We started out by going to the Caves of Hercules. The caves were about 3 miles south of Cap Spartel and have been inhabited since prehistoric times. They are known for the window-like opening in the shape of Africa through which the surf comes crashing into the lagoon and lower cave. Of course there is also the legends involving Hercules which were fun to talk about and it made me think of the old Steve Reeves’ movies where he played Hercules versus the Cyclops! All along the coast area here they are building condos to sell for people wanting a second beach home. The water was beautiful and a lot of the people in Morocco come here for their summer holidays.
After leaving the caves, we went back to Tangier itself and went to the Kasbah. We walked all around the Kasbah and the medina which wandered through small, narrow alleyways. The city was always a multicultural placement of Muslim, Christian, and Jewish communities and all of them have their own “neighborhoods” within the medina. It was interesting to the see the various neighborhoods and how the cultures all mixed together. We stopped in a restaurant and watched as the server poured the Moroccan mint tea for a group that was there. The blue mosaic tiles and all of the colorful cushions added the flair and made it seem exotic.
The American Legation is housed in a typical Tangerine medina home with carved wooden doors, ornate plaster details and high walls surrounding an outdoor courtyard. The property was given to the United States by the Moroccan sultan in 1821. It was interesting to see it right in the middle of the medina. During World War II the Office of Strategic Services operated out of Tangier and the city was known for having being an international spy city.
We picked our heads into the Grand Mosque, but we didn’t go in. Right now the Muslims are celebrating Ramadan which is one of their significant religious holidays. During this period of time they don’t eat or drink during the day and only eat after sunset. As Said put it, people’s tempers are short because they are hungry! We saw two men get into an argument in one of the narrow little streets and one started chasing the other down the alley. The tailors are busy because everyone wants a new robe for the holiday and we watched as they spun thread by running it down from one end of the alley to another. Some of the robes are very intricate with the stitching and colors. They can take hours to make and are beautiful.
The marketplace was fascinating and we were able to see all of the meat, vegetables, olives, and spices out for people to buy to prepare their dinners. It’s definitely not what we’re used to and Hank said the Health Department would have had a field day with all the raw meat left out in the heat! We saw several Berber women at the market selling their goat cheese. The Berber style of dress is completely different from the Arabs as they have the big hats and much more colorful outfits.
Like the Hutongs of China, the neighborhoods of the Kasbah utilize communal wood ovens for the baking of bread and certain dishes. Not all of the homes in the old part (medina) have their own ovens so they use these ovens and communal wells too as some of the homes still don’t have running water. The Kasbah was huge and we walked around it for at least 3 hours. We then headed downhill and toward our ship all the while staying on the little twisting alleyways and streets.
Tangier was fascinating and we enjoyed our time there. Back at the ship, we were tired! All those cobblestones, stairs, hills. We decided to clean up a little and just eat at Tapas which is like a self-serve buffet.
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| Pat and Muscian |
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