Road Sign in Tangier
Detail of house wall
Bab el Bahar Gate
Hrem Dog
Road in Tangier
Garbage Collection site at street corner in Tangier
Typical entry to a mansion
Stores are opening up in the Medina
Minaret of the Granbd Mosque in Tangier
Courtyard in the Hotel Continental
Tangier Fishermen;s Harbour
Mosaic Artesan's work shop
Sample of embroidered Djellaba
Animal lovers in evidence. This little cat, one of thousands, had a little water, a sardine and a spot to eat it all...
Back in Africa and welcome to warm and dry weather in Tangier. The city lies just a few miles from Cap Spartel, which in its turn is more or less opposite Gibraltar.
In 1923 it became an 'International City', which meant that it was ruled by a consortium of eight European countries together with the United States. With that Tangier became not only somewhat trendy and fashionably rich, but also quite depraved. Especially during and after WWII when it became a favoured retreat for spies of every stripe, hide away for avant garde politically undesirables, as well as the 'usual suspects'. It attained a 'anything, but anything - legal or otherwise - goes' reputation. However, the plethora of brothels and gay bars disappeared in a jiffy, when Tangier returned into the lap of Morocco's bureaucracy.
Today most women are still cover their heads; men and women wear Kaftans and Djellabas (Kaftans with hoods); markets sell unrefrigerated chickens and fish, flies and cats hang around in droves; cafes are alcohol free; the Kasbah has been converted to a museum; the Medina (market, souk and residential area) is still surrounded by fortification walls; mosques can only be entered by Muslims; and stretches of modern apartment buildings stretch along beach and mountainside outside the ancient city walls.
Everything seems a little 'gritty', although it is said, that many of the outwardly 'plain' buildings are quite lavish and well maintained inside.
Upon arrival a horde of insistent 'guides' swarmed us newcomers (my head scarf garners recognition as a gesture of courtesy, but does not make me an inconspicuous local) with unceasing offers for guidance to Kasbah, Medina, market, museums, 'shops with best prices' etc etc. It took a loooong time to convince them in any language - that one preferred to discover unguided. And no, we would NOT get lost, as they all insisted be unfailingly would.
When discouraged in ways such as 'go away', as one US Citizen attempted to do, some would revert to rather interesting responses such as 'American Rubbish! Pirates!' and similar compliments.
I was fortunate, between many French 'Mercis' and 'Je comprends, mais non' I escaped ruder responses, and actually received quite a bit of friendly and eager advice from the local females. Made it through various back alleys, which were 'quiet' today as it is the internationally celebrated 'Labour Day', did not spend a cent on another flattering djellaba, despite the fact that they are absolutely beautiful when handcrafted by experts.
The mains square saw a mini version of a local 'Arab Spring' demonstration, with a couple of hundred people gathered around a small dais, where a speaker held forth. A good number of National Guard, Police and Military stood by looking bored, and the rest of the population went on with their daily tasks.
The highlight of the stroll was a pleasant interlude on the terrace of the Hotel Continental, perched almost at the highest point of town and offering a panoramic view of City, port, beaches and background mountains. A cup of coffee set me back 1 1/2 Euros, which provided enough energy to manoeuvre through the remaining labyrinth of the old City before returning aboard to take in the 'long view' over the Atlantic and take in a glimpse of Gibraltar, whose abrupt cliff face rose from the sea a few miles east of Prinsendam at dock in Tangier.
Good Bye Africa...and back to Europe!
