Upon arrival in Tangier our tour guide Paco shepherds our group through customs and onto a bus after a 3 hour bus ride to the ferry & 40 min ferry ride over. I didn't even tell you about that part but it began at 6am and felt endless. We're now led by a Moroccan man named Hassan and he explains the history of Morocco and Tangier which is quite interesting but I'll spare you details. Google it.
Peddlers
Our first stop is a tiny market and lookout point where we're immediately accosted by peddlers shoving trinkets, bracelets, wooden camels and long Islamic-looking tunics at us. The tunic peddlers are around every corner throughout the day. "Tunic for you?? Look at pretty colors! You like? You want? How much you pay??" After my endless "No gracias! No gracias!" which falls on deaf ears, I finally indulge one guy by holding it up to myself, saying, "Now where am I wearing this?" and he finally leaves me alone. Until the next one finds me. And the one after that...You get the idea.
Camel ride
Next stop is to see the camels where I indeed take a ride which is hilarious. An older man from Atlanta who's on our bus says, "I'd like to see you manage a camel ride in that long dress." He's joking but I assure him I've every intention of riding. I hike dress up to my knees, climb aboard the camel who has patient but long-suffering look in his eyes and his handler prods him to stand which nearly unseats me while the wind blows off the silly fez hat the man has stuck on my head. I go on mercifully short wobbly ride after which my fantasy of being SJP from SATC is shattered when I catch a glimpse of myself in mirror. I'm way more HBC (Helena Bonham Carter) from any film she's made in past several years minus the blacked out teeth. My hair is wild and I feel a layer of sand over my entire body. Pretty.
Lunch!
After more sight-seeing along the famed Kasbah (I did rock the Kasbah!) it was finally time for lunch. We weave our way through the narrow, winding streets followed by little beggar boys calling,"Por favor, señora! Por favor!" with outstretched hands which my new friends and I ignore. The restaurant has a lively band with that meandering sort of tambourine beat one can imagine. At this point, conceal your shock, I am absolutely famished having eaten nothing when I left my hotel at 5:30am. It's now 1:00 and the food is absolutely delicious! Starter is a soup which I finish with such gusto the waiter asks if I'd like some more, which I desperately want but politely decline. Don't want to be the ugly American! He takes our drinks order and this lively older British man orders two beers and then turns to his wife and asks, "And what would you like darling?" I like this group! I follow his lead and order 2 myself. Next we are served beef kabobs (love a kabob!) followed by main course which is this flavorful chicken and vegetables over a couscous the likes of which I doubt I'll ever taste again. Light, fluffy, delicious! It's making me hungry thinking of it. After dessert and surprisingly tasty mint tea, it's time for the real shopping. I can hardly wait!!
Shopping
I'd imagined that everything would be dirt cheap here and I'd walk away with armfuls of gifts. Not so amigos! Prices are outrageous & I manage to buy myself cool candle holders and a dish for which I'm embarrassed to share how much I overpaid. It being Ramadan AND Friday (their holy day) many merchants are off. The spice market rocks though!! A guy has us all seated around him while he explains what each spice is. My Pakistani neighbor in NY is often sending over delicious foods with a particular, very flavorful spice I can neither find nor identify. Friends, I now have two bags of it and can't wait to start cooking with it. I was super thrilled to discover the obvious- Moroccan oil!! It's about $40 for a 5 or 6 oz bottle at home and I was using it until my budget for such luxuries ran dry so I'm psyched to discover it's about €10 for an even bigger bottle. It originated here yet I'd forgotten all about until I got here. As with all the spices & perfumes the man passes them around encouraging us to try. Well I need no encouragement and when the Moroccan oil comes my way I spray a couple of drops on my palm and run it through my messy hair. Before passing it on I decide to discreetly spritz some more right onto my hair but when I press the spray my new friend Trish who is next to me bursts out giggling as others behind me suppress laughter. Turns out I've inadvertently sprayed the oil right onto the face of a guy behind me who is thankfully a Very Good Sport as he wipes it off his cheek. Next the spice guy calls out asking if anyone knows what arnica is. I answer loudly, "Poison?" Heads turn and the spice guy shakes his head in confusion as I realize I'm mistakenly thinking of arsenic. Trish and I laugh HARD over this, especially after the oil incident. Ah the giggles of this day! Spices procured: 2 bags magical spice, 1 vial of pure saffron, 1 bottle Moroccan oil.
Attack of the Peddlers 2:The Final Assault
Getting to the bus to return to the ferry means bracing ourselves against the peddlers who, knowing this is their last chance, are crawling all over us more aggressively than ever. More tunic guys, guys with cheap jewelry, the little beggars, guys with tee shirts & wooden camels- name it. I'm dangling my bags saying, "All done! No gracias!" to no avail. I make the rookie mistake of glancing ever so briefly at some leather sandals. And they were in a shop so I thought I was safe once I passed. Next thing I know the guy has them all bundled in a blanket and he's trotting along beside me asking, "You like? Which ones you want?" He's displaying colors & calling out "15 euro? 12? I give for 12!"
I'm refusing while on my other side trots along a guy selling mirrors which he's holding up to my face, some with doors that he's opening and closing in front of my eyes while the beggar boys are in front of me under my feet asking for "One euro señora, por favor!" I'm clutching my purse with an iron fist thinking this a classic diversion scam. Sandal guy gets on the bus with me (!) and he's down to five euro but I just want to scream, "Stop the madness!!!!" Finally, purse secured, bags in hand, I settle onto the ferry with my new fun girlfriends I've made and we watch Morocco disappear on the horizon. A very cool experience.
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