Wed 7th & Thu 8th May in Tangier Morocco

After leaving my beloved Andulucia in Spain, I knew my trip to Morocco would be very different & confronting as a female solo traveller to this region.  From Ronda I took the train on the iconic route to Algeciras, on the south coast of Spain, the gateway by sea, to North Africa.  I then caught the bus to Tarifa, (also on the south coast & the windsurfing capital of Spain) in order to catch the ferry to Tangier in Morocco.  What awaited me was a bleak scene of massive wide open areas, windswept & not inviting in any way.  Even the entry into was confronting.  At least 50 steps on almost a ninety degree angle which for someone like me, lugging my "yellow peril" suitcase. seemed like an almost impossible task of leaving the pier.  Fortunately a young man suddenly appeared out of nowhere & ran up the middle of the stairs with my suitcase.  Then the "fun" really began with being approached by at least ten taxi drivers.  After managing to find a money exchange place, I gratefully fell into a taxi which took me to my hotel.  I knew pretty quickly that the freedom I had experienced walking through Spain as a single female was going to be a very different affair in Morocco. so I made the decision to be accompanied by a male guide on a walking tour through the Tangier Medina

.  Suddenly all my concerns vanished in an instant & I was able to wander through the market without feeling threatened in any way.  I was able to see & appreciate the faded beauty of the facades of the old buildings, including old doors with mosaic tile surrounds & even smile & joke with the sellers of fish, fruit & veg etc.  A lesson learnt in Morocco!