Tarifa to Tangier

The place I was originally looking to book the Tangier tour through never opened. Not this morning, not this afternoon, not at all. I suspect this is due to the week long festival that's going on here in Tarifa right now. That said, this morning I was able to wander down to the port and book a tour through a different travel agency. I booked it at about 8 and was on the ferry to Morroco before 9.

I have to say, I completely disagree with all the folks on the various forums that advised against the day trip to Tangier. While it really isn't enough time to experience such a remarkable culture and place, it's still an absolutely worthwhile way to spend a day. I had a great time. It's incredibly cheesy and touristy, but a great experience nonetheless. You start out on a bus tour of the new city, which takes you past the King's summer home, the governer's mansion, various government buildings and a smattering of churches, mosques and interesting looking commuities. During this portion of the trip, you stop at a really touristy point where you can ride a camel (see photo in previous post).

The tour guide was a wonder to behold. Fluent in as many languages as I know to exist, he gives the tour in all of them at once. Our group of 20 to 30 folks consisted of English, French and Spanish speakers. I suspect that if there were folks who sprechen Deutsch in our midst, he'd have added that to the unrelenting multi-lingual torrent of tour-guidance he emited. As it were, it was confusing to keep up with.

After the bus portion of the tour, your taken through the ancient portion of the city, the Kazbah, past a strategically placed snake charmer (pose with snake for picture? - 2 Euro) and off to lunch. The tour concludes with the obligatory obnoxious visit to various vendors of expensive goods (mostly carpets in Morroco, it was furniture and ... more carpets in china) and a bit more touristy shopping. It's a very canned experience, but an experienced not to be missed if in the area.

Was back in Spain by around 4 this afternoon, when I promptly went to spend the rest of the sunshine at the beach. An aside: reading Confederacy of Dunces, and have laughed out loud a number of times. This feels more like a vacation, finally. I'm almost touristed out. Maybe another museum or two (Picasso tomorrow in Malaga, maybe another in Madrid Sunday), but I'm mostly going to spend the next couple of days relaxing on the beach. That is, when I'm not on a bus or train in transit...

Took a couple of swims and the water was fantastic, if not a bit overrun by seaweed. A closer look at the map indicates that these beaches are atlantic, not mediterranian. Tarifa's port is directly on the Straights of Gibralter and the beach is to the Northwest. Tomorrow's beach in Malaga will be on the Mediterranian.