Tangier in the rain

It's raining in Tangier. I had planned to spend the day at the Cap Spartel on the northwesternmost corner of the country. It's known for its views of the Atlantic, but under overcast skies, I decided it wasn't worth the effort.

I'm staying at the Hotel el-Muniria, just off one of the main roads. The Beats stayed there on their visits, and Burroughs is said to have written Naked Lunch in Room number 9. I poked around; they must have renumbered the rooms, for Room 9 no longer exists. From my window I have a view of the beach down below and the bay. In the evenings, a nearby mosque sounds the call to prayer amid the din of bars and nightclubs.

Yesterday I awoke at 5 to catch the bus up from Casablanca. The supposed six hour journey took closer to seven as the bus was delayed. When I arrived, touts approached for one reason and another and I waved them off, telling them I had a reservation. After a shower and change, I wandered off towards the medina, stopping at the Terasse des Paresseux for its view over the town to the Strait of Gibraltar.

A man pointed out a nearby hotel as the best in the city. I responded in French. When he asked me where I was from I told him I was from China and responded to his requests in Chinese. He spoke in English and asked if I spoke French. "Un petit peu," I said as I took my leave. He looked at me. "I think you speak better English than you speak French." I said goodbye in Chinese.

In the medina, the American Legation museum was closed for a tv shoot. I turned down a side alley to avoid another tout and soon found myself lost. All roads lead to the Petit Socco, however, and I soon found my bearings. I wandered north in search of lunch, finding my restaurant of choice between seatings. They would reopen at 8 for dinner. I walked to the northern ramparts of the medina and stolled along the battlements, looking out over the Straits towards Spain.

Back in the medina I wandered past the kasbah, which housed a closed museum, and then back through the narrow alleyways until I found myself again at the Petit Socco. Returning to the new city, I found the place I had chosen for dinner closed and finally settled on a quick sandwich. Walking back towards my hotel, I walked through a mall and up a back stairs to a beautiful tea salon overlooking the Terasse and settled in for a mint tea and a patisserie. Both were excellent. The clientele was entirely Moroccan, and I sat and listened to Arabic pop music while I wrote letters and finished my dessert.

Tomorrow, I head to Tetouan, to explore an ancient medina that's listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's only an hour or two away, and I'm excited to sample its Spanish influence. Today it's a quiet day, which is welcome after two days of before-dawn travel. The internet is cheap, the hotel is pleasant, and the patisseries are delicious. Posted by eku at September 7, 2005 11:49 AM