Observer viewfinder 12th June 2011

[chokkie]

Something's gone wrong somewhere - my fault I am sure. I thought I had posted this a minute or so ago, but can't find it again now.

Anyway, can't work this out at all ....
"can you keep secret? Then you'll feel right at home in this city of spies, double agents and assassins which made it a Nazi place to hang out, but inspired writers and film makers - a new generation beat a path here after peace broke out. THe TGV should be pulling in soon, but most visitors arrive here by sea. Name the city".

I thought it was France, but the TGV has stations in other countries. The pictures are:
a. Two actors standing with their backs to each other (1 male one female, both holding guns aloft.
b. picturre of the TGV
c. A figure disappearing around a street corner, the walls painted blue and cream.
d. black and white photo of two blokes (?famous), one in some overalls pretending to garotte the other (who is wearing what could be a w white suit).

TIA, chox.

[johnT]

Chefchaouen near Tangiers in Morocco
It's a well known location for the film-making industry, both european and Bollywood. Chefchaouen is well known for its blue paint washed streets. TGV is increasingly being used in Morocco and I suspect Chefchaouen is on the Tangiers - Casablanca line.

[johnT]

I'm having second thoughts and getting confused. The blue washed walled streets have to be Chefchaouen, and the film industry and it being a location for filming is documented. But It's not on the coast, apparently about 30 miles or so south of Tangiers. So surely the reference that most people access the city by sea should be indicating Tangiers. Tangiers does also have a history of film-making, The film 'Tangier' was filmed here in 1946 (post war) and it was about an escaped Nazi war criminal diamond smuggler.
But the blue washed walled streets are Chefchaoen, not Tangiers. Whats going on here.

[johnT]

More
Tangiers is well known as a spying and smuggling hotbed. William S Burroughs and Jack Kerouac were famous writers that lived in Tangiers - they and others were described as the Beat Generation Writers. So it's looking like Tangiers is the answer - but the blue washed streets have to be Chefchaouen, so they've cocked up.

[chokkie]

Thanks so much for your help, I'll give Tangiers a punt! Chox.