Tangier Favorites

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Favorite thing: Mark Twain (aka Samuel Langhorne Clemens) visited Tangier and commented “I would seriously recommend to the Government of the United States when a man commits a crime so heinous that the law provides no adequate punishment for it, they make him a Consul-General to Tangier”.

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Favorite thing: During the early days of World War II, US espionage operations were based in Tangier.
For the period between 1932 and 1956, Tangier came under the control of a 30 nations committee to be an international tax free zone. Wealthy expatriates used the city for financial fraud and smuggling operations.

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Favorite thing: Parts of the following movies were filmed in Tangier
Man from Tangier – 1957
The Living Daylights – James Bond movie. – Timothy Dalton
From Russia with Love – James Bond movie – Sean Connery
The Bourne Ultimatum – Matt Damon
The Wind and the Lion – Sean Connery, Candice Bergen
Prick up your ears Joe Orton – Gary Oldman

Favorite thing: In the Medina you will see mounts of olives, black and green. The countryside around Tangiers is very fertile and just perfect for growing olive trees. Morocco is the second largest exporter of olives (next to Greece). Olives are certainly staple in the Moroccan cuisine.

Favorite thing: My friend was working for the Calcuta sisters there in a house for single mothers, that are illegal in Morocco (single mothers), so I decide to visit her and while she was working I use to take care the children there, they were so sweet, so great, you could not stop loving them!

This was one of the mothers, No, she was not hurt, she had a problem with an eye ...

I am afraid my experience in Tangier was not very tourist, it was very therapeutically for me, as I was just dismissed from a horrible job, and my friend suggest me to go there, help them for a while, and she promise me I will see life completely different after that!

I agreed with her immediately!

Sometimes we need someone to remind us, how lucky we are to live in such wonderful conditions as we live in Europe...

maybe is not my best tourist travel but it has been the one that teach me more about this wonderful moms, broken families, new families (one of the single mothers got married while being there...). I was told while I was there that single mothers does not exist there, and their kids do not exist for their law... I am not sure if that is true still now... as Morocco is changing a lot.

The only thing I did not like was that I was suggesting not smoking in the street, as I was a woman! (I was suggested only to do it in my private accommodation!) Horrible for an addicted person LOL

Favorite thing: I loved the architecture, especially at the mosques. The Arabic influences are beautiful. Seek out the colorful tile work and scrolling iron work. My favorite times of the day were the call-to-prayer. When the deep, melodic voice resonates throughout the town, the faithful cease their personal errands and devote time to prayer.

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Favorite thing: Morocco, the name itself evokes exotic images. Moroccan cuisine has strong routes in tradition and is rated as THE best in the world. The Moroccans are very proud of their food. The sharing of meals is an integral part of the culinary experience and the foundation of the Moroccan way of life There is a strong sense of family and tribe.

Morocco is an agricultural paradise. The heart of Moroccan cuisine lies in the spices expelling tantalizing fragrance, color and warmth. Set recipes are very rare, each dish will have the signature of the creator, who is always a woman.

MINT TEA

The country’s national drink, tea is drunk every hour of the day. Although it is said to be the favoured drink of the Prophet, the truth behind the history of tea is the English who offloaded it in Tangier during the Crimean War. Mint is grown all over Morocco but flourishes in the mountains. The only mint that can be used is ‘mentha viridis’. The best quality, dark with firm stalks, comes from Meknes or the Zerhoun. Freshly brewed na’na’ MINT TEA has become a fine art and a national symbol.

COUSCOUS

As the national dish, couscous has a strong religious and emotional significance. Made from durum-wheat semolina native to the region mixed with smaller quantities of either drum-wheat flour or a soft-wheat flour, it is usually served topped with a stew. Moroccans believe couscous brings God’s blessing upon those who consume it. Couscous needs to be prepared with patience, rhythm, time and the finesse of the woman preparing it.

BREAD

Bread or khubz’, the most basic and essential food is sacred in Morocco. The Prophet ordered that that bread be treated with the utmost respect, so any bread found thrown away in the street must be moved out of the way of foot traffic with a short prayer. Loaves are baked early morning in terracotta gas’a in a communal oven.

PRESERVES

One of the cornerstones of Moroccan cuisine. Jewish Moroccans developed the art of preserving using salt. Olives from around Fes and Meknes are some of the best in the Mediterranean. Lemons are preserved in the spring when they are their ripest and sweetest. Some regions add cinnamon sticks, cloves and coriander for an alternative taste.

BAGH'IR

For a delicious Morocco breakfast, try this yeasty semolina pancake with a distinctive honeycomb appearance. Serve with ‘khli’’ preserved meat.

B’STILA

This pastry is widely regarded as the crowning dish of Moroccan cuisine. This pastry is served to newlyweds the morning after their wedding night to symbolise their family’s wish that life together should be as sweet as this creation.

The Moroccans eat three meals a day, the main meal being around mid-day.

Favorite thing: It is very important to know it before the visit:
- www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/local/MOXX0008
- weather.yahoo.com/forecast/MOXX0008.html

How to transform from Fahrenheit to Celsius? Deduct 32, divide by 9 and multiply by 5.

Example: 85 Fahrenheit, minus 32 = 53, divided by 9 = 5,89 by 5 = 29,4 Celsius.