Change In Plans

This very short post is about Tarifa, where we are spending our last two days in Europe. Tarifa is the southernmost town in Spain. On Wednesday we will take a ferry across the Straits of Gibraltar to Morocco.

Although Tarifa is part of the EU, it is hard to think of it as being in the same ‘country’ as Stockholm and Frankfurt, and the well-scrubbed towns of France and the Netherlands.

The sunlight, the architecture, the smells, and the generally relaxed and run-down atmosphere all seem like Morocco. We are staying in a small hotel within the crubling old city walls, on a street which is eight feet wide. The nearest cross street is “Almedina.” All of the buildings are stucco and tile, with open courtyards, and Moorish decor.

Morocco is visible across the water. The big differences appear to be religion (a few Catholic churches, no mosques, no call to prayer, and no green doors in Tarifa), a lot of liquor being served, and Spanish being spoken instead of Arabic or French.

There is a statue down by the water to King Sancho IV (The Brave), who, it appears, chased out the Moors in 1292. It seems that their influence lasted. This is a good transition place before we leave Spain.