“Like on the former Communist part of Gerrmany – but sunny” – that’s how some Germans were describing life in Algeria. Wie in der DDR – nur mit Sonne“. On my 600km foray  from Algiers on the Mediterranean into the Sahara to the pentapolis of Ghardaïa, four spectacular towns crowning hilltops and  built almost a thousand years ago, my convoy was accompanied by 12 different police patrols handing me kindly over like a baton.  I never tried to find whether they were more protecting me against Islamic terrorists or whether their services were just a routine part of the Algerian surveillance society. For my travel experience it did not really matter. Even in the zigzag of narrow lanes of the old quarter my stalwart escort service providers never lost sight of meAuch in den engen Gassen der Altstadt. The sudden sandstorm therefore came as welcome gift: First because of the amazing afternoon photo light, second since the police rushed to the shelter in their cars  giving me 20 Minutes quality time, just for myself.