There’s one bullet train (TGV) set up in North Africa and it’s called “Al Boraq” running from Casablanca to Tangier and seeing that Rabat sits in the middle, we were looking forward to checking it out. The initial implementation was completed 4 yrs ago (further expansion across Morocco is planned). The trains have a top speed of over 350kph and are apparently the 6th fastest train type in the world and in local terms cut journey times by two thirds. We boarded our train at the impressive, purpose built Rabat Agdal station and ten minutes into the journey and we were travelling at over 320kph sitting comfortably in our roomy seats, as the train marauded across the eclectic landscape, mostly dusty and arid, but also with swathes of somehow arable green farmland, with livestock littered indiscriminately along the journey. An hour and quarter later we arrived in Tangier after one of the most enjoyable train rides I’ve had. We decided to walk to the old town, along a beach promenade. It’s a wide beach that looks surprisingly serene, with the calm waters of the Med lapping up against the shore line, camels “bobbing” up and down, horses galloping along the waters edge and groups of people gathered here and there. After about hour, we arrived in the old town and at our hotel the “Grand Hôtel Villa De France” which is tucked away down one of the quieter side streets, looking out over the busy square and Medina on one side and across the ocean to the other. After dropping our things off, we made our way to the highly recommended fish restaurant “Le Servette” where after queuing outside for nearly an hour we entered the hazy foray into what was essentially a hole in the wall, with about 8 covers (We went to something similar to this in New Orleans and it was fantastic, so we weren’t put off). The menu was whatever fish the chef felt like cooking on his Smokey open grill. Everything to accompany the fish was grown organically on their farm. After the most delicious meal that we’ve had in Morocco, consisting of Fish soup, mezze’s, fresh olives, followed by some delicious grilled whitefish, rounded off with pomegranate, we headed off to the Kasbah museum, which is both a contemporary gallery, and a museum of ancient local artefacts. The following day we hired a guide for the morning, actually he was our waiter, who offered to take us around. We took in some more of the landmarks, including, an ancient forest, some notable historical houses and “Cap Spartel” a lighthouse that marks both the northwestern tip of Africa and also the line where the Med meets the Atlantic, with what would have been great views across to Cadiz and Gibraltar, on a clear day.
Dream Chasers 