Tuesday, 23 April 2024

Melilla, Spanish North Africa

Not many American tourists can say they have visited Melilla, one of two Spanish enclaves embedded in the east coast of Morocco. But we are here today, enjoying the sunshine in this very peasant and surprising city where ancient caves meet Arte Moderne architecture. There will be many photos when LFLatSea gets here, but now the blog returns to . . .

Saturday, 20 April 2024

Tangier, Morocco

I was last in Tangier on a bright sunny day in 2017. Today, however, is the first bad weather day since we left Tucson on 26 March. The rain and wind will be with us on and off all day. Will decides to remain on Quest rather than risk slipping and sliding on the slick cobblestone and hilly streets. I continue on no matter the weather. I had signed up for another long (8-hour) shore excursion to the "blue city" of Chefchaouen, about a 2.5 hour bus ride southeast of Tangier. But that shore excursion was cancelled since not enough passengers had signed up. Instead, I am on a 6-hour tour--"The Very Best of Tangier, Kasbah & Azilah"--which turns out to be a good choice.

The Quest docks at noon and the tour begins soon after. The bus takes us through Tangier's city center, where we view the busy commercial life of the main streets. Everything rises up hill here and we are soon in a section of the city high above the business hubbub below. This is where the wealthy live and play. Unfortunately, the rain is coming down so violently that I have no photos to share. Even when we reach the point where the mythic Pillar of Hercules stood and the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea come together--I don't get off the bus.

As we drive south from this point to the small city of Azilah, where our guide and his family live, the rain begins to taper off and when we enter the Medina for a walking tour, umbrellas come out only intermittently. 

Entrance to the Azilah Medina

Views Inside the Azilah Medina

Before returning to Tangier in the late afternoon, we enjoy another extraordinary late lunch in a resort hotel just outside of Azilah. The food is much like what we enjoyed in Rabat yesterday.

The rain is still coming down quite hard and the sky is starting to darken as we begin our walk from the top to the bottom of the Tangier Medina. Rather than risking a fall on the wet stone paths, I concentrate on where I am stepping instead of taking photos. Near the bottom of the Medina we stop at the Continental Hotel for tasty date cookies and soft drinks before boarding the bus for the short ride back to the ship.

Will is waiting for me and we head to the Dining Room for another meal and then another good night's sleep.

SPECIAL NOTE:  Because the weather was not suitable for photos of Tangier City and the Medina, I direct you to the links for "6 and 7 April 2017" at the bottom of the page. There you will see plenty of photos of Tangier in the sunshine.