Movenpick Hotel & Casino Tangier

... split with frustration was the feeling we left as we flew
out of Morocco. Turns out he had come early to Tangier but not found us in his
wandering around the city, and the first internet café he found had stairs so
he hadn’t gone in (leg pain from arthritis and polio)…but he also hadn’t gone
looking for another cafe….

Bloody dad.



Shane says:

Nick snores like
a ****ing 2 ...

... 1 new pair purchased in Marrakech) 6) Cities we have been to in two weeks 7) Blonds in Rabat (but one had a really bad dye job!) 8) New Facebook friends I've met! 9) Times a day I put sanitizer on my hands 10) Amount in dirhams for minimum wage in Morocco (about $1.50).

... showed that was almost 3 times what the fare should have been. With little sleep and less patience we still managed to negotiate a decent rate, and after loading down the taxi took off for the station. Naturally the line appeared unnecessarily long, and insult to injury proved that not only did they not take credit cards but the one ATM in the station didn't work (I believe this was a direct consequence of Aarathi mushing us by saying 'Ah, we're okay now ...

... to beat them away so we could get on our bus to the border. No Gitano, no quiero una pulsera! Te va! (No gypsie, I don´t want a bracelet, go away) We joked but in all seriousness that´s the way alot of people earn money in Morocco as well as Spain. The street vendors are everywhere! As soon as we hit the border terror struck down upon us. Hundreds of people trying to cross the border. Barbed wire and double sided razor fences, drug dogs, millitary ...

... medina and taking in the spicy smells wafting around our nostrils and changing scent at every turn we took. I like Morocco alot. The stores sell wonderful Moroccan goods like leather feet seat poofs, hookahs, Alladin lamps, genie shoes that curl up at the ends, rugs, instruments and glass lanterns. Of course we want to bring it all home with us. It is mainly men who hang out in the streets doing business deals, drinking mint tea and playing cards whilst ...

... curious tourist like me. The area is also full of laiteries - little bars that blend milk with the fruit of your choice, making a sort of smoothie. I particularly like the avocado - it does seem strange to blend avocado and milk but it tastes great. I also go down to the Corniche along the seafront, where Rick's Cafe from the film was supposedly located. Someone has opened one up to cash in on the name and the area is full of bars and restaurants called names such as Miami ...

... seen in other cities throughout Morocco. We spent a while trying to find the Kasbah and ended up being led to it by a faux guide. After a lot of walking around we were exhausted so decided to get a taxi back to campsite. Our taxi was flagged down by a man who put his friend into the car (its normal here to share taxis), this man sat in the front and held a tissue in front of his face the whole way, which we found a little strange.

... t understand. People yelled after us asking where we were from. One such guy yelled "The Doors? Jim Morrison is alive and living in Morocco!" To this Sneeze broke the no-English rule and protested, "But I've been to his gravesite in Paris!" We tired of the Kasbah and took ourselves down to the beach. It seemed a welcome relief after the crush and oppression of the city center. The sand danced in the wind and boys played in the ...

... ran towards the bus and he slammed on the brakes to let them on. All I could think about was waterfalls and flushing sounds. We passed through Meknes, which I knew was about an hour outside of Fes, but I didn't know if I could make it. Finally, the bus stopped for gas and I actually had the chance to go, but by this time I couldn't since I'd been holding it in for so long. The bus started honking and Tai started shouting things so I gave up and ran for the bus. Luckily, soon ...

... on Marrakesh!).  But by far the least pleasant aspect of Tanger were the hustlers.  "Hustlers of Dehli, Bangkok, Kathmandhu, Camden town - you have a lot to learn!" These guys would not take "la" for an answer.  And after a semi-sleepful night on the train through Spain and meeting African heat for the first time, we were in no mood for the hard sell. It is perhaps a shame that our perceptions of Tanger will always be tainted by such.  The city itself is ...