Raiding Algeciras

Algeciras isn’t the kind of place that makes the cover of glossy travel magazines. It’s a gritty port city with bad lighting and a permanent bouquet of diesel. Most people treat it like a pit stop on the way to somewhere better.

It has sometimes been called the most ugly town in Spain. Even though the harbor area is a disaster due to the refinery, I can think of far worse places. It’s Spain, but very close to Morocco, and even closer to Great Britain in form of Gibraltar. I guess that most people that come here have other things on their mind, such as how to continue faster to their real destination. Such is the case even for me, but I manage to get some Secreto Iberico on my plate before leaving.

The busy port of Algeciras.

Algeciras is a town built on departures, but if you linger just long enough, you might find something real hiding behind the shipping containers and the diesel fumes. With open eyes, it’s possible to find beauty and adventure everywhere. Just don’t expect a postcard.