We never like to rush through an area that deserves more time.. and yet we do almost every time. Few places, especially sizable cities, can be visited for a matter of days and really tell you their story. As is also often the case.. we had one full day to gain an understanding of Tangier, one of the most important cities in the region. We almost always explore on our own, but this situation (e.g. none of us speak Arabic, we didn’t have a rental car, some sites are many miles outside town, and it’s all very very new to us) was special. As a result we did some research and Jen found an amazing local tour guide, Mohamed Elmakrini of TQ-Tours.

Mohamed and a driver spent 5+ hours driving and walking us around Tangier and the surrounding area. Mohamed knew all of the detailed history and key dates for Tangier, Morocco, Europe and Africa.. and beyond. I would think it was scripted but he knew the answers to anything we threw at him. Steve is a serious history buff and dived deeply into several topics and was impressed as well. All the time with a smile and patience.

Before we left.. we made a quick run over to the train station to get our tickets for tomorrow (to Casablanca). On the way we saw a very needy dog lying motionless on the sidewalk. Steve being the dog and cat lover that he is, he bought a bunch of pet food and Jen & Savitri went and fed the poor guy. He perked up quickly!

We drove to some common tourist spots first. We drove through the hills to see the King’s residence, as well as the Moroccan homes of several foreign leaders.

We then proceeded to Cap Spartel (or “Cape”.. as you’ve probably noticed the spelling of things varies between languages and we’re seeing different signs and references all over!). Cap Spartel is the Moroccan point overlooking where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean Sea. You can see across to Spain as they have for many thousands of years. It is not a lot to see but it is impactful to stop and let set in.

Along the sides of the road on the coastal road were numerous dromedaries. I was cautioned not to waste time on parking lot dromedary/camel rides but they are wondrous to look at!

Our next stop was the Caves of Hercules. These caves have a whole story behind them, but at the end of the day have been completely covered by replica statues, arches, fountains, lights, gift shops, etc etc. It was sort of interesting but I wouldn’t recommend it if it wasn’t right next to Cap Spartel.

We stopped at one point on the way back to Tangier to look out across Tangier and the Rif Mountains in the distance. It’s amazing the difference in perspective you get on a city when you are just a couple miles outside.

Back in Tangier, we were dropped off at the Bab Kasbah (city gate into the old walled city, aka medina) at the top of the western hill. We then walked slowly down through the medina with all its shops, restaurants, bed & breakfasts, and ornate doorways.

We emerged out the bottom of the medina at the port.

We then drove back up the hill to the Grand Socco (big social roundabout) and Central Market. We wove through food stands, stalls, shops, people, pets, and oddities.

We ended up at Gran Cafe Central, an outdoor cafe where we ordered coffee and Moroccan mint tea. We sat and drank while soaking in the vibes. Steve even got a trim from a nearby barber.

After the previous night’s experience we were determined to get real local food. Mohamed walked us to a restaurant he recommended highly called Le Saveur de Poisson before heading home. We wandered around the neighborhood and returned just as they opened at 7 in order to get a table (which DID prove to be necessary!). This place is quite small and a line formed quickly.

We had an amazing meal. It was a single set menu, all fish-based. The beverage was a house-made fresh fruit juice with maybe.. pomegranate, blueberry, prune..? hard to say but it was smooth, “sweet but not sugary”, and delicious. The only electricity in the place was the lighting. All food was cooked in shallow clay pots directly on hot coals. It was served in small clay bowls with simple wooden utensils.

We started with classic appetizers: nuts, olives, bread, and a hot dipping sauce.

First starter was an out-of-this-world fish stew. As Steve said, we could easily have just had that all night long.

The first main was a seafood.. extravaganza?! It had squid, fish, and a bunch of tasty herbs.

The second main (we thought we had confirmed that there was only one) was charred/grilled? fish. This included Johnny Dory, baby shark, and sol?

Everything was delicious and we stuffed ourselves to capacity and then had a little more. We were fearful for dessert. Thankfully it was just what we could handle, a barley & honey.. crumble? It came with a bowl of fresh strawberries and raspberries. Simple, light, sweet, perfect.

After our poisson-fest we decided to walk back to our hotel, about 2 miles away. It was along a big boulevard so well-lit and easy to follow. Along the way..