Walk the Kasbah – Keep Calm and Wander

Walk the Kasbah - Keep Calm and Wander

I always thought that the likes of Paris or Venice were the world’s greatest destinations for avid tourists like me. But like other travelers who happen to evolve with time and finally find their nerves agreeing on visiting a relatively cheaper and distant destination, I found my solace in traveling to Tangier.

Tangier – the city where William Burroughs, Henri Matisse and the rest of the notable personalities found their unsung inspiration – turned out to be a source of rejuvenation for me also.

I was soothed by the fact that Tangier is comparable to New Orleans in terms of music playing everywhere, to Paris in terms of the rampant love and freedom on the streets, and Venice in terms of the culturally absorbed architecture. In my two-day stay here, my thirst of wandering freely on the streets in Tangier was quenched.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Morocco Gay Travel Resources

Five Things to do in Tangier

Kasbah - Tangier - Keep Calm and Wander

One day in summer, my feet brought me to the streets of Tangier – the city which has influenced the people on their taste in arts, culture, and cuisine from around the world. Tangier is a mix of everything – partly because of the invasions of the Spanish, Muslims, Portuguese, and English.

A great many artists always look for inspiration for their work – and Tangier has served to be just that for many notable personalities, including Paul Bowles, Henri Matisse, William S. Burroughs, Paulo Coelho, Keith Richards, Mark Twain, Tennessee Williams, painter Eugene Delacroix, and many others.

By visiting the city in summer, I understood what brings all the literary and artistic juice of the world here and I’d like to quote it in the words of William S. Burroughs,

“Tangier is on one of the few places in the world where, so long as you don’t proceed to robbery, violence, or some form of crude, antisocial behavior, you can do exactly what you want.”

I literally did what I could. Of course, I cannot talk about the “other things”, ahem, but I can tell you my 5 most favorite experiences there.

1. The Kasbah

I have to say that I really did enjoy my time wandering here. Believe it or not, I spent close to 5 hours, one foot in front of the other. I stopped twice in some old cafes and ordered something strange. While passing through the gate of Kasbah and stepping into the large courtyard and then into the Dar el-Makhzen palace of the 17th century, I could notice how every atom of the place could speak volume of what they have been through. The intricacies of the Moroccan artwork pleased my eyes which changed into ecstasy as I stepped into the Café Detroit which has served to be the rallying point of most of the writers mentioned above.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Morocco Gay Travel Resources