4/17/2016

36HoursinTangierTheNewYorkTimes

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36 Hour in Tangier
BySETHSHERWOODAPRIL15,2016

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TiersofterracesdescendtotheMediterraneanatthebelovedCafHafa.CreditDanielRodriguesforTheNewYorkTimes

TheyallrushedtoTangier.Fromthe1920stothe1950s,whenthe
Moroccanportcitywasafreewheelinginternationalzonegoverned
(barely)byaconsortiumofmostlyEuropeanpowers,Tangierattracted
expatriatesandtravelersseekingillicitsubstancesandactivitiesinapalm
fringedseasidecrossroadswhereAfricaalmosttouchesEurope.Barbara
Hutton,theWoolworthheiress,andthebillionaireMalcolmForbesbuilt
palacesandhostedcelebrities.Beatwriters,fromWilliamS.Burroughsto
PaulandJaneBowles,wroteinahazeofdrugsandbooze.Andthefuture
enfantsterriblesofMoroccanliterature,MohamedChoukri
andMohammedMrabet,stalkedthecafes.Reviled,theMoroccan
monarchyletthecitydecay.Bythe1970sTangierwasaseedyhasbeen.
Todaythecityisundergoingaturnaround.PrizedbyKingMohammedVI,
whoassumedthethronein1999,Tangierisbuildingahugenewport,a
greenseafrontandAfricasfirsthighspeedtrainline.Monumentsand
museumsaregettingfacelifts,andthestreetsofboththecenturiesold
Moorishmedinaandthecolonialeraneighborhoodsaresprouting
boutiquehotels,designshopsandEuroMoroccanrestaurants.Theres
evenanelectrofestival, NuitsSonoresTanger ,createdin2013andheldin
October.Couplethosewithclassicdrawslongbeaches,artisanalgoods,a
thrivingcafecultureandTangierisripeforaglobalreturn.

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Map data 2016 Google

Frida

BoulevardPasteur,a.k.a.LeBoulevard,beginsyourunpasteurizedplunge
intocolonialeraTangier.LinedwithArtNouveauandArtDecoedifices,
thebustlingthoroughfareispackedwithcafes,clothingshopsandbanks,
aswellasascenicesplanadeofferingMediterraneanviews.Sidestreetslike
RueKhalidIbnOualidbeckonwithantiquesandsouvenirshops,butthe
mostrewardingstopis LibrairiedesColonnes .OwnedbyPierreBerg,the
formerpartner(inbusinessandinlove)ofYvesSaintLaurentalongtime
homeownerinTangierthemultilingualbookshopstocksessentialsfor
yourTangieradventure,fromstreetmapstoindispensabletomeslikeJosh
ShoemakesTangier:ALiteraryGuideforTravellers.

Nearby,thevenerableGranCafedeParisandthehipcafeinthe
CinmathquedeTanger arewindowsintothespiritofTangier,classic
andcontemporary.TheformerisaGallicflavoredinstitutionthatfillswith
the(mostly)oldergenerationofMoroccansandlongtimeforeignresidents,
whosipcafaulaitonbanquettesoncehauntedbyJeanGenetand
TennesseeWilliams.ThecafeinsidetheCinmathque,anindependent
movietheaterandarchivethattookoveraforlornoldcinemain2006,is
awashinretrocoolfurniture,freshjuices,Moroccancoolcats,artyexpats
andfreeWiFi.
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AphotographofKingMohammedVIbeamsdownfromacolumninSaveur
dePoisson,asmall,rusticrestaurantdecoratedwithfolkloricart.Perhaps
hecansmellthebrinybounty,whichvarieswiththeseasonandtides.The
daysfreshfishofferingsmightincludesoup,asizzlingdishofcalamariand
monkfishwithspinach,brochettesofbabyshark,andagrilledsole.The
purplehousejuice,amixofpomegranate,fig,carrotandmore,
accompaniesitall.Twohundreddirhams(about$21)perperson.

