For an introduction to Morocco’s charms, there are few better cities than Tangier, home to a colourful medina, lavish palaces and a seductive cafe culture that has long drawn free-spirited movers and shakers.
The Moroccan writer Mohamed Choukri may have died over a decade ago, but the debate surrounding his controversial work continues in conservative Morocco to this day. Aziz Dariouchi on the discourse surrounding Choukri's literary legacy
you can still find the magic. anthony: the market, or souk, in tangier, is one of the best in all morocco. the food stalls and vendors are still pretty impressive. wander the markets long enough and you re sure to stumble across the unexpected. hooves? sure. how about a lamb s head? here, nothing goes to waste. charbroiled to crispy burnt perfection, the meat is scraped off and served on a crusty lunch bread. not so adventurous? the grand socco s indoor market offers a variety of smoked, cured, and fresh meat. it smells good in here. this stuff looks good. oh, i ve heard this cheese is amazing. cherie: it s good, yeah. anthony: could i have one? a berber favorite, fresh goat cheese wrapped in palm leaves. cherie: yeah, they re beautiful, aren t they? anthony: it s good?
anthony: when tangier was interzone, back in the day, it seemed to some, i m sure, as if ex-pats outnumbered the locals. that was never true. but you certainly could live a life apart, make your own world within the existing one. reinvent yourself and live entirely within a universe of your own creation. far from the grand socco is a 14-acre estate owned by christopher gibbs, a well-known dealer of antiques and long-time ex-pat. today, he s having a garden party. who s coming? jonathan, you know. maggie dean is from scotland. she s been living here for more than a decade. g.p. de richmont, a frenchman who has his hands in a lot of businesses, including a café in