In the last week of November 2025, I had the chance to travel to Morocco. A week before my trip, I couldn’t sleep because I was incredibly excited. I’ve always wanted to see Morocco – it’s always been an exotic place to me. I remember wanting to travel from Manchester to Marrakech during my residency at the University of Manchester in 2012. The only reason I didn’t go through with it was because I wanted to see more of the United Kingdom, as my stay there was only six months and I might not get another chance to visit the once-upon-a-time seat of an empire.

Initially, it was a business trip to attend a meeting as a member of the Executive Committee of the professional organization I belong to. However, I was able to use all my leave credits and extended my stay by about five more days. 

The first stop was Tangiers. It was here where the official meeting took place. I was not able to truly experience the mythical atmosphere of the city due to my busy schedule. However, I was able to do some strolling around the medina, which led me to the kasbah, a historic fortress overlooking the city. Perched on a hill with a grand view of the Strait of Gibraltar, Tangier Kasbah is a rich mix of history, culture, and architecture. The fortress features Moroccan aesthetics, but there are definitely hints of European influences, especially Hispanic (Andalusian). This reflects Tangier’s important geographical position in North Africa – a crossroads between continents.

I haven’t had the chance to visit the Kasbah because of my timing—at night. It was also unfortunate that I couldn’t explore the Kasbah Museum, which was once the Sultan’s palace. If I get another opportunity to visit Tangier, I will definitely make time to experience the city’s rich cultural and political history through the performances illustrating everything from the Phoenicians to the rise of Islam in the city.

The Kasbah is also home to many charming cafes and restaurants with stunning views of the Strait. To make up for missing out on Tangier’s most important museum, I turned to the local restaurants and enjoyed lively conversations with waiters and owners, which definitely added more authenticity and charm to my Moroccan adventures. 

Tangier’s food culture is vibrant and as cosmopolitan as its architecture: a blend of Moroccan, Andalusian (Spanish), and French influences, characterized by fresh seafood, unique street snacks, and aromatic spices. My colleague even remarked that Tangier is the food capital of Morocco and that it offers more unique dishes that can’t be found anywhere else in this North African territory. For instance, dishes like kalinti (chickpea pie) and bakola (leafy green salad) are rarely seen elsewhere in Morocco, yet they are common in almost every café and restaurant in the city. 

But what I enjoyed most was the version of tagine and pastilla in this city. As a meat-eater (and meat-lover), the lamb tagine in Tangier is the best I have had in Morocco. As a Kapampangan, my tongue appreciates the balance of sweetness, tanginess, and saltiness. This is one way to describe the lamb dish. And as someone who grew up enjoying exotic dishes, I loved the combination of lamb meat, lamb liver, heart, and blood. I especially enjoyed how the meat was complemented by the sweetness of the apricots, dates, and almonds. The dish was foreign, but it brought me back home – it reminded me of the caldaretang kambing (mutton stew) that my dad used to cook for us. It was nostalgia kicking in as I thought of my dad, who was very persistent in making me stay to watch him cook the dish. I never learned how to cook it, and the recipe was never passed down until he passed away due to cancer in April 2020 (yes, during the pandemic). 

The chicken pastilla was also exceptional. I enjoyed its sweet and savory aftertaste. It became even more special because it brought back a childhood memory. It reminded me of the empanada that my friends and I loved as a snack. My childhood days at Holy Angel Village in Barangay Telebastagan in San Fernando City came to mind – it was a mix of sweet and bitter memories. My time in the village was among the best parts of my childhood. Play and food were major parts of those days. By play, I mean games like patintero, maro-maro, and taguan, but my friends and I also loved acting — we enjoyed performing various roles. I remember spending nights at the park pretending to be scout rangers or ghost hunters. I also recall us buying and selling stickers to younger kids, pretending to be “Electrolux” or “Encyclopedia” salespeople — those who go door to door selling items. Even more, I remember our santacruzan, where our parents were very supportive. Thanks to our role-playing, the santacruzan became an annual event in the village. 

But in 1999, my family had to leave the village. I had to leave my barkada. I remember I didn’t get to say a formal goodbye to my friends. We drifted apart. I never bothered to contact them – leaving the village was too painful for me. Years went by, and we connected on Facebook, but there were no real conversations – just an artificial connection. We have become strangers. 

Anyway, I am thankful for Tangiers and this memory. I’ve never liked spicy food, but the tagine has a kick of spiciness with every bite. I think what Tangier was telling me – like that kick of spiciness — it’s never too late to try spicy food. That said, it’s never too late to move past the pain and neutralize it with milk or water to enjoy another bite. The pain will stay no matter what because it’s already part of me. But that doesn’t stop me from seeing my friends anew – we have all grown up, haven’t we?