Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Day 4 - Tangier, Morrocco

We took a tour of Tangier, Morrocco.  Its only 9 miles from Tarifa, Spain accross the strait of Gibralter.  So from Tarifa we caught the boat to Tangier.  It was a comfortable way to see the city but the city was not really that impressive. It was more of a cultural experience.  I've been to a number of spanish cities where they consider the alot of colorful tile work as an moorish archtecture, but in Tangier the only tiles were the quick peaks you got looking into peoples homes while walking down the narrow streets.






Anyway we arrived and they drove around talking about the fact at one point the city had shared ownership by 8 countries.  Each section was a totallly diffrent achictecuture non of it looking very african.  Or at least from my perspective. I did notice the stop signs, although the standard shape it had funny writting on them, but I bet it said stop.







Next on the tour was a couple camels.  But they dont seem like very smart animals one was laying down and pooped and it went right into his legs like a lap.  He didnt even try moving to get it off.  Next we took a short ride to the top of the hill, tangier seems to be on the side of a mountain so its all up hill from the port. 




Here at the top is where they let us off the buss and we started walking around.  First we stopped by a snake show.  It was a cobra and it was fascinating what the snake was doing while the music was playing.  They had another snake that must not have been a cobra because his mission music or not was to get away from his handler, as soon as the guy put him down he hit the pavement slithering as fast as he could.  So the guy just put him back into his box.  From here we started walking along the small streets with little shops that were kinda cool.  They had this one that had spools of silk in vibrant colors, and another with embroidered outfits in beutiful colors and designs.  After a short walk we went for lunch in a morroccan restaurant, they had musicians playing in the background.  Food was interesting, chicken soup kinda stuff, shiskabob, cosco and a very sweat baklava looking desert. 

After lunch we went to a rug merchant who informed us the large rugs that are done by hand and it takes 4 hours a day for two ladies (guys make leather goods and metal only) for 9 months.  Very impressive, but bartering was required so I didnt buy anything.  I never feel like i get the best price.  If they agree to the price I likly could have gone lower so forget it i wont even try.  Anyway next we stopped at a spice merchant, they have natural drugs such as safron for cooking, some pepper like seed to stop snoring, orange oil for helping you sleep, and a bit of hash to make you feel good.  They do remind you that that hash is not suppose to be taken across the border.  The last thing worth mentioning is it feels like mexico with the pushy street merchants trying to sell you stuff, worse yet they use kids.  The bus drive back was nice, that part of the coast isnt overrun with condo sytle apartments its rolling hills.  Much more pleasant coast line.

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