Morocco, day seven: Tangier

Thursdays are generally my busy day, for some reason, and today was no exception.

I had time in the afternoon for a little potter about and a spot of lunch at the Bistrot de Petit Socco – harira, my new go-to, and a salad – before having a last (for now) wander around looking at shiny things and smelly things in the market.

As I didn't end up at the Syrian place, I went for a different walk, and found myself in the fish market – completely intentionally this time – as I'd walked up the rue Siaghine to the Grand Socco and then taken myself off down some little side street through a covered market. There were all sorts of tasty things to be gawped at and I continued my slow wander until I noticed people walking around in white wellies, a sign that I was approaching either a pathology lab or some kind of fish-gutting experience. It turned out to be a little bit of both, a huge hall with blue and white tiled walls along which people were shovelling ice into and out of buckets and onto slabs covered with a vast array of fish. There was a big fishy island in the middle where all sorts of multi-coloured delights were piled up and, of course, the obligatory kitties waiting patiently for the humans to execute their Allah-ordained kitty-treating responsibilities. Outside, post-treat kitties were lying languidly in the sun, occasionally licking a paw or watching the world go by, some watching the drains, perhaps hoping an errant piece of fish might be carried unto them upon the water.

After a cup of tea on the terrace, and a friendly nod and a smile from the man in the room opposite, I set out in the evening for a final look around and explored some more parts of the Medina where a young man presented a list of things I could have were I just to nip to his house and order them if I needed. I had a look around a lovely riad into which I was invited/ushered, then took mint tea on the terrace of the Café Tingis, watching the world go about its evening business. I wasn't really sure what I wanted to eat for my last evening in Tangier, and after much faffing settled on a pizza - of all things - in Kanzaman.

I was late back to the hotel and the doors were locked, but once back in my room, I found a riad in Fès for 20€ a night which I booked, at around midnight. I looked at my packing and wondered how long it would take me to do in the morning.