Where is Asilah, anyway?

First, a map of Morocco.

Morocco is at the top northwest corner of Africa, with the Atlantic Ocean on its west coast, and the Mediterranean Sea on the north coast. It is narrowly separated from Spain by the Strait of Gibraltar. Tangier is at the northwest tip of Morocco, just below Spain, and Asilah is a bit farther down the Atlantic coast, about 30 miles south of Tangier.

It's easy to cross between Morocco and Spain on a ferry.

Ferry port in Tangier

View back to Tangier from the port

View of Morocco from Tarifa, Spain

We've done it several times, arriving in the lovely, friendly town of Tarifa on the Spanish side.

Breakfast stand in Tarifa

Spain and Morocco share history starting with the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, and Romans. Southern Spain was ruled by Moroccan dynasties in the Middle Ages and the Moorish influence is evident all over Andalucia.

Vejer de La Frontera, Spain, an Andalucian hill town

The Spanish influence is strong in Asilah, where "Hola" is the most common greeting we hear on the street.

Churro stand in Asilah

We love the Spanish influence.

Still, there's a world of difference between the countries on the two sides of the Strait. My friend's 90-year-old father thinks that Spain developed more than Morocco because Morocco held back its women. He has a good point. I think the difference in attitudes shows up in the balconies. In Morocco the balcony windows are lattice-covered (to hide the women from the world?), while in Spain, the balcony windows are glass.

Balcony windows in Cadiz, Spain

Balcony window in Asilah

Getting back to geography...

In terms of latitude, Asilah is at about 35.5 North, approximately the same as  Cayucos or Cambria on the California coast (San Luis Obispo is at 35.3, and Grover Beach at 35.1).

Asilah bank thermometer.  17 C is 62 F.

Winters here are mild and rainy, similar to winters on the Central Coast of California, although the average annual rainfall in Tangier is higher than in San Luis--33 inches vs 25. Average highs during the winter months are in the 60's, and average lows in the 40's. One big difference, though, is that central heating here is practically non-existent, so those "mild" temperatures can feel pretty cold. This year, we bought a catalytic heater as soon as we arrived.

The northern coast of Morocco may be chilly in winter, but it's frost-free and good for growing winter fruits and vegetables.

Strawberry cultivation near Larache, south of Asilah on the Atlantic coast

Fruits and vegetables at an upscale Tangier grocery, February 2013