LeNumberOnebarinTangier.CreditDanielRodriguesforTheNewYork
Times

RueMagellanshouldberenamedBeatStreet.Itshotelswerefavoritesof
JackKerouac,AllenGinsbergandBurroughs,whowasafixtureatthe
HotelElMuniriaanditsbar, theTangerinn .Thedcorhaschanged(black
leathercouches,wallmountedvinylLPs)ashasthecrowd(20something
Moroccanhipsters),butBurroughsstillhauntsthespot.Hishangdogface
formsasizablemural,andquotesfromhimarestenciledonthewalls.
Thesedays,Tangiersexpatwriters,artistsandselfstyleddeviants
congregatethreeblocksawayat LeNumberOne .Thefriendlydiveis
festoonedwithkitschdcorandstockedwithCasablancabeer(40
dirhams)andmyriadliquors.

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AdobeAcrobat

CafHafaisalmostacenturyold.CreditDanielRodriguesforTheNewYorkTimes

Saturda

ConversionFailure
AsupportedversionofAcrobatcould
notbefound.Installafree30day
trial.

Anotherday,anothercafe.Beforeyouloseyourselfinthelabyrinthine

ConvertwebpagetoPDF...

medina,luxuriatealongthecoastattheopenair CafHafa .ATangier AddtoexistingPDF...

icon,thealmostcenturyoldcafeismadeupoftiersofwhitewashed
balconiesthatcascadedownasteephillsidetowardtheMediterranean,

VisitDocumentCloud

openingpanoramicviewsoftheseaand,beyond,Spain.Sipsweetteawith
OpenPDFinAcrobat
crushedmintleaves(7dirhams)andgazeatthatlonglostMoorish
treasureacrossthestrait:Andalusia.

Preferences...

ApostlesofPaul(Bowles)canworshiptheauthorofTheShelteringSkyat
themuseumofthe TangierAmericanLegationInstituteforMoroccan
Studies .ThemansionwasgiventotheUnitedStatesgovernmentbythe
sultanintheearly19thcenturyandlongservedasadiplomatic
headquarters.TodayelegantroomshouseexhibitsrelatedtotheAmerican
(andEuropean)presencehereoverthecenturies.Inadditiontoagallery
withworksbyCecilBeaton,OskarKokoschkaandothers,themuseum
displaysBowlesspossessions,firsteditionsandcorrespondence,along
withphotosandfanmail.Admission20dirhams.
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IfJaneAustenopenedaMoroccanrestaurant,itmightresemble Caf
lAnglaise .ThetweetearoomchannelsthespiritofbothNorthangerAbbey
andNorthAfricawithitsmixofEuropeanantiques(giltedgedsofas,
shelvesofchina)andtraditionalMoroccandesign(geometricstainedglass
panels).RunbyacharmingMoroccanfamily,thecozyspotservesup
chickentajine(alongsimmeredstewwitholivesandcandiedlemon)and
anevensweeterpastilla(aphyllopastrypackedwithdicedchickenand
toppedwithpowderedsugarandcinnamon).Fordessert,thecandied
orangepeelisasyrupy,sticky,sunsoakeddelight.Lunchfortwoisaround
250dirhams.

AsalesmanofashoponRueSebou.CreditDanielRodriguesforTheNewYork
Times

ThesplinteringlanesofthemedinadistrictbegforaGPS:GlobalPower
Shopper.Thesetinyarteriesarefilledwithstallsandstoressellingartisanal
goods.RueSebouandRuedesAlmohadesarehavensoftraditionalitems,
butthestreetsinandaroundthecasbah,thewalledhilltopfortress,now
brimwithshopsofMoorishmoderndesign. Rumi1436 specializesin
naturallyscentedsoywaxcandlesinclassicMarrakeshteaglasses.Where
SoHomeetstheSahara, LasChicas isasprawlingemporiumstockedwith
cushions,lanterns,massageoils,tasseledtowelsandhandbags.Forbig
budgets,theeponymousdesignerLaureWelflingsboutiqueoffers
kaleidoscopicvelvetycaftans,embroideredeveningdressesandother
bohochicgarments.

