Tangier, Morocco

Hello again! Today, I want to tell you about my second visit to the African continent; our stop at Tangier, Morocco. Check out my previous post for a look at Casablanca, Morocco!


Above: Walking through the streets of Tangier; lots of traffic and lots of street vendors!

Tangier is a city in northern Morocco with a population of about 700,000. It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel. Famous for its distinctive Moroccan souks (marketplaces), Tangier also exhibits Spanish, French and Berber characteristics.


Above: A local Mosque on the streets of Tangier.

The history of Tangier is very rich due to the historical presence of many civilizations and cultures starting from the 5th century BC. Between the period of being a Berber settlement and then a Phoenician town to the independence era around the 1950s, Tangier was a refuge for many cultures.


Above: Inside one of the many cave of wonders-type stores that lined the streets!

I visited Tangier with a group of fellow crew members (always a good idea in these sorts of places) and we spent many hours wandering about the city, just exploring the place. We passed through several indoor markets including the one you see in the picture below. This was a rare fruit stall; most of the other stalls were selling lots and lots of meat!


Above: An indoor market selling fruit.

We spied a familiar looking 'M' from lower down in the city and decided to walk up to this little piece of America. The interior was pretty standard but it was cool to see 'McDonalds' in Arabic!


Above: Arabic McDonalds!

This particular McDonalds had one of the best views I had seen from that particular fast food chain so I snapped a picture of Ryndam, docked at Tangier's port.


Above: The view from McDonalds!

In 1923, Tangier was considered as having international status by foreign colonial powers, and became a destination for many European and American diplomats, spies, writers and businessmen. Indeed, Tangier has been reputed as a safe house for international spying activities and its position during the Cold War and other spying periods of the 19th and 20th centuries is legendary.


Above: Another shot of the Ryndam in a more scenic part of town.

I am something of a movie fan and so I was interested to learn that Tangier has also been a subject for many spy fiction films, largely due to its legendary status as a real spying centre. Movies that have shot here include 'Inception', 'The Bourne Ultimatum' and two Bond films - 'The Living Daylights' and 'From Russia with Love'.


Above: Another intriguing shop facade. Parts of the movie 'Inception' was filmed in and around this area of the city.

The city is currently undergoing rapid development and modernization. Projects include new 5-star hotels along the bay, a modern business district called Tangier City Center, a new airport terminal and a new football stadium. Tangier's economy is also set to benefit greatly from the new Tanger-Med port which is opening soon.


Above: The cityscape curves around the bay with a long sandy beach beginning just past this picture.


Above: Camel rides for sale on the beach!

Tangier was an exciting city to explore, if a little bit intimidating with lots of street vendors trying to sell you their wares. This was our last time in North Africa, as sadly our visit to Tunisia was cancelled due to the riots over the Muhammad video last month. I will leave you with a shot of the city, taken from the Ryndam. Thanks for reading.


Above: Tangier from the cruise ship pier.

Casablanca, Morocco.

Welcome back! Today, I'm excited to share my day in Casablanca, Morocco with you; it was a unique experience!


Above: Hasan II Mosque and courtyard, located on the coast of Casablanca.

Morocco is a country located in North Africa, part of the Maghreb region, in addition to Tunisia, Algeria, Mauritania, and Libya, with which it shares cultural, historical and linguistic ties. Morocco gained independence from France on March 2, 1956 and the city of Casablanca is now developing a tourism industry.


Above: A street (not atypical!) in Casablanca.

Casablanca is in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean and is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. Casablanca is considered the economic and business centre of Morocco, while the political capital city of Morocco is Rabat.


Above: Looking down the Boulevard de Paris in central Casablanca.

The city combines Hispano-Mauresque and Art Deco architectural styles, and is dotted with markets, street vendors and dusty streets. We explored the city in a large group which worked out well as I would have felt lost and a little intimidated on my own!


Above: A cafe in one of the market areas.

Almost all Moroccans speak either Berber or Moroccan Arabic as mother tongues. Many Moroccans master both languages at native-speaker level. Some of the locals we talked to also spoke a little French (which was useful), a legacy of the French sovereignty.


Above: One of the markets, located in the old Kasbah.

Casablanca is home to the Hassan II Mosque, designed by the French architect Michel Pinseau. Located on the ocean front, the mosque has room for 25,000 worshippers inside, and a further 80,000 can be accommodated in the mosque's courtyard.


Above: Visiting the Hassan II Mosque.

The minaret at the Mosque is the world's tallest at 210 metres and the mosque itself is the largest in North Africa, and the third largest in the world.


Above: Hassan II Mosque's Minaret, the tallest in the world.

Work on the mosque was started in 1980, and was intended to be completed for the 60th birthday of the former Moroccan king, Hassan II, in 1989. However, the building was not inaugurated until 1993. Authorities spent an estimated $800 million on the construction of the building.


Above: The impressive entrance to the Mosque.

Sadly, we did not have time to take a tour inside the Mosque (other than catching a glimpse through a door), but one of the guides was happy to let us wear his fez (for a tip of course):


Above: Fezzes are cool.

The Parc de la Ligue Arabe (formally called Lyautey) is the city's largest public park. On its edge is the Casablanca Cathedral (Cathédrale Sacré-Coeur).


Above: The Parc de la Ligue Arabe with Casablanca Cathedral in the background.

The Cathedral is longer in use for religious purposes, but it is open for visitors and a splendid example of Mauresque architecture.


Above: Casablanca Cathedral.


Above: Looking across from the park, towards a government building.

It was an incredible experience walking around the city. Many of the streets were very dirty and unpleasant but there was a real vibrancy and life to the city. Even more so than the Caribbean, this felt like a totally new culture, watching locals walking around in robes and seeing taxi drivers, kneeling by their cars in prayer.


Above: Taxi drivers praying.

We will be visiting another city in Morocco, Tangier, in August so I will be sure to bring you photos and stories from there. One of the most impressive things about the city, was the port where we docked. The Port of Casablanca is one of the largest artificial ports in the world, and the largest port of North Africa. It is also the primary naval base for the Royal Moroccan Navy.


Above: Leaving the port where we had docked.

I'll leave you with the Moroccan sunset that bade us farewell as we headed for the Spanish coast.