Travelling to Morocco during their Spring provides sights to behold! This was the second tour that I have escorted to this incredible country so I was very aware of what was to unfold. My guests were excited about the prospect of experiencing the magic of Morocco but had little idea that this journey would not only be spectacular but wondrous in every sense of the word!
We left in April and everyone anticipated the desolate beauty of the Sahara but no one had expected the colours and diverstiy!
Wild flowers scattered the countryside in vivid hues of blue, red and yellow. The dark outline of the High Atlas Mountains dominated the skyline. The emerald green of the lush and fertile valleys a confirmation in that Morocco is one of the major players in providing high quality fresh produce throughout the European market. The crisp white freshly fallen snow was quite literally jaw dropping for most.
My guests were constantly taken on a journey back through centuries of time. Biblical moments witnessing laden donkeys carrying mothers, children and goods in villages with high walls and narrow alleyways. Camel trains making their slow but steady trek into the deep Sahara Desert.
We witnessed the lilt of a Moroccan Story Teller – a privilege in itself. On my last visit the group were also treated to this unique experience – it was one of five Moroccan Story Tellers left and this time we heard tales from one of the three Moroccan Story Tellers left in this world. These Story Tellers are UNESCO listed for their Contribution to Oratory Literature. How very fortunate were we?
We met Artisans and Master Craftsmen who create and trade in ceramics, brocade, silversmiths and fashion designers. We both cooked and dined in every conceivable eating establishment from Communal Kitchens to the top accredited Relais & Châteaux Restaurants. We felt the tummy rumbling whist smelling the freshly baked bread in the Communal Bakeries – these bakeries have been located in each village for centuries.
We stayed in the traditional riads and kasbahs where the Atlantic Ocean pounded their very foundations whilst rocking us to sleep and to where the sands of the desert lined the paths to our rooms.
We walked the Blue City, the Red City and the White City… We let our senses transport us into another world. We smelt… We watched…. We felt…. We listened…. We tasted…
Before we left Australia, I passed the comment “You don’t know, what you don’t know…” These guests would willingly shout out loud; “Now, we do know!”
Morocco – mystical and magical.