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Published: December 4th 2009
Nothing like getting up at 5 AM. Normally you'd have to drag me out of bed at that hour, but not yesterday. Ok, I didn't jump right out of bed, but I got up without fighting (much).
Now what would get us up that crazy early?
AFRICA!
We took a bus down to Tarifa. Beautiful drive, our guide gave us lots of insight into the history of spain/ southern spain that is. He told us of the years when Arabic kings ruled this coastal province. 2 hours into the drive we came to the old city, there to board a high speed ferry over to Tangier (14 km away), in Morocco. It was a rocky rugged trip as the boat sway back and fourth in the misty morning, we passed the rock of Gibraltar as the sun was coming up, all the while struggling to view the mountains as they slowly creep out of the Fog across the water (when we checked the weather report it was sure of rain).
Tangier is a city with an ancient past; Struggling with its sovereignty as its old cities high walls were penetrated
by more and more people. The Spaniards kicked the Arabic rulers out the-- year Christopher Columbus sailed to a distant world, with the "Spanish inquisition". Also the French made their claim to the port of Tangiers. Most schools are required to teach French, as one of the many national languages. With this International City dissected into different countries areas it's no wonder the Moroccan people are heavily influenced by the outside world.
Our bus took us down through the valley of the Hebrews and out to the caves of Hercules on the Atlantic coast. With our tour guides elaborate stories, we learned of the peoples past as we were taken back to when Morocco claimed independence from the heavy hand of France and Spain. He Shared the importance of the caves for smuggling guns to fight the civil war that "didn't really happen". He proudly spoke of the Great Feast held by the king in the Cave of Hercules.
We ate our own Moroccan lunch in a tent, filled with the sights, smells and sounds of Morocco. We watched dancers share their ancestors stories as they danced to a small band. In the arena outside of the
tent horsemen ran across in a race as they shot of their guns in a blaze of smoke. Camels calmly showed us the scenery, bumping along while a man pulled them and posed for our pictures.
The marketplace experience was buy far the most fun. We haggled with rug merchants in a huge house as they rolled out dozens of carpets at our disposal. Men followed us in the streets with trinkets and instruments as they tried to entice us with the best price for each item-- or 5 items for the same price as his first figure. We saw Drums, shoes, bracelets, leather jackets, wallets, fireproof carpets, genie type lamps, tinny camels, and cartons and cartons of cigarettes. Following our guide in his traditional garb we struggled to keep together through the narrow streets, high walls, and lurking eyes between each alley way. The labyrinth as Kevin called it, was both impressive and scary. Kittens meowed in the street as they tip toed around the unknown substance that flowed down the cobble stone. Meat, breads and all types of vegetables were sold for next to nothing, the locals haggled with each other for the best prices.
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Felicia
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Wow... Just wow..