0272. Finishing the Doukkala Region (Mor 105--new)
I have one more town to visit so I can feel I'm finished with the "Doukkala Region" in central Morocco: Sidi Bennour. So I head to the bus station, hoping I can catch a bus heading that way. No luck. I head to the grand taxi station. Not much going on there either.
Apparently, Youssefia, despite its size and significance, has very little transportation going through it. It's only 4:30 in the afternoon and there just doesn't seem to be anything going anywhere. Two other guys are heading up to Sidi Bennour. After over an hour's wait, we finally coax another two fellows heading in the general direction out of another cab to join our cab so we can get going...
It's dark in Sidi Bennour--and there's a bus heading out right now to Casablanca. But after all the hassle, I'm determined not to miss this one opportunity to explore this town... So I hike up the dark highway the rest of the way into town...
Nothing really remarkable about the place. There's a plaza-like space all along the main drag with a pleasant--though dark place to park bench. A marketplace. A couple of sandwich stalls where I get myself a tasty heart sandwich. A lot of trucks heading through, or parked in town. A lot of rather unremarkable back streets. But that's OK--I have discovered Sidi Bennour, and I am satisfied.
I head back to the bus station at the south end of town. Only to find it completely dark. I finally find someone who tells me that there MIGHT be one more bus passing through tonight... or else, I can catch a grand taxi at the complete opposite end of town...
So I head back of through town, looking over my shoulder the whole way for my mystery bus. No sign of a hotel--though someone tells me there is one. There is an abandoned building, however...
Reach the very sleepy grand taxi station, and as I'd suspected, no one else is heading to Casablanca or El Jadida at this hour. I just chill for a while, thinking over my options.
No, I do not regret getting myself stuck in Sidi Bennour.
Finally, a cab driver said. "All right, hop in"
"Uh, I'm only paying for one seat" I point out.
"That's all I'm going to charge you for--I'm going that way anyway." So we headed off. The whole way I was a bit uneasy, riding all by myself thinking there had to be a catch somewhere. To make matters worse, I only had a big bill--no change whatsoever.
Finally we reached El Jadida, and I gave him my bill--and he heads into a gas station and brings me my change...
A nice finish to an exciting three days...
