The Rock of Gibralter

We ran into a thick haze and cold wind, but by 14:45 when we landed in Tangier, the weather was fine. (We had gained an hour due to a difference in time zones.) Our bus tour started at 15:00, taking us outside the city first. The first stop was at a Bedouin camp (apparently set up just for tourists) where everyone in our group had a chance to ride a camel. Both of us did so, but several others declined the opportunity.

 

Ride 'em, cowboy !

Cowgirl, too !

Nomadic Berbers

 

The bus then took us further from Tangier to a desolate stretch of coast overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. There we stopped at the site of an ancient lighthouse (apparently now replaced by a modern one) with a wonderful view across to Spain. This was a mountainous area occupied by Berbers, indigenous tribesmen who have kept their customs in spite of the Arab conquest of their area. Although they are Muslims, they do not follow all the Arab practices. For example, their clothing is quite distinctive. Also, the women cover their hair, but not their faces. Some of the Berbers lived in permanent villages while others lived in nomadic camps.

 

Berber musicians at lighthouse

View across to Spain

Large Berber village

 

We saw Berbers with horses carrying sacks of sand, for what purpose we had no idea. There were many caves in the hills we drove by, some of them supposedly occupied, though we saw no sign of it. Finally we stopped at some old Phoenician ruins that our local guide claimed to date from 5000 B.C. (probably an exaggeration of at least a millennium or two).

Finally we returned to Tangier. The bus dropped us off and the local guide led us on a walking tour of the old city. We walked through the Kasbah (old walled citadel) where we passed the Sultan’s Palace.

 

Old Tangiers

Approaching the Kasbah Gate

Courtyard of the Sultan's Palace

 

We stopped at a tea room that had a great view. It featured musicians who entertained us, including one who made a great show of flapping his lips. The guide also gave us an opportunity to stop in some tourist shops. We continued on to the Medina, originally the Arab-Moorish quarter, but now much like a big bazaar.

 

View from the tearoom

"Lami the Lip"

Moroccan family in the Medina

 

As the group wound down the narrow street between the shops, I was approached by a seedy-looking Arab who showed me a jeweled dagger in a jeweled scabbard and said, "ten dollars." I have a small collection of swords and daggers and asked to see this one (despite knowing the rule that you never let a street vendor put his merchandise in your hand because he will resist taking it back).

Il took the dagger and removed it from the scabbard to look at it. I knew that, at ten dollars, the jewels would be glass, but I saw at once that the dagger was a piece of junk, poorly made even for a tourist piece. I would not have kept it if it was free. When I tried to give it back, the Arab said, "five dollars," then "three," "two," and finally "one." When I kept saying "no," the man grabbed the dagger back and started yelling at me and shaking his fist. Obviously, he had thought they had been in the bargaining stage. By this time, in talking to the man I had fallen well behind the group and found myself the only non-Arab in sight. I hurriedly caught up to the rear of our group, glad to leave the unhappy dagger salesman behind.

A few minutes later, the group reached our parked bus and was taken to the Hotel Velasquez. It was about 18:30. After a brief rest and dinner at the hotel, the group was bused to the Kasubia Palace, a nightclub where the entertainment was to include belly dancers. After some problem as to our seats, our group wound up sitting directly in front of the very loud band. The entertainment was interesting, but the belly dancers tended to be many years and many pounds past their prime. The show ended after midnight, and we got to bed about 01:00.