Tucked away behind a nondescript door at the end of a labyrinth of narrow alleyways, is a beautiful haven called Riad Medina. We were lucky enough to have it all to ourselves, and we basked in the luxurious space filled with colorful tapestries and intricate tiling. It truly was a sanctuary amidst the chaos of the old medina... we didn't want to leave.
A big thank you to our lovely hosts who filled our stomachs with amazing food and helped us explore the incredible city.
It was a 5 hour drive from Chefchaouen to Fez in the old Mercedes taxi. With no AC, we had the windows rolled down, and the air that whipped across my face and through my hair felt like a blow dryer. Speeding along the highway, we drove through groves of olive and almond trees, past dry brown fields once filled with hay, and small towns consisting of only a handful of decrepit buildings. We passed swarms of children walking home from school in small groups, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, sometimes crouched in the shade of a broken down wall. The lucky ones sat nonchalantly on a donkey, getting the easy and (somewhat) faster ride home.
After a few days in the charming village of Chefchaouen, we were ready for a bit more grit. What better place to find it than the largest living Islamic medieval city in the world. The medina in Fez is also believed to be the largest contiguous car-free area in the world. That being said, nothing can really prepare you for the labyrinth of narrow alleys and markets, the restaurants, workshops and mosques that fill the maze of passages.
Fez is a city of assaults. Assaulted by the young boys offering hotel rooms and tours to the tanneries, by people pushing their carts through the dense crush of bodies in the narrow streets, by the local shoppers, by the shop keepers calling to you with their olives and nugget and leather slippers for sale.
You are assaulted by the donkeys that barge through the crowds, laden with hides and produce, by the thousands of stray cats, by the wandering chickens.
And of course, you are assaulted by the smells. Of spices, of smoke, of fresh bread and tagine, of donkey dung, of semi-cured animal skins from the tannery. One moment you are intoxicated, the next, debilitated.
People are yelling at you to buy things, to move out of the way, offering rooms and restaurants. Donkey hooves strike loudly on the cobblestone alleys. The call to prayer layers itself over the city, rushing over rooftops, nestling into the alleys below. The distorted stream of Arabic vibrates in the air, echoing off the stone walls.
This assault on the senses is exhausting, yet somewhat addicting. After an invigorating mint tea in the solace of our riad, we are off again to explore the secrets of the medina...
Yes, I'm in Morocco. After a busy (and incredibly wonderful) summer in Vancouver, I was in dire need of spreading my wings (and mind)... thus the order for an adventure! It is now day 6, three of which were spent in Madrid to decompress before the madness of Morocco. We flew into Tangier, then hired a car to take us to Chefchaouen, a small village in the Rif mountains two hours away, known to many for its indigo blue-washed buildings and to others for its kief, which grows abundantly in the hills.
This turned out to be a wonderful introduction to Morocco. The various hues of blue make for an incredible palette, although the locals shy away from being photographed. I don't blame them; I wouldn't want tourists photographing me on my front porch every day either. Although it has changed little since it first opened its doors to foreigners in 1920 (over 400 years after it was first founded in 1471), Chefchaouen has accommodated for the thousands of tourists that swarm its narrow stone streets with a plethora of restaurants (all with the same 10 items on the menu) and shops brimming with silver trinkets, woven rugs and wool clothing. Yes, Chefchaouen had a beautiful charm... now on to Fes, the oldest of the imperial cities, said to be the symbolic heartbeat of the country.
It's the summer season and I'm fully immersed in weddings and engagements and babies... which I LOVE... however, I can't stop dreaming of the exotic blues...
May has been a whirlwind of a month for me. Work and travel and amazing people coming into my world. Although I can't disclose any details, I can share some random images taken along the way!
In the last 4 months I have been on 10 planes, flying over the North Pacific Ocean, the North Atlantic and the Caribbean. I have been on 2 buses, both of which would not pass air care and were way over capacity. I rode on the back of a motor-bike through the Vietnamese countryside and on the front of a Asian cyclo through one of the busiest cities in the world. I floated on a boat down the Mekong Delta and wandered through temples over 1000 years old. I took a road trip to LA, I shot a wedding in Jamaica. And now I am home. With a bit of the wanderlust out of my system, I am happy to be in my own bed for awhile.
I have returned to trees overflowing with cherry blossoms and a sun that shines a bit warmer than when I left. I am excited for the summer ahead!
Here are a few iphone snaps from my more recent travels...
This image was a double exposure I took while sitting above an overpass in LA. I couldn't help but wonder where all the cars were going. That's the thing about LA, it never sleeps...
