Since King Mohammed the 6th inherited the throne in Morocco 10 years ago

and began his ambitious modernization of Moroccan society, the legendary

Port City of Tangier has been absolutely transformed.

Hi, I'm Rick Steeves.

Today on Travel with Rick Steeves

were getting a firsthand account of what Tanger offers for the 21st century traveler.

Formerly a mysterious refuge for both artists and con artists,

tanger's been restored to its former glory,

thanks to a king who's re-envisioning it

as an inviting introduction

to the Arab culture of North Africa.

Tanger-based tour guide Aziz Begdore updates us and why he's so

excited about the renewal that's going on in his hometown. And for a cooler

alternative, nature photographer Stephen Kislovsky tells us about his trial and error

introduction to Alaska's North Slope as he spent months preparing to photograph polar bears

in their native habitat.

We're heading to mystical deserts, both hot and cold,

from Tanger to the Arctic, today on travel with Rick Steves.

In some ways, the most exciting day you could have in Spain is taking the fast boat to Africa.

Just an hour or two away from the Gibraltar area, you land in Tangier.

And Tangier is not the Tanganger you always thought it was.

It's changed hugely and we're going to learn just why.

...