When You Go To Africa.

Originally we had planned to take on Africa on our own (the Gorilla is part African, however many people do not know that) but some how we resorted (no pun intended) in signing up for the tour to Tangier through the Marriott. Based on the look of the people waiting in the lobby with us at 7:05 am (yes, we were judging), we expected the group to be a much more lively and on the younger end of the spectrum. Our not so friends, Peter, Pink Shirt Boy and Earing Man joined us in the lobby at 7:05. We were apparently supposed to be leaving the hotel at 7:05, thus the Gorilla and I woke up at 6:00 to shower and drink coffee. Did I mention how we were supposed to leave a 7:05...However around 7:35, the bus finally rolled its wheels through the gates and we hopped aboard. 54 out of the 61 of the people on the bus were anywhere from 20 to 30 years older than the Gorilla and I. It was the worlds most touristy bunch. We got the visors, the fanny packs, the neck packs, the water bottle packs, the high socks, the big sun glasses (not the ones in style now), and the loud voices galore. The minute we stepped on the bus the Gorilla and I looked at each other and then wanted to run but then we remembered we were going to Africa and we couldn't really care that much. We took a 45 minute bus ride to the port. Luckily it was another fabulous day and from the port we could see Africa, Gibraltor and all of Spain. We climbed aboard the ferry, and rocked our way to Africa. Tangier is definitely a touristy port, and houses a cluster of different religions and nationalities, however it has a very strong Muslim community. Our tour comprised of a bus ride up the coast of Tangier where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic, and then a quick stop off the side of a mountain for a camel ride and by ride I mean a sit on a camel, while the old men hecklers made lots of money from the old touristy men on our bus (they all got back on the bus shocked that they had spent so much money, they just couldn't believe it, but I was able to believe it because I saw it all go down.  Men would approach and ask for ridiculous amounts of money for their copper and gold dipped metal bracelets and rather than bargaining, the old Amurican men replied with a simple yes and in return received a handful of "worse than costume jewelry" jewelry. Camel riding (or I would say camel sitting) and bracelet buying led to a walk through the streets and a stop at a snake charmer, which (slowly but surely) led to a traditional Morroccan feast with mint green tea and belly dancers (the Gorilla thought one of them looked like the real freaky-retainer-talking-roommate...katiemb) We then headed to Africa's version of a car show but instead of cars, they were selling rugs.  A little man dressed in traditional apparel with little pointy yellow shoes, auctioned off different rugs.  Deep down inside, I hated these men because you could tell they were slimmy-money-suckers and everything in their store was very toursity and extremely marked up.  At this point, the Gorilla and I just wanted to run.  There were streets and streets of open air markets and all we wanted to do was explore.  We played the game of "who can take the best pictures with out looking through the lens" game, but a winner was never determined. After the carpet showdown we were given time to explore a few of the streets.  The Gorilla and I scattered from the group when scattering was allowed.  We bought scarves and checked out the different hole in the wall stores.  15 minutes was not that much scatter time but it was enough for us.  The good thing about this whole touristy tour was that it gave us a small taste (the size of a salt crystal) of Morocco and let us know that we are going to return. Around 5 we headed back on the ferry with our new best friends.  We met a Dilf and his two sons on their spring break and we chatted up a storm with them.  Through out this whole vacation, I keep saying "I feel like my parents should be here with me" and thus we adopted a few new families along the way. We headed to the grocery to get supplies for dinner.  Two boxes of cereal and a jug of milk (I would tell you the size but I can't read the labels here so a jug is a jug) It was all we needed to make the worlds greatest concoction. The Gorilla and I had a fashion show and watched more tele...we are really trying to soak up everything here including the sun, the television, the washer, the dryer, the coffee maker...just to name a few.  Today was just incredible and I still can't believe that I am writing this blog about going to Africa.  I have been to Africa.