Continued from Tangier Day 1 Part 2.

Jetlagged, went to bed at around midnight, but I didn’t get up until past 10. RL got up about two hours earlier than me and went to breakfast about 20minutes before I got out of bed. Her breakfast buffet picture.

RL’s breakfast.

Hey look, I’m up and awake now!

My breakfast buffet photo.

Love how they have freshly squeeze juice everywhere here, so good. It was almost all carbs and fruits for breakfast here.

View out of the window from our shower. Needless to say, this window stays mostly closed.

After a late start to our day, it’s time to get going. The current plan is to do some light sightseeing, have lunch, go nap during the hottest hours of the day, and then come out again in the mid to late afternoon to sightsee and eat dinner. That’s the plan anyway.

Back at the kasbah, and now headed to the kasbah museum.

The kasbah museum is part gallery and part Palace turned museum.

I know it says no photos, but the guard said it was ok.

Moroccan style glasses used in an art display.

Entering the palace part of the museum.

There’s a mirror placed under it, so I guess you can look down instead of craning your head up to look at the dome.

Reminds me of India.

Muqarnas.

People used to write so beautifully.

Into the garden of the palace.

It was gated off, but there was a section of the garden that overlooks the ocean.

Look, banana flower!!

Random lady points.

Reminded us of ceilings we saw in Tibet (minus the colorful paint).

Alright, time to leave the Kasbah Museum.

Now, let’s look for a lunch spot. We are jetlagged, so currently not very hungry, but might as well eat because it’s the right time.

Lunch spot.

Oh wait, they are not serving full menu at lunch, just a reduced menu on their outdoor seating. We’ve come to realize that many places have random hours and sometimes will be closed when they are supposed to be open. Perhaps this is because it was just Ramadan and things are still slowly opening back up? I spoke to the staff at our hotel, and was told that this is actually not super busy right now, but in a few months during the summer it gets super crowded. Love shoulder season traveling.

Fresh OJ is the best.

Coffee and mint tea. We decided that since they are not serving their full menu, we’ll just have some coffee and tea here, then move on to a different lunch spot.

Fresh mint along with green tea leaves.

Alright, time to take a walk, and this time a little longer away to another restaurant since the first one didn’t pan out as a lunch spot.

Oddly reminds me a little bit of San Francisco. I think it’s the hills.

I’d come across random doorways and hole-in-the-walls just stuffed completely with..stuff.

What are these cool trees?

Grand Socco, the large square.

All fake goods. but cool display.

The Moroccans eat a lot of bread, they always serve these round bread about maybe 8in in diameter and cut up into pies. They are pretty tasty.

Spices of tea, I couldn’t tell. All i know if they use tons of coloring agent for them.

It’s a little hot, I didn’t want to walk this much, and I’m hungry. The restaurant should be close to here, but we can’t quite find it.

Finally found it.

We had walked right past it earlier, it was just a random restaurant in the middle of shops. We had to resort to looking at a google image of the store front in order to find it. I know, seems like it would be easy to find, but we had a hard time.

Walked about 15min across town (relatively) to eat here. Recommended by Lonely Planet and google. Set menu at 250dirham per person, so not cheap, but all the pics looked so good.

Fish soup, very good. I believe it was shark meat.

Seafood tajine. Calamari, mixed types of fish and spinach.

This was very delicious. The food was hot, and it kept on burning my hand and I’d drop it off of my flat bread onto the table paper.

Lastly, whole grilled fish. Don’t know what fish it was, but it was fresh, meaty, and very delicious. It was way too much food for us, despite trying our hardest, we could only eat half of the fish. Wish we had appetite to eat more. The whole time we were here, they served us some sort of sweet house juice. I want to say it had plums, raisins, figs, etc. It was good, but sooo sweet and made me more thirty the more I drank it.

RL liked how the grilled fish tail looked.

I’m out of walking shape, and my groin has been hurting (though better today), decided to take a taxi back to our guesthouse after lunch to save my legs. Definitely getting older and need to pace myself more so that I don’t end up with an overuse injury that lays me out for days.

Miss our dog.

RL really wants a cat, but I’m allergic to cats. Time to head back to our room, rest, nap, and blog.

A few hours of rest later, time to hit the road again. And whats the first picture taken, another cat (RL’s favorite cat).

That single window by itself in the middle is the window of our shower. Would have a great view, if not for it being a shower.

I wonder what Tex Mex tastes like, I regret not buying it right then. Hopefully I’ll see it again later on this trip.

Again, how much coloring are they using to make those vibrant colors?

All new doors on one side, and old doors on the other side. I believe they are gentrifying this part of Tangier. In fact, I believe much of the kasbah has been gentrifying for the past two decades in order to beautify and attract tourists. It’s working. It used to have a very seedy reputation over here.

Look, they are putting all new doors in this area.

RL wanted to come here to buy some souvenirs for friends.

This is a tiny shop.

Everything you can see here is literally the entire shop. It got so cramped in here I left RL and waited outside. 6 people completely fill this shop to the point where I had to leave…and even then I think it can only comfortable fit 3 people.

Records acquired, now time to find some dinner.

But before dinner, a visit to Petit Socco, the small square.

Apparently this used to be the center of seediness before all the gentrification. But today, it’s got cafes and lots of people. Yet…some people are still diehards against gentrification. Can’t stop progress and can’t freeze time.

Again, no alcohol, so mint tea and coffee.

Yum, love coffee.

OK, time to find dinner, for real this time.

RL’s heart melted.

Now her hand is diseased forever from the kitten. Kitten was very cute though. I sent a text to my dog telling her she’s not a cat and can never compare.

Oh, is that so?

Find our dinner spot.

Super tiny restaurant.

At first, I was excited that they had beer when on I saw this in their fridge, but it turned out to be alcohol free malt beverage. What the heck, I wanna try it anyway. It’s sweet, and not a beer…

The ubiquitous bread and olives. Also some moderately spicy chili paste.

Ordered soup, had chickpeas in it. Quite good, but we ordered two portions, and it was way too much for us to finish.

Yummm!!!

More yummmm!!! Love the caramelized onions and raisins. Dinner really hit the spot. Except, when I got up from my table, I felt a slight shooting pain down my back. Fuck..I just pulled something. I knew all that walking today would do me in somehow.

Tangier is quite hilly, and our guesthouse is at the top of the hill.

Almost there.

RL’s fav cat again. This is it’s spot for sure.

Back pain…ugh. Getting old sucks. I hope this pain doesn’t incapacitate me tomorrow.

There are fountains in the kasbah for public water. I guess some people may still not have water service inside their homes here.

Back pain…I’m a little worried of the condition my back will be in tomorrow. We are traveling tomorrow, which means I’ll need to carry my heavy pack….eek.

Headed to the rooftop bar at our guesthouse for some back muscle relaxer in the form of Jack Daniels.

It is quite beautiful up here. Came here to Tangier undecided how we’ll feel about it, and we are leaving it pretty happy to have been here. It’s a cool little spot.

Blog blog blog! I’m already behind.

I went to the guesthouse kitchen in search of beer, and I saw this poster of OSS117 with autographs. We love that movie!

Success!!! It’s been so hard to find a beer in this country. It’s not really cold…more room-temp, but that’s ok, it’s still quite good. I’m not super picky.

Back is definitely messed up. Aleve along with Zyrtec( I’m allergic to nsaids) and hope for the best tomorrow.

Must stretch to help back…getting old sucks. Tomorrow we say goodbye to Tangier and hello to Fes.

To be continued at Fes Day 1.