Morocco
Alex and I experienced a new continent together this weekend.
Africa!
So first, a geography lesson. Spain is located on the Iberian
Peninsula, which is the southwestern-most edge of Europe. Directly south of
Spain, across the Strait of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea, sits Morocco,
located at the northwestern-most tip of Africa. In essence, we are really close to
Morocco.
Morocco is a common destination for Spanish travelers and
is easy to access from major cities and ports in Spain. We considered taking
this side trip when planning our language immersion. What really sealed the
deal for us was the fact that we have some friends living in Morocco. When they
learned we were traveling to Spain, they invited us to hop across the sea and
hang out for a few days. They also wooed us with photos of incredible mountains
and pristine shoreline. Done and done.
Our two options for travel were ferry and plane, and we
chose plane for time's sake. Spain celebrated Labor Day this past weekend, so we
had one day of holiday. We decided to take an extra day to experience Morocco;
but even then, we had limited time. So we flew from Madrid to Melilla, Spain (a
Spanish city on the African continent) and crossed the border into Morocco on
foot.
Our friend met us at the airport, helped us cross the border
(which was a cinch!), and then drove us along the coastline to her home in Northern Morocco. The view of the Mediterranean with abutting hillside was breathtaking. We could barely contain our excitement!
In the
next few days, we were shown a fabulous Moroccan experience. The highlights of
which were great people and great food. The best things in life transcend location, eh?!
Our special excursion was a trip to Fes, an
ancient city in central Morocco. The city dates back to the 8th
century, and is famous for its two ancient medinas. It is also home to the
oldest, continually operating university in the world, University of
al-Karaouine. I just looked Fes up on Wikipedia, and found out that it has been
called the “Mecca of the West” and the “Athens of Africa.”
Double wow!
During our Fes trip, we were blessed to stay in a riad. A
riad is a traditional house located within the medina, decorated in timeless
Moroccon stylings. The riad was downright gorgeous; I felt like an Arabian
princess. I posted some pictures below, which do not do the riad real justice. If you ever go to Morocco, this type of accommodation is a must.
During the day, we hired a tour guide to walk us through the 9,000+ streets within the oldest medina in Fes, the one that dates back to
700-something. Alex listened very intently to the history and dates, and I
happily snapped photos with my cameras. (Maybe researching for Anthropologie’s
next season?!) The sights and sounds one only imagines became very real. In Fes,
the leather and ornate textiles are abundant. The colors are rich and vibrant.
The people are lively, and yet modest.
There were many delicious smells, too! I could write an
entire blog about all of the wonderful food in Morocco. No, I could write an
entire book! In addition to visiting a traditional medicine and herb shop,
where I bought aragon soap and saffron, we explored outdoor markets and browsed
street vendors. Throughout the weekend, we ate couscous, tangine, pastilla, local fish, Moroccan
bread, and fried nuts. (I also made some pancakes for breakfast one day!) We drank mint tea and fresh squeezed orange juice.
And of course, we drank bottled water, because city water is
not potable in Morocco. Word to the wise, brush your teeth with bottled water.
I can now attest to the pains of not doing so!
But I digress…
In total, Morocco was amazing! Reflecting on the weekend, I
realize that it was not just a cool cultural experience. Our time in Morocco was more of
that indistinct but overwhelmingly satisfying soul food. We are grateful to our
fabulous hosts and the beautiful people of Morocco for the encounter. We
welcome the break from our new “normal” in Spain to gain some perspective. And
grow from here.
Homemade couscous!!!
Our room in the riad.
One of the communal rooms in the riad.
OBSESSED with this tile.
One of our many tourist photos!
Yep.
Couscous and tangine and etc.
Fresh produce for the day.
Touring another Spanish castle in Melilla!
The Mediterranean
Abby,
ReplyDeleteYou are really getting good at blogging. I can't wait to read what you have written and I love the pictures. This is so much better than Facebook!
This is the line that made me smile.....The highlights of which were great people and great food. The best things in life transcend location, eh?!
Oh and the one about Anthropologie’s next season?! Maybe we should start an online store of cool stuff that you buy while traveling?
Glad you were able to make it to Morocco. I am sure your hosts were thrilled to see familiar faces. Can't wait until you get here in May to tell us all about that "perspective".
Think I will go get some middle eastern food for dinner tonight! I love your ethnic food pictures:)
Jonna
<3. write that book about food, okay!?
ReplyDeleteGreat use of double wow!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's one of my regular phrases now, Ann!
Delete