After waking up at about 5:30, we got on the ferry and went to sleep again. We only woke up when the ferry was already in the harbour of Tanger.
Mika:
Actually I woke up and had to force Janina to wake up. She had slept so deep that she didnt wake up, eventhough I almost screamed near her. Finally she woke up. I thought great lets pick up our bags, walk out and we are in Africa. Well we got outside and walked about 10 meters.
Suddenly the Police screamed show us your passports. Well I took our passports from my bag and showed it happily. Only one problem, we didn't have the stamps in our passports. For a moment there we were illegal immigrants in Africa. I do think that people tend to do it illegally the other way around. Well we were told that we have to get the stamps by going back to the boat again.
Got there but the policeman that was supposed to give us stamps wasn't there. So we waited and waited. We asked them a few times, when is he coming to give the f+#-_ stamps. About an hour later one of the workers called to him again and he answered. It turned out he had been sleeping, inside the ferry all the time. Well finally he came to put the stamps just before the boat left back to Spain. We ran out and they closed the gates just after us.
Ofcourse we understood it was our own fault as we were tired and slept through the announcement to go get the stamps. And then the police slept through our wait for the stamps. Well finally we got our feet on African soil and I screamed Fuck you guys I am in Africa! :)
We walked towards the bus, but the engine started and it drove away. The police that had asked for our passports were helpful and told us where to go for the next bus to the harbour offices.
After a short wait there was a small airconditioned bus there and we got to the terminal. Terminal was no hassle just walked through some luggage checkpoints and we were out.
Immediately it started. Like vultures over prey the taxidrivers came to try to sell us a ride to town. Like we couldn't take the bus. Well actually we didnt know how much the bus would cost at this point but still we went for the bus and told no thanks.
Janina:
Luckily I didn't throw away our tickets, as we got the bus for free to the center of Tanger. It was included in the ticket from Algeciras to Tanger Med. (48€ for two)
Mika:
We could see that the country was more dry and poor than the other countries we had visited. Everyone was trying to make money from the tourists. Euro euro, taxi, hostel, restaurant come on euro euro.. So annoying.
Janina:
It was still early morning and we haven't eaten any breakfast yet. We desided to just walk trough the city and search for a cheap hostel or a hotel with a good(big) buffet breakfast.
Mika:
I was a bit worried about Janina's clothes as she had a pair of micro shorts on and a see through shirt. It was a religious country moscues, prayer towers and stuff. Older ladies at least commented something from under their full cover dresses. And a pic of a angry granny.
The men mostly just enjoyed the sights and tried to sell some information etc. Of course it was obvious we were turists as we had backbags and a bit too pale skin.
Janina:
Some hostels and hotels were quite cheap, but without breakfast and airconditioning. (I think cheapest with airconditioning and a double bed was 35€. If you add big breakfast to that..) So we managed to choose a four star hotel. Mika bargained for two buffet breakfasts in the price (one for that morning) for 70€. A bit more than what we were used to but if you calculate two buffet breakfasts out of it, its a good price for a four star.
Hotel marketing:
Hotel pool
Breakfast, MmmM. Check out the room. Get a shower and then a bit sleep before leaving to see what's in Tanger.
We saw from a map of Tanger that there is a possibility to go and try surfing with a board, and as we fancy watersports of course we wanted to try that. We went down from our room with beach gear packed and asked for more help at the reception.
Mika: Darn that new dress/suit is fine. And it covers a bit more, so we were being more respectful of their culture also.
The receptionist spoke english and was helpful to call the places and ask if they are open etc. She also talked with the taxi driver that told her he knew the beach and the place where we can try surfing. We wanted to see also the cave of Hercules and made agreement that he would take us there to both places and back if we pay 200 dh (20 euros). Actually they started asking for 300 but Mika bargained a hundred out of it. We thought it would be quite a good price and left.
