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Venice & Dubrovnik Cruise - Melilla Page |
Melilla is one of two Spanish enclaves in Morocco
Friday 1st November 2013
It was still dark as we approached the port but the sunrise was worth seeing, as the port faces East & is lit up golden.
Looking South from the ship
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We went on the Panoramic Tour, which was probably just as well, as the sailing time was 1400, meaning all aboard at 1315. However, this left no time to prowl the 'modernist' buildings in the centre, although we saw them from the bus. The streets are so narrow that photography would have been difficult. Round here, "modernist" means Art Deco, which is not what Avis & I do! |
The original city in its Vauban-style fort |
A fort near the Moroccan frontier |
We went up to one of the forts this heavily protected enclave of Spanish Morocco in Morocco proper, a cost-ineffective colony I am surprised the bankrupt Spanish bother with. We saw the multiple wire fences, up to 6 metres high, designed to keep illegal immigrants out of this outpost of the EU, social injustice on the World-wide scale writ large.
The anti-immigrant fence |
The Frontier showing Moroccan houses on the other side |
We went up to a view point over the whole town for a photo stop. Back in town, we went up the Old Town, dating from 1497 & enclosed in a Vauban-style fort. This was well worth while.
The Old Town from above |
Looking North to Morocco proper |
The higher fort |
The Old City - The walls looking East |
The walls the other way |
First square |
Steps from the first square |
The walls looking East seaward side |
The walls looking West seaward side |
The old administrative buildings |
St. Michael's Lane in the Old City |
The Church of the Immaculate Conception |
Inside the church |
Side Chapel |
The walls looking nearer West |
Art Deco Town Hall Then, we walked to the Playa de Espana central round square for the bus back to the ship. After lunch, we sailed away & this finished the tour really. There were threes days at sea before we got to Dover. |
Other Art Deco buildings 
Sail away with Ricky Zalez |
The coast looking North from off Melilla
Contact: Ken Baldry at 17 Gerrard Road, Islington, London N1 8AY +44(0)20 7359 6294 or
e-mail him
URL: http://www.art-science.com/Tourism/Cruises/VD2013/VD10.html Last revised 6/1/2013
©2013 Ken Baldry. All rights reserved.