience...

But I still have a destination to reach...