September 23 Tangier Morocco

I took a tour of the old city, medina and the fortress, kasbah, today. The tour started at 9.30 am so I had to get moving a bit faster than the last few days. The area is actually very close to my hotel. We walked by an old hotel which apparently was used by writers artists and spies during WWII. Then into the walled city. There are several gates. The tour went into a lower level where there was a daily market. Chicken, vegetables, mutton, fish were all for sale.

There were also specialty stores for olives. Huge displays of different kinds. The olives actually are in barrels that must be 45 gallons! Then into the old part of the city, No cars, just very narrow streets that go up and down the hill. It is really something. The doors are all painted in different colours, some of which are very fancy. Stopped briefly at the bakery. Here a guy was working in a pit, baking bread that people bring to have made. They have their own ovens but this oven is wood fired and they want the flavour given by the wood fired oven. It was very hot.

The streets were a maze and we seemed to be walking in circles. It was a pretty good tour that last about 2 hours but that included at a stop at a "workshop". No one making carpets but the sales pitch was pretty hard. They had knotted ones but also the berber made "paintings" were quite nice. I did not buy. Also stopped in front of the tomb of Ibn Battouta a very well known Muslim writer and traveler of the 1300s.
Went to train station to get ticket for Friday. Not a very big place but was fairly busy. Only a 30 minute walk from hotel.

Lunch and then back to hotel. But once again a few sheep being lead around or driven in the back of the motorbike type trucks.

Many shops and restaurants are closed today and some for the rest of the week for the Islamic festival. Tomorrow is the day of the big feast after prayers. It will be interesting to see what is open. Lots of people out on the street tonight after being very quiet this afternoon.


September 22 Tangier Morocco

The hotel is a bit busier today. 4 Spanish guys, a couple and a family of 4. So much for my private hotel.

Tangier

I have breakfast and say good bye and head off to the train station. When I get there they tell me that there are not any trains today! So I head back and stop at a small cafe. The guy is very good about telling me about taxi or bus. In Spanish! Go figure. Anyway he gets me a small taxi which takes me to the shared taxi stand. The small taxi was $1.30, a bit high i think. But he found me the taxi to get to Tangier. It is shared. So pay 15 dirham, about $2 to get to Tangier but I have to share the taxi with 4 others. There is one guy waiting already so we have to wait for others. The driver said he could fit 6 but the last one is in the trunk! He has a bit of a sense of humour! After waiting about 30 minutes, we head off with 4 in taxi. Shortly after another guy jumps in. Now this is a very old Mercedes Benz, not much left for shocks, mirrors over the front a/c vents and 1 handle to pass around to roll down the windows. Quite funny actually.

There was not much head room in the back for any of us so it is a good thing the ride was only about 45 minutes and there was a really big guy in the front! Good thing.. He dropped us off at the shared taxi stand in Tangier and I really do not know where I am, but do know that I am not far from hotel as I saw the train station as we came in. I walk in the general direction I think and stop a few people along the way for direction. The best news is that not one of them headed me off in the wrong direction, I just missed the street as I can not find street names, they are only a few street signs! I did make it. It only took about 20 minutes to walk.
The hotel is on one of the main street not far from the old town. I will head there tomorrow.

Lots of shopping to be done here, and everything seems to be on sale. Lots of coffee shops as well. I have coffee while room is getting ready. Just like Ksar Sghir, the men line up with backs to the wall and watch the world go by and drink coffee. That coffee cost me 16 dirham including a small bottle of water. I found another place that was 8, but no water! And the 8 coffee was very strong and very good! i will go back there again.

For dinner I had a durham cordon blue. Which is a wrap with chicken doner, tomato, lettuce and cheese. It was even toasted panini style. Very good. The young waiter was very attentive and pleasant, which is consistent with every I have dealt with. All very nice.
While having dinner on a little side street just up from the hotel another sheep goes by. This is the city centre! I should say that the sheep was in braking mode with all four legs locked and hooves sliding along sidewalk and he was being pulled along by his horns. More free entertainment. I think it was taken into the apartment building next door.