Atlantic Cruise — 2012

November 3, 2012 — On Saturday, November 3rd, we were in port in Casablanca. There is not much within walking distance of this very busy commercial port. Containers and cranes stretch almost as far as the eye can see. We were here about five years ago and went on a tour to see the third largest mosque in the world, rode by Rick's cafe and stopped at a Catholic church. This time we went out for some exercise and had to say no to dozens of cab drivers who wanted to take us on a tour. It wasn't hot but was warm walking.

November 4, 2012 — Today, Sunday, we were in the Moroccan port of Tangier. The shops and markets were within walking distance, so we just wandered around for several hours. The indoor food markets were interesting, as were the produce markets along the streets. We were warm, but many of the locals were dressed in jackets, sweaters or  long gowns. The shop owners were very aggressive and we got tired of saying no. We felt that we had a better picture of Moroccan culture in Tangier than we had in the big city of Casablanca. The wind was very strong and blew us about the last half mile to the ship.

November 5, 2012 — On Monday, November 5th, we made our first stop in Spain in a town called Almeria. We had never heard of it, but read that many movies have been filmed around here, including Laurence of Arabia and Patton. We walked from the ship right into town, and spent about four hours sightseeing and shopping. It's small enough that we were able to find our way to a little restaurant called Casa Puga, recommended by a local. We shared some tapas, and had fun trying to figure out what kind of meat was hanging from the ceiling (decided it was cured ham with the clove foot still attached). We especially liked a dish called piemientos that was mild green peppers that were probably baked with some olive oil. Our very limited Spanish is no problem--the shop keepers and cafe workers were very friendly.

© JAY DEITCH 2020