Cruise Diva's CRUISE
DIARY
~ Lisbon to Barcelona ~
 |
| Wind
Surf Casino & Lounge |
Tangier, Morocco
April 30, 2002
- Come with me to the Kasbah. (Sorry... I always wanted a legitimate
reason to say that.)
For those of us going ashore in
Tangier,
Patrick, Wind Surf's Shore Excursion Manager, highly recommended a
ship's tour. It
quickly became apparent why that was sound advice. Bargaining for
a taxi and independent guide would be tedious at best and, even with a
tour, we were besieged by Tangier's world-class aggressive vendors. On one's
own, a tourist would surely be even more intimidated. With a
population of 600,000, Tangier isn't an enormous metropolis; however,
getting around the maze of narrow lanes and alleyways that meander
through the Kasbah would be nearly impossible without assistance.
Sprawling on the hillside above the
harbor, the Medina (old city) is the hub of Tangier. Our first stop
was a visit to the American Legation where we learned of the peaceful
relationship between Morocco and the United States. The exhibits
include a letter of friendship from George Washington, who expressed
his appreciation to the Kingdom of Morocco for recognizing America's
independence. The American Legation building was the site of the
American Embassy for 145 years and is the only United States Historic
Landmark on foreign soil.
Temporarily leaving the city behind, we made our
way to the Caves of Hercules, a combination of natural and made-made
caverns. The most significant feature is the cave's seaward opening
that frames the stunning blue of the ocean and sky and resembles the
outline of Africa at low tide. This stop afforded the opportunity to
ride a camel. Several members of our group took them out for a spin
and it was hilarious to watch. Sharp-eyed Mel noticed the camels were
flea infested so I kept my distance.
We then passed areas of rocky
coastline interspersed with wide golden beaches until we reached Cap
Spartel. In front of its picturesque lighthouse, the waters of the
Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea meet and mingle.
 |
|
The
Kasbah's narrow, maze-like streets |
From the fresh ocean breezes of Cap
Spartel, we drove past the palace of Morocco's king and plunged back into
the heart of Tangier's Kasbah. Twelve hundred people make their homes
in the Kasbah and life appears much as it has been for hundreds of
years. Water is drawn from central fountains, children attend Arabic
schools, and women bring their bread dough to a communal bakery to be
baked in a wood fired oven. Residents pray at mosques inside the fortress
walls and enjoy Turkish-style steam baths. The sights, sounds, and
smells are indeed like nothing we had ever experienced.
We stopped for refreshments and a bit
of entertainment before returning to Wind Surf for lunch. Numerous
passengers opted to revisit town with our guide for
an afternoon "shopping" experience. Mel decided he
couldn't miss that chance, but I chose to remain on board and wind
down from the strenuous walking over cobblestones and broken pavement.
Mel returned from the shopping foray,
proclaiming it a bust. For a mere $3, the guide took them in a small
bus to a store where the pressure was high. Mel didn't find anything appealing and returned
empty-handed.
Today's events confirmed that the information Patrick shares in his
shore lectures is right on target. In addition, the daily ports of
call hand-outs are extremely useful for those of us with independent
spirits.
Cruising the
Strait of Gibraltar - After leaving Morocco, Captain Boylin
announced Wind Surf would not only be sailing through the straits of
Gibraltar as planned; she would also make an emergency stop in the waters off the
Rock to debark an ailing passenger. It was dusk as we
approached, but the familiar outline of the Rock of Gibraltar was
clearly visible in the distance.
We packed a lot into our day in
Tangier so we decided to rest up and order dinner from room service.
What a treat to relax in our cabin and still enjoy the same excellent
Surf & Turf dinner that was served in the Restaurant.
Another treat is the large selection of complimentary videos available
to watch on our cabin TV/VCR.
Mel's tour tomorrow includes the
Alhambra and lasts approximately ten hours. My plans are less
ambitious. I intend to stroll the streets of Marbella's old quarter
and spend some time at a seaside cafe. May 1st is a Spanish holiday and
it's a bit early for the tourist crush on the Costa del Sol, so I look
forward to leisurely window shopping and savoring a glass of sangria in
the shade of an orange tree.
Day Three -> Marbella, Spain
Back to the Lisbon
to Barcelona Cruise Diary Index
Featured Ship
Review -- WIND
SURF
Find out more about the Med in Mediterranean
Ports of Call
Cruise Line Profile - Windstar
Cruises
Dk
Eyewitness Travel Cruise Guide to Europe & the Mediterranean
Cruise Diva's comments:
The most useful guidebook I've found for multiple European ports of call
Cruise
Diary Archive
Cruise
Reviews
Onboard
Internet Cafe ~ Digital
Seas
"The earth is
mostly water... somebody has to wire it."™
Illustrations
Courtesy of Windstar Cruises
