Morocco - Tangiers and Asilah

We are docked in Tangiers today and got up early to take a ships tour to Asilah on the Atlantic coast 40km south of Tangiers. We had an overview of Tangiers on the way passing through the city centre and the expensive California residential area where the King has his palace. Then we were taken via Cap Spartel which has a lighthouse 1000 ft up on the NW tip of Morocco and gives spectacular views of the coast where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean. The remaining drive to Asilah was down the 30km sandy beach, almost deserted now, apart from a few cows, sheep and camels, but rammed in the summer and weekends apparently. 

Asilah is a small but expanding resort, known as the white pearl, but was originally a fortified Portuguese village. We had an interesting walking tour of the old part with its white stone buildings (many holiday lets) and craft workshop. There is a traditional working fishing harbour and there are numerous sea food restaurants outside the old walls.

We finished the tour with mint tea and Moroccan pastries in a small hotel  sitting around the pool. The weather had been warm and sunny so far.

We intended to walk into the Medina (old town) back in Tangiers but the weather was very wet and windy up north and we had to retreat into Bacio until we left at 5 o'clock. Captains cocktail party tonight.(12000/10000 steps)