I am meeting with Youssef this am at 8 to discuss our trip. And how much more “guide work” he can provide. So I was up early and showered. Out before anyone else was out of bed.
We met in the patio, one of many private patios on the hotel property. Youssef is leading a group around Morocco starting today. But, even though he is, he is still able to arrange the rest of our trip here. I was going to rent a car and take care of ourselves. But, Youssef charges about the price of a rental car and has. So, we have a guided tour. He arranges all, we just show up.
So we discussed all, decided on plans, and done. Very nice. This part of the trip might be the best. I am certainly more familiar with Tangiers than any other place we have been.
At 9 am we loaded up the van. We skipped hotel breakfast in lieu of going to Youssefs favorite patisserie. Which is, mind you, an excellent place for pastries. You see the French influence in the language and food. The French ruled here till independence in 1956.
So we loaded up on pastries. Next stop, coffee. Here they do not serve them in the same place. I don’t know why. Though they did not mind at the cafe that we brought our own food. That’s nice. Youssef brought more pastries from another patisserie too. So I had another. We sat and enjoyed our coffee for a few minutes.
After our break, our versatile guide took us to a few of the “landmarks” I wanted to find. The ones still standing. The Russian tea room is gone. Sad. But, the ice cream shop and sandwich shop I wanted to find are still there!! Tonight.
We got going without Youssef. We have a driver and van. No guide except for what Youssef has arranged at various sites.
We drove about two hours toward Casablanca. We are at a roadside cafe which is built above a lake here in the lower Rif mountains. Very pretty and this patio we are sitting in is really comfy. Light breeze, about 80 degrees. Very sweet set up. Sipping my little tiny cup of bitter coffee. Life is good.
We will be off soon. Going to the blue city. Chefchaouen. It’s a city in the mountains a couple hours from Tangiers. Built by the Spaniards in or around the 1500s. All the buildings are painted in a different shade of blue/indigo and look great in pictures. If only that functioned in my blog.
We wandered the streets of the blue city and Medina for a couple hours. Did a little shopping, bought nothing. Took a tremendous amount of pictures.
After the short walk, we went to lunch. Which is where I sit now. Finally in a cooler place. No AC, just cooler than where we were. I ordered meat kebabs. What kind of meat, I do not know. Prob chicken or goat. Lamb possible. Service is slow as hell.
Well slow service be damned, the food is tremendous. They brought us appetizers- olives, bread, and pickled sardines. Main course of tagine with plums, kebabs and cous cous. Too full for dessert.
The guide felt the need to show us the waterfall above the city. About a 15 min walk. Not very interesting except for the crowd. Lots of food vendors for that crowd. And everyone was in the water either recreating or doing dishes or washing clothes. That was fun to watch.
Back to the van. No, wait let’s walk thru the Medina for a few more. If we buy something the guide gets a cut. No wonder he keeps dragging us through.
Now back at the van. I look forward to two hours of air conditioned bliss. So nice.
Our guide today works for Youssef. He is the head guide. He pays all other guides. That fact did not stop him from doing the Moroccan thing where they stand close and continually clear their throat. It means tip me. I didn’t. Youssef pays. I pay Youssef. I like the system.
We have been on the road about an hour. Traffic is much lighter than in the am. I know his because our driver is not passing every other car. I feel better about that. Though the drive is a little more boring.
We freshened up upon arrival. And then went in search of another memory. My favorite sandwich shop. We actually saw it earlier in the day which makes it easier to find now. Maybe a fifteen minute walk from the hotel. As Ed knows, a 15 minute walk is nothing.
We did find it. I was the only one who ordered a sandwich. Kids went to McDonalds. No shit. Em did not eat. My tuna on a hoagie with everything including sliced egg, was a delicious slice of nostalgia. Hard to believe I got back here and had one. Took forever but worth the wait. I should mention, this place was a sleepy little sandwich counter in 1974. Now 5 employees, and the customers are three deep at the counter. It’s been remodeled since I last came in. It has been improved.
After our dinner we went for a walk on the new promenade. It is really beautiful. It’s eight miles long I have learned. The new marina is very unoccupied by. Oats, it is new. But whoever designed this place is a genius. It draws people in and there are no activities. It’s just a great park and people place
Back to hotel. Tomorrow to Casablanca. Big day again.