Journey Cross Europe: Three brothers from Brussels travel down memory lane

World
Europe

03:23

What did you do over your summer vacation? Three brothers from Brussels decided to take a trip down memory lane this year. Their childhood summers were when their parents took the boys to Morocco by car to visit relatives. Now they're all grown up, they wanted to relive the past. Mariam Zaidi follows the brothers on their journey across Belgium, France and Spain.

Nothing says summer like a road trip. But for 25-year-old Mohammad and his two brothers, a real adventure awaits.

MOHAMMAD BELAFQUIH "We are three brothers. We're driving to Morocco to relive our childhood. My parents weren't rich enough for us to go by plane, so we took the car."

"Ah! They have nice cars today. It's not like in the past, with old cars, without air-conditioning, without anything!"

MOHAMMAD BELAFQUIH "In the past, we would help our father put luggage in the car. We prepared food for the journey, it was a real pleasure. We laughed a lot, we would stop and play football by the roadside. We would sense the journey ahead as soon as the ignition started."

A long journey is ahead. The brothers need to travel 2700 km in just 2 days. Their route will take them from Brussels, crossing into France and then on to Spain. From the Spanish port in Tarifa, they will catch a ferry to Morocco.

MEDI BELAFQUIH "We will spend one or two weeks with relatives in our parents' home village, to celebrate Eid."

But as dawn breaks, the brothers make their first and most important stop.

MOHAMMAD BELAFQUIH "This is the morning prayer. It's obligatory before the sun comes up."

MOHAMMAD BELAFQUIH "The traffic is heavier. We are 15 kilometers from the suburbs of Paris. It's 5:45 am. We should get through easily."

Making good time through France, they stop for a quick refuel and a bite to eat.

MOHAMMAD BELAFQUIH "We need to rest a bit and get back our stamina. After that, we go back on the road and we'll enjoy it together."

A familiar landmark marks their journey into Spain.

MOHAMMAD BELAFQUIH "The bulls over there, meant something to us as kids. It showed us how close we were to reaching the ferry port. When we were younger, we would count the bulls. Bulls for us were a symbol of Spain but also that Morocco wasn't far away."

After 48 hours, and much driving, the brothers finally reach Tarifa port.

MEDI BELAFQUIH "This is the queue. We are waiting our turn to get on the ferry."

This has been a mammoth journey. But for Mohammad, it won't be his last.

MEDI BELAFQUIH "If in the future I have kids, I will make this journey again without hesitation. I'll put them in the car and just go."

So one day. But for now, Mohammad and his brothers' family in Casablanca await. Mariam Zaidi CGTN.