A Brief Taste of Morocco

Our ship, the Scenic Eclipse, at port in Ibiza

When we were initially interviewed over Zoom to potentially be chosen to participate on the game show What’s in the Box?, we were asked about our dream prizes. For me, a dream prize was a chance to visit anywhere in the Mediterranean—Egypt, Greece, Rome. These places have always felt magical in my mind, having grown up enthralled by history. I’ve been to Spain and had a taste of that world, but it only made me more eager to see more.

Clothes we bought in Tangier, Morocco, and wore to an evening out in Seville the next night

Roman columns built into the Moorish palace in Málaga is known as the Puerta de las Columnas (Gate of the Columns), a key feature within the 11th-century Alcazaba fortress. This gatehouse features four mismatched Roman columns and pillars, repurposed from the nearby 1st-century BC Roman theatre, to support Moorish horseshoe arches.

Who could have known that a year later, almost to the day of that question, I’d be sitting at our favorite coffee shop relishing the past 11 days, freshly home from a cruise to the Mediterranean that we ended up winning on that show? Dreams can, and sometimes do, come true. I feel like I’ve been living one for the past 12 months: first being selected for the show, then winning, then planning for the incredible array of prizes we won, all of which involve travel in one way or another. Trips to Paris, New York, Los Angeles, and D.C. over the past three months—and now, the Mediterranean.

My dream of seeing, touching, and experiencing deep history was realized over this past week and a half, and it still hasn’t fully sunk in yet. But I know it was everything I’d hoped for and more. We walked through Roman amphitheaters (actually two!), wandered the narrow alleyways and cobblestone streets of Tangier, Morocco, explored a Moorish palace and coastal fort in Spain, and sailed through the Straits of Gibraltar.

Our ship below in port, from the 11th century hilltop fort Castille de Gibralfaro, Malaga, Spain

We won a cruise, something we’d never done before or even really considered, but it turned out to be the absolutely perfect way to see so much in so little time. Ten nights, eleven days, touching ports in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. Every stop felt completely different from the others, each with its own flavor, vibe, and atmosphere, all while conveniently making our way around aboard what was effectively a beautiful luxury hotel on the water.

And not one of the behemoths we so often see in Caribbean ports with thousands onboard, but rather a smaller ship with a passenger count in the 200s. An added bonus of a ship that size? We were even able to travel upriver into Spain to visit Seville, something the big ships could never do.

The Roman Amphitheater, Cartegeña, Spain

Unlike many larger ships, we also stayed in port far longer than just a few rushed hours. Most stops gave us at least eight hours ashore, a couple stretched late into the night (11 p.m. and even 2 a.m.), and our stop in Seville was overnight.

An evening off-ship in Seville, Spain, at the Casa de Pilotos with our friends Graeme & Anne that the ship set up when the sister ship was also in port

One stop in particular excited us and was the main reason we chose this itinerary: Morocco. The thought of setting foot in Africa, even briefly, felt incredibly exotic and exciting. A day in Tangier ended up being one of the major highlights of the trip.

Tangier, Morocco

I don’t see any reason to be less than honest, it was a little intimidating at first. We’ve wandered back streets and quiet places in Central America before, explored off-the-beaten-path spots in other countries we’ve visited, but this felt different. Europe, the Caribbean, and Central America are places where we feel somewhat at home. Morocco was different in every way.

BELOW: THE STREETS AND SIGHTS IN THE OLD PART OF TOWN, SOCCO, TANGIER, MOROCCO

Not just a different language, but also a different alphabet, a different script. And for many of the people a completely different style of dress. There was a blend of cultures unlike what we’d known before or been immersded in before. We walked in the old town, wandering alleyways that became narrower and narrower the farther we ventured from the tourist streets near the port. The aromas were incredible. Bins of spices were everywhere, and I would have loved to bring some home, though dealing with customs didn’t seem worth the trouble.

BELOW: WALKING THE FOOD MARKETS

The sounds constantly reminded us we were somewhere entirely new. The language, of course, from simple chatter in coffee shops to shouts echoing through the open markets, to the call to prayer ringing out from the mosques. These are things we simply don’t hear at home or in the places we’ve traveled before.

BELOW: LUNCH ON THE THIRD FLOOR ROOFTOP OVERLOOKING A BUSTLING SQUARE

We had lunch at a small spot on the corner of a bustling street, Le Bistrot du Petit Socco, sitting three stories above it all and watching locals, vendors, and tourists weave around one another below. We tried local favorites: tagine with chicken and lemon, roasted vegetables over couscous, and aromatic mint tea so overflowing with mint that it filled the glass top to bottom. The food was outstanding, the taste matching the aromas we'd been following all day through the streets, and the view was perfect.

While we know this was only a small taste of Morocco and not a full understanding of Moroccan culture, it was more than enough to thrill us and make us want to come back one day.

As we walked back to the ship, we couldn’t contain our excitement, talking nonstop about how wonderful the day had been and how beautiful the city was, and how we’d worried our high expectations might leave us disappointed. Instead, those expectations were met and exceeded.

BELOW: SHOPPING ALONG ONE OF THE GARMENT AVENUES

For us, this is what travel is all about. And now all we can do is dream about where it might take us next.