Our overland trip from Marrakesh to Lisbon started with an explosion on our senses the moment we arrived in Casablanca and made our way to Marrakech. The smells, the sounds, the sights were all different, chaotic and overstimulating. Morocco was the first country truly outside my cultural bubble and the culture shock I felt was as claustrophobic as the narrow covered streets within the Medina walls.
After working our way overland into Spain we were exhausted, exhausted from all the scams, all the hassles, all the garbage and all the foul smells, but at the same time strangely fulfilled - we finally stepped outside our comfort zone and got a taste of adventure again.
Morocco is ugly. One of the first things I noticed on arrival was the sheer amount of garbage floating around, it is everywhere and I mean everywhere, so much so that halfway through our journey we realised although great for sharing with our friends and family and for displaying on our walls, our photographs weren't really capturing all the truth and if we looked back on them in 30 years they wouldn't be a real representation of our Morocco adventure, so we decided to also start capturing the ugly truth and our photos suddenly got much more interesting.
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| Shepherd among the garbage in the Rif Mountains |
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| Chaotic rooftop in Essaouira |
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| Marrakech Medina |
Morocco is beautiful. There are details and colors carved within the Medina walls that just leave you stunned and architecture that leaves you breathless. The call to prayer is eerily beautiful and a constant reminder that you're in an exotic destination. Outside the cities there is nature that is simply wild and beautiful.
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| Details in the Medina of Fez |
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| Details in Rabat |
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| Intense color on Riad walls |
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| Cat takes refuge under lush bougainvillaea |
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| Another cat takes refuge in a broken pot |
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| Beautiful Azrou from afar |
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| Beauty. The Rif Mountains |
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| Beauty. Shepherd in the mountains |
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| Pink walls of Marrakech |
Morocco is Chaotic. Don't stop! Don't stop! It seems as though every time we stopped for any reason we were surrounded and hassled by beggars and absolutely everyone who had something to sell. Medina's and souq's are especially overwhelmingly chaotic on all levels: they are cramped, loud, smelly and colorful, they are never ending and winding. Shop owners yell at you, shop owners hassle you, people beg, loud music beats from Berber drums, colors stimulate you, stray cats everywhere, the smell of piss and shit overwhelms you, the smell of fresh leather, the smell of meat sizzling. The smell of all of these together.
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| Marrakech Souq |
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| Cramped and chaotic Essaouira. |
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| Windblown streets Essaouira |
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| Windblown in Essaouira |
Morocco is peaceful. There is nothing more peaceful than seeking refuge from all the chaos of the Medina within the walls of a riad. Quiet, seclusion and a warm welcome with mint tea is the norm. Some of the friendliest hotel hosts we have ever encountered on our travels around the world were in Morocco, many who went out of their way to make sure we were relaxed and well fed.
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| Riad in Essaouira |
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| Savoring mint tea |
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| Rugs air out on a small quiet street that leads on a secluded nature walk |
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| Stray cat in Azrou |
Morocco is truly an adventure but you will need a thick skin, street smarts and a good sense of humor. Be warned and be prepared because every day is overwhelming in so many ways.
2 comments:
Incredible images!
These are some wonderful photos! I love the diversity in your collection. My favourite is the last shot of the cat. I can relate to travel at times being an assault on your senses. I felt this way in India.
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