And so does the cat, in Tangier.

As we were waiting to get on the bus to take us to the Medina, or old town in Tangier, an unhappy woman was getting off the bus.  “There are no stores open.”    The ship arrived at 8 AM.  It was now a little about 10:30. We are not early risers, perhaps she is too early a riser.

The bus climbed the hill and dropped us off at Place 9 Avril 1947 near the Medina’s upper gate.  At a nearby park, we sat on a bench to get our bearings with Google Maps.  As soon as we sat down the vendors came.  The first was selling “used Rolex Watches, genuine.”  Then came the bracelet man.  His first offer was 2 for €10 “Very good price. If you go to the store you need to pay taxes, no store, no tax.” He dropped the price by changing the currency “One for $5.”  We went back and forth between euros and dollars.  Not once was the Moroccan Dirham mentioned. “The last woman paid $20 for one of my bracelets, this is a very good price.”  Suzi finally settled on a price and bought a bracelet.  I spent energy fending off t-shirt vendors — not interested.    

When the vendors left a calico kitty warily slinked by Suzi and planted herself between my feet in my shade.  I pulled out my phone to plot our path and take a picture of kitty.  We could wander near the top of the Medina but I figured that if we walked down the hill through the streets we would see more and get to the port without having to retrace steps, climb uphill, or take a bus.  Google maps gave me a route that would take a little over an hour along main streets.  Apple gave me a more winding route through narrow streets that would take 16 minutes.  We kind of followed the Apple route with some detours. but it took us a little over an hour but with more interesting streets.

After temperatures in the mid-90s, up to 100 in the Spanish Mediterranean, Atlantic Morocco seemed pleasant at 85 with a steady ocean breeze.  As the ship passed through the Pillars of Hercules between Gibraltar and Ceuta, we encountered fog and mist as the cold Atlantic waters met the warm Med.   

Friday is the Moslem prayer day and the stores were definitely open.  Shop keepers came out to meet us on the street and entice us into their shops.  I don’t know where the unhappy bus lady went, but not into the Medina. 

Actual noon, and the midday call to prayer, would come at a little after 1:30 PM because of a combination of Daylight time and being west in the time zone.  We knew the shops would close for a few hours during and after the afternoon prayer so we had plenty of time to enjoy the streets with shops open and the bustle of the Medina, the spice market, food stalls, souvenir shops and all the other Friday activity.

We came out of the Medina at the fortress by the port and crossed the Corniche into the port.  We heard the call to prayer while sitting under a tent’s shade at a port café.