First to the cave and it was one euro to get in. Then the "guide" followed us and started to talk. He told something about the cave and took pictures of us with my camera (I was afraid he's going to brake it). All that happened very quickly we almost ran through the cave from palce to place. It was because he had to get new tourists in after us to make more euros. From us he demanded five euros, but we gave only something like three euros, we told a white lie that's all we have.
Mika:
We got out of the cave and saw a nice rocky shore under it. Well it being hot enough for us we went down for a swim. We still had a bit under an hour time agreed with our driver.
We saw some locals jumping from the rocks to the Atlantic waves. They seemed to time their jumps so that they got back up after a couple of waves more. I wanted to go in also but Janina didnt as she felt its dangerous because of the waves hitting the rocks. I asked her to take a video of the locals jumping to a small cave between the rocks. It was only about two meters wide and the way out was only a bit over half a meter wide so you would need to use the returning wave to get out. Of the hole.
I went down for a jump in the water from a safe spot I saw. It was nice and getting back to the rocks was a matter of timing as you ride the wave up. After that jump the locals started to jump from a more dangerous place to the small cave. They were taunting me to try it also. Janina was a bit angry as I wanted to try it also. Well I went up there and checked a few times where the locals landed their jumps and how much water there was. After a long time feeling like I had a heartattack, I desided its safe for me to jump in also. Wheee.
I got into the water and made a really quick recovery and screamed woohoooo. Some locals were laughing. Well I still had to swim through the small opening to get up with he current from the waves. Luckily I made it on my first try.
Janina:
I felt Mika was an idiot.
There was some cute camels, one baby camel also. We aske for a ride but it was too expencive and our driver was waiting for us. So we decided to be content with petting and pictures.
Mika:
Got back in the taxi and the fighting started. He was about to take us straight back to the hotel. "I just agreed to take you there and back nothing more he claimed" I argued with him. He tried also to get the price up by 50 dirhams. After I "won" the argument we got to the crossroad towards the beach, were we should find the boards and be able to surf. I asked to confirm the place of the rental. He claimed yeah he knew were it is and continued driving. We didn't see any traffic lights but clearly it was the turn of the goat, sheep, and cows to pass the road.
We drove next to a 45km long beach and came to a restaurant named almost the same as the rental place. He stopped there and said it is here. I asked where is the surfboard rental? He said he didn't know. Well I said there is an adress in our turist map he should take us. He again said this is far enough and that we should go back to the hotel. I claimed that we agreed that we would go to the caves and the beach and after surfing we would call him to come back not that he would wait there and stress us about the time. He claimed he didn't agree to that. Well we continued towards the address of the map, it was about three kilometers more down the beach.
There was nothing, but a couple of locals chilling in a shadow. I went to ask them for help and they started to explain that they knew the place. Its 3 km away. Back the way we came. Suddenly the taxidriver screamed something in arabic to them and they started to say sorry we dont speak english and that they didn't know anything.
At that point I lost my temper. I said to the local dudes fuck you and your fucking games. Walked back to the taxi really angry and started to scream at the driver. I have perfectly good legs and I can walk so he can get the fuck out and we will continue with another way. Without paying him a dirham. After that he started to explain that we could have an hour of beach there and then head back. I said that we were promised we could get to the beach where they rent surfboards. Later when we were done we could call him and get the ride back to town. He didn't agree but we agreed to go back to the restaurant with almost the same name as the surfing rental. He started to wait there again for us to get back to the taxi. I said he could go to town and come back when we call him. No no no petrol is expencive... Bla bla bla.
We walked behind the restaurant for the beach and there was a beach bar there with the same name as the rental. +#-_-+#-#*+#- I just spent an hour arguing with the driver and searching for something that was there just a bit hidden.
Now we went to ask for boards and the guy who owned the rental wasn't there. They told us he would come back in a moment. We waited for 15min and then just decided to go to the beach for swimming and chilling.
Got in the water and we were very hungry. I said we are also having ramadan as we didn't eat the whole day. After some snorkling we headed to the shower and saw that the surf dude wasn't back at the shop even then.