Followyourearsimmediatelynextdoortotheunmarkedstorefrontacross
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fromtheKasbahMuseum(undergoingrenovations),wherelivemusic
eruptsat6:30.Thetinyspace,linedwithembroideredbanquettes,isthe
clubhouseof LesFilsduDtroit ,ateamofmastermusicians.TheSonsof
theStraitarenowoldenoughtobegrandfathersaftersome40yearsof
playingteardropshapedouds,tubulardrumsandviolinstogetherbut
theirfreenightlyjamsessionsalwayssoundfreshastheymeldthe
melodiesofMoroccoandSpaininanevocativeAraboAndalusianfusion.
(Donationsappreciated.)

Whetheryoureplanningaromanticdinneroranopulentbanquet,the
restaurantoftheexquisite NordPinus hotelcanaccommodate.The
connectedsalonsgleamwithsultanicdcormarblecolumns,chiseled
plasterarches,inlaidmirrorsandthekitchenturnsoutfinetuned
Moroccanclassics.Startersincludegrilledsardinefilletswithdicedtomato
andonionentreesrangefromgrilledandbakedfishtoasublimeslow
cookedjointoflambwithstewedfruitsandalmonds.Thehousered,a
Moroccanvintage,isasmoothaccompaniment.Dinneris350dirhamsa
person,withoutwine.

YouhalfexpecttoglimpseHumphreyBogartinawhitedinnerjacketas
youenterthechic,neoMoorishloungeof ElMoroccoClub ,afetching
caferestaurantbar.Thespeakeasyishspacefeelslikea21stcentury
Casablancasetteemingwithinternationalbusinessmen,jetsetcouples
andgildedTangieryouthinsteadofNazisandspies.AcornerD.J.spins
everythingfromjazztoMoroccanpop,whilebartendersserveupmojitos
(110dirhams)andMoroccanredwine(60dirhams).Stillawake?Direct
yourcaravantoMoroccoPalace,aclassiccabaretwithelaborategeometric
tileworkandadancefloorofflashingcoloredlights.Thesultrydancehall
glowsasredastheinfernoandthrobswiththeneosnakecharmerbeats
fromliveelectricorchestras.

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Moroccanspices.CreditDanielRodriguesforTheNewYorkTimes

Sunda

Accordingtolegend,afterseparatingEuropefromAfrica,Herculestooka
snoozeatLesGrottesdHercule,apairofcavernsalongtheoceantothe
westofTangier.(AgrandtaxifromcentralTangiershouldcostbetween
200and300dirhams,roundtrip.)Recentlysprucedup,theadjacent
grottoesoffersomewhatoppositeexperiences.Oneisacarnivallike
pageantoftraditionalmusiciansandgiftshops(admission,5dirhams).The
other(free)isadarkcomplexofcaveswithahuge,strangeaperture
shapedlikeAfrica,amazinglythatopenstothecrashingAtlantic.Peering
attheoceanthroughitsjaggedoutline,youaretrulyatthecrossroadsof
thecontinents.

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Lodging
Builtin1880,theGrandHotelVilladeFrance(CornerofAvenue
AngleterreandRueHollande212539333111
www. leroyal.com/giftcard/ghvdf) wasTangierstopluxurypalacebefore
fallingintoruin.Butafteranambitiousrenovation,the58roomhotel
reopenedin2014.Doublesfrom1,225dirhams.
Inthemedina,numeroustraditionalmansionshavebeenconvertedinto
boutiqueB&Bs.DarNour(20,rueGourna,Casbah212662112724
darnour.com)has10roomsandsuitesdecoratedinchicEuroMoroccan
dcorandasumptuoussalonthathostsanightlyaperitif.Doublesfrom59
euros.
Tobenearthemedinasbustling,cafefilled,boutiqueloadedmainsquare,
LePetitSocco,DarNakhlaNaciria(12w,rueNaciria2126072169
56 facebook.com/DarNakhlaNaciria) isasimple,friendly,fiveroomB&B
withapanoramicrooftopterrace.Doublesfrom50euros.

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