Few countries seem to captivate the imagination of travelers quite like Morocco. Situated in North Africa and separated from Spain by the Strait of Gibraltar, Morocco is an intoxicating blend of African, Arab, Moorish, and Berber influences. With coasts on both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, an arid desert interior and the evocatively named Atlas Mountains nearby, Morocco's location beckons travelers with promises of adventure. In the 1960s and 1970s, Morocco became a refuge for writers, musicians, artists, and 'bohemian types' from abroad, looking for inspiration and escape in equal measure. It is no wonder that every year more than 10 million tourists around the globe choose it as their top destination. We arrive this morning at a city located at the crossroads of Africa and Europe: Tangier. Unique amongst Moroccan cities, Tangier has a checkered past, affording us one of Europe's most egocentric stories. Designated an 'International Zone' in the early 20th century, Tangier harbored no drug laws, no taxes, no banking restrictions, no censorship laws, and no morality laws. Attracting a worldly mix of expat residents, it played house to everyone from eccentric British nobility to American authors, Franco's civil war army to Nazi spies, while it awaited its inclusion in the post-war nation of Morocco. Stories of elicit affairs, underworld deals, and espionage abound in this city which remains as colorful as its history suggests. ...
Read More