Tangier, Morocco: Day 3, shopping and eating and eating

Rock the Kasbah. Get it? 

Our hotel experience at Kasbah Rose has been lovely. Each morning at breakfast we are greeted by the owner Loraine (from Holland) and her American friend, Carla. Perhaps American is no longer an accurate descriptor, both Carla and Loraine have lived in Tangier for over 30 years, running different businesses, and both offer excellent advice on where to spend our time in the city in terms of attractions and shopping.

About the rock the Kasbah

The freshest dates I've ever eaten

A few Phoenican Tombs and some locals enjoying the view

Phoenician tombs overlooking a port
 and some seaside property

Carla recommended we start our day with a walk to The Marshan, a wealthy neighborhood outside of the Medina which overlooks the Strait of Gibraltar and is also the site of the Phoenician tombs. These tombs, deep holes carved into a ledge with a view of the strait are an archaeological site and popular meeting point for locals. The Phoenician tombs are about 20 large holes which presumably once contained bodies of Phoenicians, early inhabitants of Tangiers, before Rome conquered the city in the 1st century BC. Currently the tombs are in no way preserved, but the carved out holes are immovable reminders of ancient history in Tangier.

A main road within Marshan

Large house inside Marshan

In Marshan, the houses are bigger, the streets wider, and the neighborhood still contains a mix of well preserved homes and those in need of renovation. Tangier is a city with European influence, and tourism is still a growing industry.

A mosque during prayer times--with shoes 

waiting for their owners on the ledge right outside

Despite being touted as a popular site within Medina, we found the Kasbah Museum closed and without signage suggesting why it’s closed on a Tuesday. Though part of the pleasure of Tangier is wandering around, in no rush, as the city carries on with its business. Usually as we wander, we eat, sampling dates, pastries, sweets, and plenty of mint tea.












Any disappointment  over the closed Kasbah Museum was assuaged by a fresh and flavorful lunch at an outdoor cafe, Chez Hassan. We watched the owner and cook, filet swordfish and grill squid for our made to order meal. We were serenaded by a West African street band, who seemed as interesting an attraction to us, as to some Moroccan school children out on the streets during their school lunch break. The band itself was a reminder of other African immigrants who pass through (or perhaps stay) in this city, a passageway to Europe.

Decidedly un-Arabic music 

One of many interesting passageways in the city

Inside Tinduf Bizzare

The afternoon also contained shopping, as we idled away an hour in Tinduf Bizzare, a dark, dusty shop packed to the gills and antiques and tchotchkes. I bought postcards of Tangier from the 1950’s but not before tripping on the reproduction of a musket. Moroccan pottery was stacked high, with a thin path through the chaos for an adventurous shopper. We made a short stop at Las Chicas, a boutique recommended both by the guidebook and a NY times piece about 36 hours in Tangier. Las Chicas was a beautiful shop, but I could not convince myself to spent $310 on a velvet blazer or even $100 on a fine kaftan. Tonight we’ll search for a mysterious cafe in the Medina where Rif musicians host a nightly jam session in a tiny room. Tomorrow we catch the train to Casa Blanca where we’ll spend our last 2 nights before returning home to Washington, DC.

The more upscale Las Chicas shopping experience

Matisse's bed! 

On Monday night, I made a pilgrimage to the Grande Hotel Villa de France, a 5 star hotel, legendary for its clientele during the French protectorate days of Tangier. Henri Matisse stayed in room 35 at this hotel between 1912 - 1913. As suggested by my guidebook, I asked nicely at the reception desk if I could see the room (merci si vous plait) and documented my visit with a few pictures. Though the room is not "preserved," there is a television and updated bathroom, it was interesting to see the same views of the see and distant mountain villages, that Matisse must have admired during those years.