Six days, three cities, and a whole new country, continent, and friends. I had the pleasure of traveling with not only WorldStrides Madrid, but also WorldStrides Bilbao, Salamanca, Sevilla, and Granada to Morocco during Semana Santa, Spain’s holy week (and our “spring break”). We explored the rich Moroccan culture, food, and lifestyle in Fes, Merzouga, and Meknes.
Zellij (Moroccan tile art) and rug carpetry hold significant historical and spiritual values. We visited many artisan shops in Fes where the local craftsmen showed us how to make bowls, plates, and even fountains from tile. In the fabric shop, we were shown huge handwoven rugs and many of us bought pashminas (scarves)!
Leather is another important industry in Morocco.
In Fes, Chouara tannery, the largest in Morocco, is in the heart of the medina market where leather workers have been practicing for hundreds of years. Sheep, goat, cow, and even camel leather produce the finest handbags and belts. Different colors of leather are made from different spices — for instance, yellow-tinted leather has been dyed with saffron! And to get their smooth texture, water, animal urine, and pigeon poop are used!
Now we start our journey to the desert… but first, lunch!
We were very fortunate to have amazing food the entire time in Morocco. Fresh vegetables, breads, rice, and my personal favorite, tagine! It’s commonly made with chicken or lamb, vegetables like carrot, zucchini, and potato, spices, and then cooked in a ceramic bowl with a pointed lid — also called tagine!
Officially in the Sahara Desert in Merzouga! No city lights around, only rolling hills of sand. After another delicious dinner of tagine provided by the local Berber tribe we stayed with, we slept in specially-made tents and woke up the next morning to ride camels!
The most beautiful desert sunrise I will never forget. Waking up before everyone else, walking the dunes, wind blowing in your hair, sand in between your toes. Truly the most magical morning.