Morocco

The following weekend after our weekend in Granada, we went on a trip to Morocco. Although it was very short, we were able to see three different cities: Tangier, Tetouan and Chefchaouen. After a 9-hour overnight bus journey, my friends and I boarded a ferry with our tour group at the southern tip of Spain. We took this ferry to Tangier, Morocco, known as the gateway between Europe and Africa.

Morocco is probably the most fascinating place I've visited -- it was so different than anywhere else I'd ever been. Once we arrived to Tangier, the trip started off at the Caves of Hercules, which at their opening facing the sea, takes the shape of Africa, and the other facing land is an image of a man in a turban. These caves are said to have been visited by mythological heroes, such as Hercules, hence the name.

We also visited the Cape Spartel Lighthouse, a traditional Arabic-style lighthouse constructed in the late 1800s. It's located where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. After that we went for a camel ride on the beach. I was on the camel that lead the rest, and my friend's camel behind me kept putting its mouth near my knee, and eventually gave it a little love bite. So for the rest of the day, I walked around with camel snot on my pant leg. Luckily the bite was on the lighter side!

After the camel ride, we went for some local cuisine. The restaurant, Mamounia Palace, had walls decorated with mosaic tiles, patterned plush couches and pillows. Traditional, live music played. Our first dish was a Moroccan soup with rice and spices - cardamom, saffron and turmeric. We also had spiced chicken skewers and couscous with carrots, cabbage, zucchini, garbanzo beans and onions. For dessert, we were served traditional Moroccan cookies, along with fresh mint tea. The cookies were a cross between sugar cookies and biscuits. Everything was so good.

After lunch we walked around the city center of Tangier. We took in the unique architecture -- the white ramshackle buildings with their stucco roofs in the shapes of arches and domes. We wandered a big market that displayed ornamental jewelry, decor, beautifully woven rugs, and scarves. I purchased a reversible coral and maroon pashmina scarf, and haggled for the price. In Morocco, haggling is a must. You can almost always haggle for at least half the listed price.

The next day we went to Tetouan and Chefchaouen by bus. Tetouan, which translates to open your eyes, is just over an hour from Tangier. We walked through the medina, the heart of Tetouan, discovering the tunnels of the city that feel like mazes. We then rode another 2 hours to Chefchaouen, also known as the Blue City. Along the way, we saw wide open, lush, green fields with livestock roaming and brick homes scattered here and there. Once we arrived, we ate lunch at another beautiful restaurant. The sunlight reached our table, and the view of the plaza below and mountains off in the distance was just gorgeous. The food was amazing! I had a goat cheese salad with lemon chicken and caramel flan for dessert. We wandered for a while after lunch, in awe at the brilliant bright blue streets. The city was painted blue because it apparently wards off mosquitos. The blue is also said to represent the sky and heavens, reminding those to lead a spiritual life. Woven goods, such as baskets and rugs hung from the streets. Cats wandered and some women hung laundry on lines outside of their homes.

For me, the highlight of this trip was the Blue City, because of its vibrant beauty and warmth.

Morocco is such a big country, but I feel lucky to have been able to see a few of its cities. It has been on my list for some time. I loved how it combined the feel of southern Spain with its Arabic influence, among others.