Florida Coalcracker Chronicles: Our 12 Hours in Morocco With Majdolina Idrissi

Sunday, December 07, 2014

Our 12 Hours in Morocco With Majdolina Idrissi

Majdolina Idrissi was our guide the whole day - 40 years of experience

Like beach boys riding horses in the sand - Lulu insisted on riding along the Atlantic

Yesterday we woke up early at 6 AM. We did not want to miss the ferry across the Mediterranean Sea to Tangiers. We were going to touch our toes on the African continent if only for a day. Lulu had arranged a guided tour to get the most out of the day. We were not disappointed.

Lulu found Majdolina Idrissi - idrissi@tangiertours.com - on the Trip Advisor on the Internet. They wrote back and forth to arrange everything. Our guide is a young 56 years old - he has 40 years of experience taking guests on extensive tours. We did not pay a penny up front - everything was perfect - and he held our hands all the way back to our ferry.

We left our Elliot Hotel in Gibraltar at 7 AM after breakfast. We took one cab to the Gibraltar/Spain border for 5 pounds. Then we caught a cab to Tarifa in the dark. That ride was about an hours and 65 Euros - right to our ferry. Our guide had already paid for our ferry tickets - round trip about 60 Euros each.

It was bright and sunny as we arrived in Tangiers. Our guide was waiting for us holding a sign with our name on it. He took us to a van that held 8 people but it was for us only. We drove thru the countryside visiting the coast - riding camels - and stopping by the Caves of Hercules - which were closed for flood damage. We saw the mansions and estates along the coast.

Morocco has an Atlantic Coast and a Mediterranean Coast. Both meet in the northwest at a famous lighthouse. We came back into town and our van left us for the walking tour.

Lulu loved the shopping. I have never seen anything like it. The narrow streets and hucksters are right out of the movies. The weather was perfect - mid 60s - and sunny. We had no rain - a gentle breeze.

Our guide took us to bakeries and bought us plenty of ceremonial baked goods. I enjoyed seeing the rug looms and the food markets. We had a private session with a rug merchant - but he was no match for Lulu. I did find a nice purse for a Christmas Gift.

Tangiers is an international city. There are American sections - British sections - Italian - French - Spanish and so on. Although it is a Muslim country - and many women kept their bodies covered - Lulu's blonde hair did mark us as Americans. If we did not have our guide - I am sure we would have been pested to buy everything.

In one area when I thought we were alone Lulu asked me what currencies did I have. I said out loud - I have piles of American dollars. One guy said in perfect English - "I want some of those piles!"

At 6 PM - our van took us back to the ship. Although we felt very safe and happy the whole day - Majdolina Idrissi insisted and made sure everything was right. We paid him for his services - paid him for the ferry tickets - and we delighted to leave him a little extra. He is a very professional guide and perfect gentleman.

We collapsed in out ferry seats - and caught a few zzz's on the crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar. We could see The Rock in the distance. Two cab rides later we were home in out hotel room - getting ready rot watch Florida State beat Georgia Tech. The games was 8 PM back home - 2 AM Gibraltar time. The game was over at 6 AM out time - Noles won - and we went to sleep. Now it is 11 AM and I am writing this. Today we fly home to London - and then take a train to Oxford for a 3 day convention.