"A weekend in Tanger" Province de Tanger by bonimae

Tanger was the most exotic and foreign place I have been to so far. It was a wonderful experience. The ferry ride from Spain was an extremely rough crossing, with swells as large as the ferry itself. We were the only females on board, and obviously foreign (two Americans, one Canadian, and one Japanese). We endured the curious stares from jilaba clad men, but no one approached us. Not so when we landed in Morocco. We were immediately set upon by twenty or so self-appointed guides and another twenty or so cab drivers. They followed us shouting and trying to outdo each other and be the first to get our business. We jumped into a cab and requested that he take us to a nice but inexpensive hotel. The hotel grounds, lobby and restaurant were beautiful but the rooms were quite spartan. They were clean, however, and one can't complain too much at the rate of $5.00US per night. We spent the next three days exploring, always with our entourage of would-be guides following close behind. We kept them at bay by hiring a ten year old boy to be our guide. He was a wonderful guide. He spoke a little English, Spanish, Italian, German and Japanese along with being fluent in French and Arabic. He tutored us on how to not be offensive during this time of religious holiday (Ramadan). We rode camels on the beach, roamed the narrow winding streets and alleys, ate Ramadan bread and soup (wonderful!) at sundown, spent a long and lazy afternoon lounging in Omar's 'uncle's' carpet shop where we were treated like kings, served tea and sweets and shown exquisite carpets fashioned by hand on the ancient looms being worked in the room above (which we visited also to watch them being made). We savored the sights and smells of the best open market imaginable, with olives, spices and tropical fruits in huge piles, fresh breads and pastries, meat and fish. Tangier was a great experience and though we were slightly nervous about going at the time (during the Gulf War) we experienced no ill will. It was a great trip, albeit not for everyone I' sure. These are my tips if you are considering going there:

I. Bring your own TP. Expect toilet
facilities to be primitive.
2. Do not eat or shake hands with your left hand. Very offensive to do this.
3. Do not discuss politics or religion.
4. Respect the customs of the country. Ladies, do not wear shorts, mini-skirts or tank tops.
5. Ignore the dope sellers.
6. Always watch out for pick-pockets etc. although we never had a problem.
7. Be extra cautious if wandering the streets after dark.
8. Remember, this is a third world country. Do not expect the same amenities that you have at home.
9. Have fun, behave as an embassador of your country, savor the magic of a different culture.

• Pros:People, sights, sounds, food, prices
• Cons:'Wanna-be' guides. Primitive restrooms.
• In a nutshell:Like a magic carpet ride back in time.