Tangier the Moroccan city of spearmint tea and love comes to life

A traditional dance group performs at a wedding ceremony on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. [George Orido, Standard]

The city of Tangier on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea is a melting pot of cultures that epitomise the great hospitality and warmth of Moroccan people. As we settle down on a table in the sunbathed dining hall, the inviting aroma of Moroccan mint tea spiced with spearmint leaves, Na’na, is hard to ignore.

The tea is served hot because the silver pot, known as Berrad, has been lifted from the fire and served in a glass tumbler.

The pot is made of pure silver and is heat-resistant, which makes sure that the tea is not contaminated by any other chemicals from the pot. Moroccan tea, our host Hassan informs us, is readily available in every household and as a visitor it is the welcoming drink a host will insist on serving.

As a guest, it is wise to oblige lest one appears rude and disappointing.

Other than mint, more aromatic herbs such as sage, wormwood, lemon verbena, wild thyme, and wild geranium are also used.

The tea goes down well as one whiles away the evening, cooling in the breeze from the strait of Gibraltar.

At one of the joints on Mohammed IV Road there is live music performed by a traditional Moroccan band playing the five-stringed instrument, Oud. The soloist is singing Chaabi, from the Andalusingenre of Moroccan music.

“I am your love of choice. I am here waiting and, Insha Allah, we will make a family together,” he sings as revellers take to the stage to subtle belly dance regime.

At one corner, a charming lady in a black dress sells freshly cut red rose flowers.

Love is always in the air in this city that was founded before the 5th Century and now with a population of nearly 2 million people.

On a guided tour of the hilly city, we bump into an all-male quintet, resplendent in the Moroccan robe Djellaba, playing drums and singing.

Enthusiastic young women in hijabs clap and sing the chorus in a romantic lyrical rendition, wishing the bride and groom good life and fruitful marriage.

A ride down to the Medina Fort is a captivating encounter with the rich history of a city that was trade centre, but also of the conquest - at various times - of Arabs, Portuguese and Spaniards.

The Fort was home to the royal founders of the city and has a library, museum and old houses preserved in their original forms.

“We stay true to the Moroccan culture because people here believe in themselves in a big way.  We try to stay true to our origins,” says Aboud, one of the guides and drivers.

This culture of self-belief is evident in the way people manage public affairs here.

All taps have running water despite a semi-arid condition across the nation that has also embraced irrigation that makes it a net exporter of food, including vegetables, fruits and cereals.

The city of Tangier has wide roads devoid of potholes and green manicured grass that gives a truly serene atmosphere.

There are many of such greens donning parks in every turn where children play and adults relax. It is hard to see any refuse on the streets, and neither is there dust.

Honestly speaking, one is awed by a city in Africa that beats many cities in Europe in beauty, cleanliness and planning.

Under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, the country did away with informal settlements through an affirmative action years ago.

This city is a reflection of a country that is at once steeped in culture and history but also cultivated religious tolerance and embraced modernity. In fact, at the Medina Bay Hotel, the walls of the corridors are full of paintings of Roger Moore, the James Bond 007 legend, who stayed here while shooting some of the action on the Strait of Gibraltar.