June 9, 2014
Meknes to Tangier by train (85 dirham each) 
3 hours per the schedule (ours delayed 1.5hrs) 

Stay: Ibis Hotel - 400 Dh (few hundred meters from train station, very convenient) 

The 10:55 am train was the first direct train of the day to Tangier. At hotel reception, they advised us to take a taxi to the main train station rather than the Al Amir station which is closest to the Ibis. We hailed a blue taxi on the main road. All went smoothly.  
 
We purchased second class tickets, 85 Dh ($10) per person. The main difference from 1st class being non assigned seating. And no need to get them in advance, unless maybe on weekends and holidays. It made me a little nervous not knowing if it was going to be an out of control free for all with pushing and shoving. But that worry proved unfounded. The train arrived 30 minutes late and we scored great window seats across from each-other and Dave managed to hoist our packs onto the rack above us. Both of us were surprised they fit on the narrow ledge. Gradually, all but one or two seats in the car were filled. 

When the train rolled into Al Amir station, the one closest to our Ibis Hotel, a big crowd was waiting to board. If we had gone here to get on, we would not have gotten seats together. The advice from the hotel was good!
 
We were joined by a father, traveling to Tangier to attend his son's graduation, and an University student, who was visiting his brother for a few weeks during his summer vacation time off. Both spoke English and our conversation was so lively that we barely noticed the additional 1.5 hour delay. This was our opportunity to ask the questions we had about things in Morocco we were curious about. They asked us about American customs, such as 'do all married women have affairs.'

On our walk in the Meknes medina, we were fascinated by the fact that men do most of the sewing and, more amazingly, do some unique embroidery type work along seams and borders of Jabador, the hooded robes men wear and caftan for women. According to our seat mate, who called his wife to be sure he gave us the correct info, the decorative edge work is called sfifa, there are 2 different kinds of edges, the Gouza and the Khanjar. I tried to Wiki and google for more info on this and was unsuccessful.
   
....At 4 pm, we arrived in Tangier's main station. We already spotted the Ibis Hotel before we pulled into the station. It is so close we did not need a taxi.

We dropped our packs off in our room and took a taxi to an LP recommended restaurant. It turned out closed. 
 
All we saw were the same ol' Moroccan cantinas that we've gotten tired of. And pizza places, loads and loads of pizza places. We ended up at the familiar Pizza Hut for salad bar. 
 
We walked back to the hotel along the beach front where restaurants and bars line the promenade. We realize there is a lot more to Tangier than the inviting beach front. But we decided we had seen enough medinas, palaces and mosques for awhile.
 

31 Days in Morocco, $3678
 
We planned a month in Morocco which turned out to be more than enough, since we had visited Morocco before. It is difficult to recapture fond memories when you see special places a second time. Sometimes, it is better not to try. So we didn't see Fez again and we didn't go camel trekking in the golden dunes with the Berbers again, both highly recommended activities. After our full agendas while renting cars, both in Turkey and here, it was nice to have time to take it easy and recoup.

We flew here from Istanbul which added considerably to our daily average expense. We will leave on the ferry to Spain which costs $50 each. And we rented a car which added $48 per day (car and gas) during those eight days. But overall, we felt Morocco accommodations are way over priced making traveling here rather expensive.