Although our ferry only took half an hour to cross the Mediterranean, it was clear that we had entered a world very different from our own. At both ports I noticed ancient cannons pointed out to sea, and I was reminded of all the centuries of history carved out in that part of the world, and everything that is going on even now - what a crazy privileged time to visit.
It feels strange to admit that even though we were given good tourist advice, our group still felt culture shock, which I would describe as being unable to distinguish between being unsure (of your surroundings and your place in them) and being unsafe (which we weren’t). It took a few days to shake, and that’s why there are mainly photos of us, as we weren’t quite sure what was appropriate to point our camera at!
During our short stay we wandered through the Medina taking in the sights and smells, being taken to restaurants (yum!) and pharmacies (where we learnt that Saffron is the ‘King of Spices’). I learnt that the long strings running through the market is the silk used to make the elaborate djellabas and that just sitting around on the grass by the fountain is a perfectly good use of time and a great way to meet people. There were so many families out and about. We even had dinner with a Mexican couch surfer!
I will also never forget that ferry ride back, watching Marc turn white and then hurl into a tiny paper bag with an newly made American friend rubbing his back, just minutes before we reached the shores of Tarifa.
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