Finding Hafa (Part 6 of 6)

Finding our Sunset

Driving through another tight and unlit Tangier street, my focus shifted from completing another loop that might draw us closer to the elusive Cafe Hafa to the crowd of Moroccans milling in the middle of the road that I must've mistook as a vehicular lane.  Crossing it without purpose and lining the fringes with little regard for personal safety, most pedestrians disregarded our van as it idled toward - and ultimately - past them.

I thought to myself, "Another turn toward the coast, and we should be near the stadium that sits atop the cliff near the cafe."  Veering onto Avenue Hassan II, the thoroughfare widened and I gained a little confidence when the glimpse of stadium lights arrived over the cityscape to my right.  After close to thirty minutes of looping around the city on a "mini tour" of the old medina, we'd arrive to the famous beatnik hangout soon enough to enjoy a sunset over the Atlantic and Mediterranean whilst sipping mint tea and nibbling on some sweets.  It would be a nice ending to the day's journey and a suitable closure to my family's two-week visit.

The day didn't start as well as I envisioned its end.  Slinking away from one of my toilets where I forcefully expelled the contents of yesterday's lunch, conducting this last trip looked doubtful.  In the adjacent bathroom, my sister's misery from the night before was also felt.  Rounding out the trio of those temporarily hit with a bout of food poisoning, my dad anxiously waited in the living room for one of the bathroom's to open.  Luckily, the fourth member of our lunch the day prior - my mom, patiently sat unaffected in the dining room waiting to help.

But then, as quickly as my lunch came up, my body began to recover and my resolve to finish our agenda returned.  Unfortunately, the coming trip up north would be made minus a couple of visitors, as Megan and my dad's stomachs weren't as forgiving.  As the rest of us looked at proceeding with the trip, their assurances and improvement urged us forward and a short time later, we began our trip to Tangier and Sebta, Spain.

Our final road trip would offer a few different experiences, beginning in a bird sanctuary with a trusted guide and ending in a country that none of us has visited.  As I pulled the manual van out of Rabat, concerns over our arrival time were quickly overshadowed by others that involved keeping my pants clean and staying on the road through the fatigue of a restless evening.

Thankfully, a couple hours later, the four of us met our guide, Hassan, without issue or incident.  The sun welcomed us as it shone over the religious sanctuary of Moulay Boussalham and gleaned over the mixed lake that sat in the middle of the bird sanctuary, Merja Zerga.  Hoping for a better showing than my trip in February (where I saw 29 different types of birds), the empty lake didn't look promising.

Two hours later, the results mirrored the birds' migratory patterns.  Only nine types were spotted, as most of the non-seasonal birds migrate here in the spring and fall.  Among them though were pink flamingos, ospreys and numerous egrets.  To compliment them, the scenes of fishermen throwing nets and crabs scurrying along the muddy banks shed a little light into the local culture's fishing and shelling practices and made for a quaint but hot boat ride.

Net fishing in the Sanctuary's Shallow Waters.

Clamming and Crabbing in the Hot Sun.

Crabs Scurried up Parched Mud Banks at the Sound of our Motor.

One of the few Flocks of Egrets.

Glad to be back on dry land.

When we reached our Tangier hotel a short drive later, we settled into a much-needed nap before exploring a few of the city's sites.  By 6:30 pm, a setting sun and cool breeze replaced unrelenting heat, and we made our way to the port and two sites along the Atlantic Coast: Cap Spartel and the Hercules Grotto (for more on these sites, click here).  Spending a small amount of time at each modest site, the focus of the trip turned to the coastline and setting sun.

Where Ocean meets Sea, Cap Spartel.

The Atlantic Coast West of Tangier.

Grandma and Al inside the Fabled Grotto.

Cafes line the Coast next to the Grotto, attempting to seize some of the Tourism Market.

Hercules Impersonators abound near the Grotto.

Our Chariot was nothing short of Reliable throughout the Entire Trip.  Here, it enjoys an Overlook of Tangier.

Returning to the city, we passed by the Grand Socco and caught a glimpse of the site where Sultan Mohammad V announced his bid for ascension as Morocco's King to his people in 1947.  After getting lost an unplanned tour around the city, we enjoyed sunset from Cafe Hafa's cliff, thankful for the view and - after several calls throughout the day - that dad and Megan were back to normal in Rabat.

The Tea was Tasty, the Morsels Sweet, the View Welcoming.

A mid-morning drive along the scenic Mediterranean Coast greeted our cameras during the hour-long overland trip to one of Spain's African hamlets, Sebta.  Similar to California's central coast, Morocco's northern meeting of sea and mountains caused a few stops along the way.  Most impressive, however, may have been the country's new port in Tangier Med.  Recently opened, and a testament to some economic reform, the modern port was a touch of the western world that eased us into Sebta's climate.

The Rif Mountains.

Part of North California's Morocco's Coastline.

Part of the Impressive New Port.

Kind of like the Anti Atlas in places.

Sebta (Ceuta for the Spanish) in the Distance.

After a fairly painless customs process, we wheeled our tour into Spain's tiny peninsula.  Modern architecture, Spanish soldiers and upscale shopping contributed to an entirely different atmosphere from only a mile away in Morocco's Fnideq.  Sites, though limited, further celebrated these differences; the most impressive of the few we saw was the Murrallas Reales, a Spanish fort from the 18th century that was key in defeating Moulay Ismail's forces and retaining Spanish control of the peninsula.  For architecture, monuments and the House of the Dragons helped display Spanish influence.

The Murallas Reales Fortress.

A Moat still separates the Peninsula from the Continent.

Laced with Artillery Pieces and Reinforcing Battle Positions, the Ismailites never had a chance. 

Part of the Fortress' Lookouts.

One of the Only Sites that relied on Tri-lingual Signs over Unofficial Tour Guides.

A Memorial to the Spanish Artilleryman.

One of the Catholic Churches that replaced Mosques as the Primary Religious Sites in the City.

The Monument in the Plaza of Africa.

The EU Flag flies at Ceuta's City Hall.

Hercules?  Poseidon?  No Inscription left us wondering...(as of June 15th, 2011, I think that I've found my answer from the Lonely Planet: Europe.  It cites that the statue is of Hercules, and the pillars represent the coasts of Spain and North Africa.  Here, Hercules represents the mighty sea between them).

The House of the Dragons...

...And part of the Plaza next to it.

An agreeable lunch, little walk and short drive around the enclave concluded the trip, and we set back to Rabat, only able to pass by the old Spanish capital of Tetouan without a stop.  A smooth drive down the highway had us back to Rabat before dusk, ready to share stories and begin the end of family time.

Before we pulled into the city, I thought about the past two weeks and how great it's been to share this country with my family.  I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did.  What's more, I'm grateful to be able to share this experience with you.  There are many different and important sites in this small country and a lot to learn about different cultures and ways of life.

By sharing them with you, I hope to offer a tiny glimpse into a foreign experience, which up to this point has been more about what the country looks like than what its government and people offer.  As all things with this blog, I see that changing as the spring turns to summer and my priorities shift from exploring the country to finding something a little different.