A World Winder exclusive from Guest Blogger, Lizzie Telfer.
Our pre planned adventure to Tangier, Morocco was here. Climbing out of bed at the crack of dawn, in order to catch the
Moroccan Mountains seen from Spain
ferry from Spain, was worth it. We needed to get to Tarifa, which was an hour and 30 minute drive down the coast from the villa which we were staying in outside of Marbella. This day trip was planned from the UK, as an adventure from our lazy Spanish beach holiday. Having got the necessary jabs and having checked the entry requirements for Morrocco, it was extremely easy to spend a day in North Africa. So the trip began, just three Brits; me, my husband and my Dad.
Tarifa set the mood for travel, as we arrived at 8.00am. It was a quiet a sleepy port that was recently touched by the sun, as dawn broke upon it. We boarded the ferry from a very basic document check point. The ferry we took was FRS fast ferry, proposed to get us to the port of Tanger in 35 minutes. However, if you calculated the full time of boarding, it made it in about 50 minutes. Very comfortable and complete with duty free and café, it was a good respite before and after Tangier.
Filled with adrenalin, we walked off the ferry, to be greeted by our guide, Said. Having decided in the UK that we wanted
The coast of Morocco
the most authentic impression of Tangier and also to get the most out of it, we found a private tour guide, ‘Said Tours’. They had great reviews on Trip Advisor and it meant that we had our own guide and taxi for a day. The complete cost for three of us, including the return ferry was 90 Euros. Not bad for a mini adventure!
First stop was around the wealthy part of Tangier. Good to see the contrast and diminish away any preconceptions of developing countries. However, part of me was sceptical of whether this was to show off the real estate developments to tourists.
Second stop- much better! This involved a short drive from the city to the coast. The coastline looked out onto the Atlantic Ocean and therefore we could see the beginning of the road to Casablanca. This was my first sense that we were actually on African soil. There was a quiet stillness and warm breeze that was refreshing for such a hot day. Quietly in the distance we heard the sounds of goats who were housed in the few farms spread out.
Great camel ride while on Vacation in Africa
It was here that we had a camel ride. This was the highlight of the trip! A few camels were readily positioned by a small, hard worked Moroccan. Getting onto the camels was not as awkward as I thought. As we stepped up onto them, they lurched up and my husband’s made a loud grunt, to tell us that he was in control. Riding, we circled about 200 metres, with each camel pulled along by the man and his son. Bumpy but surprisingly comfortable, it was really enjoyable and being on our own with the roar of the waves, meant that the touristy element was dimmed down.
Something I wasn’t expecting to see on a trip to Tangier was a trip to the Hercules Caves. It was interesting to see the beach resort where Moroccans come to relax in summer. Down steps arrayed with tourist gifts, we approached an opening which looked out onto the Atlantic Ocean. The guide expressed that this was framed by the caves in an image of the African continent (or a back to front one). The legend goes that here, Hercules prised apart the continent of Africa and the continent of Europe.
The final part of our trip was spent in the old quarters (Medina) of the city of Tangier. It is thoroughly recommended to have a guide to explore the pokey, winding paths, as it would be very easy to get lost and not to be able to find your way out.
Dark and Mysterious, the Hercules Caves
Having a private guide also meant that we could meet more local people. We were allowed to pop into a tiny Muslim school and say hello to the children, aged 5 years old. Our guide also showed us a little bread oven shop, which was the size of a wide corridor. Neighbours make the bread (khobz, harcha) and then give it to the bread man, who cooks it for them for a small price. Trays of bread were piled up, indicating that residents collect it later.
After a good meal in a traditional restaurant (not included in the tour), we were shown a carpet shop, where many beautiful rugs were placed before us. After purchasing a few souvenirs (not carpets) we headed back to the ferry and said our goodbyes to Tangier. Hot and in need of showers, we boarded the ship and settled down to reflect upon our travels in one city, for one day.
Lizzie Telfer lives in London and is from the UK. Her passions of travelling and writing have bumped into each other. She spends her working time as a freelance writer and consultant.
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