Chefchouen
This was our first time in this gorgeous city, known as The Blue City – as all the buildings (and even the cemetery!) are painted either blue (mostly) or white. It’s a visual wonder – and camera magnet. Getting there from Casablanca, our port of entry, involved a gorgeous route northeast through the Rif Mountains. We only spent one night there – and wish there had been more. Of course, almost all of the local women are wearing traditional dress, and some, straw hats woven with various colors of yarn. For those of you so inclined, it is also known as the marijuana and hashish center of Morocco...maybe that's how the blue paint got started...it IS very "far out!" After our overnight in a riad in the old medina, I snuck out early and wandered around. It was amazing to see the streets that the day before were teeming with makeshift booths full of all sorts of edibles - and buyers and sellers - were now completely empty and swept - with no hint that a market had existed there the day before. I also wandered my way into the local cemetery (an addiction of mine) and was amazed that the graves were also colored in blue and white. It continually amazes me how the customs for burial differ from country to country...
Imilchil
Part of our rationale for going back to Africa so quickly after Namibia was to see the so-called Marriage Festival near the little town of Imilchil in the High Atlas Mountains. Unfortunately it turned out that social media has had its impact even on the love-life in the mountains of Morocco, so we found it to be mostly a huge market and music festival. But it was still fun in its own right. My main challenge was then to photograph the thousands of folks (mostly Berbers) in attendance, some of whom were more cooperative (photographically) than others... It was fun to walk among the buyers and sellers in the animal market, where buyers were conducting the proverbial teeth exams and standing around discussing the merits of any particular cow, horse, donkey or sheep. Of course I didn't understand one word, but visual clues provided enough context to figure out how the subject in question was faring. And it was fun to see the trucks departing, laden with people, animals and goods in one big happy - and crowded - mess. Linda of course was on her quest to add to her antique Berber jewelry collection, so I was thrilled to find her a local seller with his goods spread out on blankets. It was fascinating to see him use his old-fashioned scale, putting the goods in question on one plate while adding and subtracting little cube weights until they balanced. Who needs digital scales?!
But, seeing this "festival" was not going to pan out as expected, our trusty friend/guide Younes re-arranged the rest of our trip - which was a life-saver..
Atlas Mountains
We were really overwhelmed by the geologic beauty of the Middle and High Atlas Mountains, which run like a spine down the center of Morocco, separating the coast on the west and the desert on the east. Throughout the journey, while traversing the mountains and valleys, one is treated with the periodic Berber villages, including older areas that have been vacated. And then whenever one travels through a river area, you see palm trees often laden with dates, terraced fields, and miles of olive trees. Beautiful! Linda was in geologic heaven! And then occasionally we would stop, and Linda would pass out hand-me-downs from my grandsons and from her closet.
Berber Household – Ourika Valley
The Berbers have occupied Northern Africa since the beginning of recorded history. As an anthropologist, Linda has studied them for years, and collects their beads and jewelry. We loved seeing their clothing and adornments. On one morning we had the privilege of visiting a family in one of the many villages populating the Atlas Mountains. Their homes are made of mud, and typically house multiple generations. This home had the father, mother, three children - plus grandchildren. And the house had a couple of small guest rooms - not to mention an area for their cow! We were graciously treated to the traditional green/mint tea and the ever-present bread. And of course, my generous wife had some hand-me-down clothes, as well as some jewelry, for the family.
Fez
Fez is always a delight, and walking around the old medina is a sensory overload, and it's wonderful just to get lost in it – which is impossible not to do. It's just seemingly miles of alleyways full of little shops, often with the craftsmen/women working in front of you. And of course there’s the occasional donkey coming through, laden with various goods. FYI, Fez was founded in the 8th century and is known as the "Athens of Africa;" it is home to 1.5 million people...AND the oldest university in the world! Who knew??!!
Sahara Desert
We had made our sojourn into the Sahara before, riding camels into the dunes, taking in the sunset, then to our camp for dinner and an overnight. It is so peaceful and serene sitting on the dunes watching the wind blow the sand across the dunes, and watching the dunes change colors as the sun sets – and rises the next morning. Of course, riding on a camel is no picnic for neophytes such as us - especially even trying to take photos mid-stride! And then you're trying to protect your camera from the blowing sand. Of course the most fun was trying to climb up the sand dune in the morning to see the sunrise. It is, for non-Tuaregs like Linda and myself, one of the most challenging tasks you can imagine - accomplished mostly on all fours, leaving all pride behind...
Marrakech
The city of Marrakech is always a treat. The town was founded in 1062 and its medina is a World Heritage Site. Though it is somewhat smaller than Fez, its medina is more intense, with many motorcycles and lots more foot traffic; one feels like his or her life is always in danger (from the motorcycles). At the heart of the medina is a huge square called Jemaa el-Fna, filled with snake charmers, musicians, and what-nots, and famous for its night market replete with the Moroccan version of food trucks...We had our tangine dinner overlooking the square, and it was fun to experiment with different camera settings to get the lights into starburst mode and capture some of the participants immobile and some, on the move.
Essaouira
A new stop for us was the coastal town of Essaouira. It is always a treat to reach fishing villages, and this one exceeded all expectations. The twist here is that the incoming boats throw their catch up in small plastic buckets. And the bright blue boats set against the cannon-filled bulwarks were very picturesque