Tangier

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Just like Tarifa, I have passed through Tangier on several cycling trips. But I've never spent a night here.

Well, that's been corrected this week. I've had a lovely few days in the city.

The city is clean and bright. The waterfront is very nice and the old city is beautiful.

I decided to sail to the new port at Tangier Med, about 40km from the city. I wanted to enjoy a bit of a cycle along the coast before my city break.

I was booked on the noon sailing from Algeciras to give me plenty of time for cycling. The ship eventually sailed about 2.45 pm. It was after 5pm when I disembarked. I had to cycle the last 20km in darkness. Fortunately it was a good road and traffic was very light.

I have cycled that road before and didn't remember it being so hilly! I was knackered by the time I got to the hostel.

The hostel is lovely, right on the edge of the Medina.

I did take the bike out for a spin west on one day. I cycled to Pericardis Park on the edge of the city and spent a couple of hours exploring it. It's a popular place and it's easy to see why. Forested hillside overlooking the ocean. Still numerous butterflies around and plenty of birds to search for.

I didn't cycle far, but the hills were extremely steep. I had intended to do a loop out to the coast by the airport and back. However there was another nice park even further up the hill, Mediouna Park. I stopped to enjoy the f5irest there to and had a snack at a picnic table.

As I was about to leave I heard the high pitched call of a treecreeper and caught a glimpse of it landing on the trunk of the pine tree only a couple of metres from me. It disappeared around the far side.

I got really excited. That could only be a short-toed treecreeper, a lifer for me. I quickly grabbed the camera, got it ready and waited. Treecreepers normally spiral up a tree as they feed. I was hoping it would emerge again on my side of the trunk.

It did. Brilliant. Then it flew to the adjacent tree and started again. Even better, this time it spiralled up through a patch of sunlit bark. What a fantastic encounter.

For over a month now, I have been hoping to see one since I first heard one in Doñana. At that I decided to call it a day and enjoy the descent to Tangier rather than heading on and circling back on the main road.

I explored the area around Place 9 Avril today. I wandered into the grounds of St Andrews Church. The little graveyard had a very cottage garden feel to it. When I said I was from Ireland in response to the caretaker's question, he proudly told me that Samuel Beckett had visited the church and written a poem about it. Now I'm intrigued.

I also wandered through the Medina. I managed to resist the temptation to buy anything.

Tomorow morning I cycle back to Tangier Med to return to Spain and spend a few more days in Tarifa before starting my journey northwards.

I really, really hope the ship sails on time.

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Photos

Moon light.
Terrible I know. But I couldn't resist it.

Lovely Moroccan breakfast at the hostel.
Delicious breads.

Tanger beach.
Reminds me of Donegal!