Well back to the taxi for a quiet ride back to town. We told him to drop us near Medina the old town. We paid him the 200 dh and gave a couple of cents we had in euros as he was still arguing for more. He played the angry taxidrivers role till the end. Feeling frustrated, angry and hungry we continued our day in Tanger.
Janina:
In Medina all of the bigger restaurants were still closed because of the Ramadan. But there was a big market going on, clothes, shoes, spices, fish, fruits and RABBITS for sale. Saw a small kitten in the market and immediately after it Mika asked me to look at a shop. I turned my head and saw dead rabbits hanging on hooks. With fur and all. For a moment I thought they were kittens also.
Mika:
We walked around Medina avoiding all the euro, euro, hotel, taxi, turist hoaxer people. Got to the other end of Medina and stopped for a break at the steps to a Museum. Kasbah was its name. We sat there when the evening prayer song started and the streets suddenly went empty of people. I thought ah finally no more euro euro. We ate at peace a few fruits of a cactus. Had to take a photo also as I could leave my phone on timer as it was quiet.
Well it wasn't long till some one came and asked do we need help. He started differently than the other turist "guides". Told a bit about himself and the town etc. And was leaving before we left. But somehow he came back and told us that its unsafe there for us at that time. Also that he could show us a way to a real local Moroccan restaurant that is not turistic. I felt that he is not a hoax and we desided to go with him. He told us more about his family and the local history, time when the town was international etc.
Well we got to the restaurant there was just one other turist family there and it was a traditional looking big restaurant. Well for the locals it was still praying time so I suspected it was okay. We got the menus and there were just two selections local menu 1 and 2. Other one the same but with one course extra. I took the five course one and Janina the smaller one. I also took a picture of the dude that brought us there before he went on his way again. ;)
Janina:
We got punked! This time instead of starting to cry I laughed my head of. So funny, again. The food costed 340 dirhams but wasn't worth that much. (~32€)
Some soup, chicken, rise and one poor dry cookie for desert. Well, atleast I got a bad feeling in my stomach and I have to say the guy was good at his "job". Next time when visiting Africa I won't stay in Tanger.
Mika: My menu was the same but it also included two metal bbq sticks with some spicy meat. It was actually good food to my taste but the price was "European price".
Janina:
On the way to the hotel we bought some candy and water. Back to the hotel and ofcourse we wanted to go swimming in the pool. Well at this time it wasn't allowed. We went anyway because we had paid for the pool also. Rest of the night we were sitting in the bar, drinking and spending the evening chilling.
After all we went happily to sleep. Mika fell asleep so quickly I was afraid was everything okay. In the morning he told me he was just really tired.
Saturday 11th
Morning came, we felt well rested and headed down for the big buffet. Mmm after about 5 cups of coffee and a lot of stuff to eat we were ready to head out. Went to pickup our bags and came down to pay the bill. We drank a few drinks last night at the hotel bar that should have been in the room bill but wasn't. I was feeling so good, that I even asked for the bills to be included, but the receptionist didn't find any bills and said lets just leave it.
Last night we had agreed, or Janina agreed that we wont try to see anything more here but head back to Spain on an early ferry. We went for the local harbour with a taxi 2€. After a couple of taxis trying to get 5 for the same ride. Started asking for ferries going to Tarifa.
There were two companies operating that route from the city harbour. Other one cost 750dh with a slow ferry. The other was 800dh with a fast ferry. Janina hadn't been in a fast ferry so we took it. Funnily it was almost twice the price of the boat we came in with from Algericas to Tanger Med which was a longer ride and included a bus to the center.
Well the timing was tight as we had ten minutes to find the boat. Almost boarded the wrong one. Luckily a cleaning man saw that we didn't look like we were going more down south on Moroccan shore and asked Tarifa? We said yes Tarifa and he showed us the right boat. And this time didn't even ask for euros..
On the boat we found really nice seats at the front of the boat with big windows. Well in a moment we found out that it was the VIP lounge which cost 9€ per person. The bouncer was nice and told us that there was a balcony on the backside of the boat where we could check out the sceneries and feel the speed.
Out of Africa
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