Morocco: Part II

Again, I am in a situation where I can’t really describe the experience I have had in the last week within a few paragraphs.  Based on any photos of me, I would say I could make an Instagram tag #2thumbsupformorocco.

I have fallen in love with Morocco… particularly the south.  The mountains, the villages, the Kasbahs, the changing landscape and particularly the Berber culture and people. The only way I can cover it all with some respect is to break it down as I did in my last post.

The Food!

Again, the food is amazing.  The best part of being in the smaller towns in the south, everything is grown, made, butchered, produced and cooked locally.  Many of the towns are completely self-sufficient.  Some of the best fruit and vegetables I have ever tasted.  Even the bread, baked that morning, is like nothing I can find in Australia.  Dipped in local olive oil, local chili dips and accompanied by fresh local olives of every colour is an amazing start to any dinner.  Every chance I could, I ate local recommendations.  My only complaint this whole trip…. They over fed us, and I obliged by over eating.  I don’t remember a time where I have continually eaten past capacity for two weeks.  The more I tasted the flavours, the more I wanted.

The Towns/People

As mentioned, I have fallen in love with the towns in the south.  Not just their beauty, history, ability to be self-sufficient and how they fit so well, and for hundreds of years, have engineered their way in the local landscape, but the people.  I am actually not sure how to explain it, but the communities in the country are very different to the cites, as they are all over the world.  However, it is the Berber people I have fallen in love with.  From their history, to their unique cooking styles, to their sense of belonging and the pride they have in their past and their community.  I am determined to return to Morocco in the future with Sherwin, but I will ensure most of our time will be spent in the south.

Sahara and Camels

The highlight for most people is the days in the Sahara and the camel ride.  For me, it was the sole reason for picking Morocco.  However, while I loved it, it remains a “thing I had to do”.  I have no complaints.  The Sahara is beautiful.  The camel ride through the desert and watching the sunset on top of the dune was amazing.  It is an experience I will never forget.  I did it for a specific reason: My dad always said he wished he could have done it (the Sahara, not the camel), so it became my focal point for Morocco.  But Morocco is so much more than this… and the rest of Morocco has overwhelmed me so much, that the Sahara is was just one fun stop in an amazing journey.

Group Life

I have really enjoyed the group I have been in.  Really cool, easy going, friendly and funny people.  As a group we are flexible and happy to let our group leader direct us on and off planned itinerary.  The result of this, and the fact there are only seven of us, gave us opportunities to experience things that some groups would not be able to experience.  People who know me really well know that I am very social, but I also need alone time a lot (my energy levels go high in social situations, so as I get older I need rest time and time to reflect) and I found my way of doing this in group travel.

Taha

I am not sure what to write here. 

Do I talk about the fact that this knowledgeable, friendly, fun, funny, intelligent man was the best tour guide I have ever met.  Perfectly suited to being a guide in Morocco, with his insights and adaptable nature, behind a fierce pride of his nation, people and region.  His care for each person in the group is outstanding, and he certainly went out of his way several times to accommodate my needs/wishes. 

Or do I write about the friend I made, who shares the same humour, energetic spirit, sense of adventure and sense of fun as me…. As well as an inbuilt joy for life that I have only ever seen in two other people.  Meeting his family was a privilege, spending time just chatting about anything was a welcome blessing and getting to know him and his story was an honour.

In the end, all I can say is that I think I found a friend for life.  Or, at least, I hope so.

Next Up

Tomorrow I fly out of Morocco, then I have about 12 hours in Bologna to find my hostel, get some sleep, find the train station and catch the train to Venice Sunday.  Tuesday I am off to Dubrovnik for ten days.  I am looking forward to some solo time in unfamiliar territory, learning, once again, to fend for myself.

P.S. New Morocco pictures can be found in Current Photos.  Just a note: I need to spend a bit of time re-naming them, as I forget the names of lots of places.  I need professional help to get it right.

P.P.S. Some Wonky Donkey photos for Sherwin... a new hobby of mine.

Cheers,

JC