Morocco

I hadn't gotten around to it, but I wanted to share about Morocco. This strange and distant land that basks in the dim glow of Bogey and Bergman. While I didn't stop in Casablanca and sip a G n' T, I did visit Marrakesh, and the surrounding Atlas Mountain area. English doesn't have an appropriate word to explain this place.

We left Vicenza at 2 in the morning to arrive in Milan in time for our 7 o'clock flight. I've done my share of international traveling, but it still amazes me how all airports are exactly the same. I hadn't slept well the night before, still jet lagged and full of adrenline. When we arrived at our riad we were welcomed by the lovely French propiretors with some fresh, hot mint tea. It was welcome on this road weary tongue. I was in desperate need of a nap, so while I slept, my friend went to explore and warm up his camera.

We were staying near the market, called the souks. Not only for tourists, locals purchased fresh meat and spices, clothing, jewelry, metalworks...America has nothing comparable. As we wound our way through the puzzle of halls, we finally reached Djemma el Fna, one of the largest and busiest squares in the world. During the day it was filled with vendors hawking fresh orange juice (which is a must try), women sold their henna skills, local men told stories to local audiences, men sold individual teeth spread out on a table to make dentures, and there were plenty of snake charmers. At night, the square was alive with the smell of food. Smoked kabobs and vegetables  filled the air with the incense of surrounding magicians. Although we didn't buy any teeth, we did play with snakes and were the focus of a magic trick which drew quite an audience. 

The next morning we left for a 3 day private tour through the Atlas Mountains. We had a wonderful guide who did three things I appreciate: spoke English, didn't drive off the mountain, and didn't ask about politics. We stopped at several UNESCO World Heritage Sites (18 down, 860 to go). We officially rocked two kasbahs. Seriously, how did I get so lucky?

Kasbah Ait-ben-haddou, we climbed to the top of that bad boy

Ah-mazing trip. The people were generally great. Although we did have a couple of sketchy incidents involving over zealous sellers of legal and illegal wares. We met two other road weary travelers from Italy to share dinner with. Spent the nights eating well, and drinking better. That's the thing with traveling. Sure the beautiful sites and the photo ops are great, but at the end of the day, it's the people. It's the energy. It's the smell. It's the bumps in the road that leave pieces of yourself behind and drive you pick up pieces of others. That's what I call a souvenir.