MARRAKECH, MOROCCO
Our latest trip was Christmas in Marrakech, Morocco. A land of Berber tribesmen, spices, mint tea and tagines (a kind of slow cooker - see title photo).
I have well over 1000 photos to sort through and edit, so that will take several weeks. In the meantime here is a photo or two to get you in the mood. More each Sunday !
I have well over 1000 photos to sort through and edit, so that will take several weeks. In the meantime here is a photo or two to get you in the mood. More each Sunday !
MAIN SQUARE (DJEMAA EL-FNA)
MARKET STALLS
This man had a set of bathroom scales and was paid to weigh people passing by. An everyday occurrence that is taken for granted in the West.
MAJORELLE GARDENS
The Majorelle Gardens were old gardens restored by the fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. An oasis of calm and colour in a busy dry dusty city.
A courtyard that contains a nice cafe.
A TRIP INTO THE ATLAS MOUNTAINS
The Atlas Mountains stretch across most of North Africa and form a barrier between the fertile coast and the dry Sahara desert. In Morocco, the valleys contain streams and Berber villages where the locals grow olives, walnuts , almonds, apples and vegetables and herd sheep and goats. Our trip took us into local Berber houses where there was a warm welcome with mint tea.
View of the mountains from just outside Marrakech.
A BERBER POTTERY
Tagines
Discarded Pottery Shards
Into the mountains.... still covered in snow and looking like the Alps.
A typical Berber village clinging to the hillside.
Making bread for morning tea in a Berber village house.
Mint Tea - note the sugar cone on the right, wrapped in paper.
First and second cups - the first is discarded.
An old man guards a solitary sheep.
I'm not sure of the purpose of this - perhaps a game, perhaps education.
Onwards and upwards...
Another village. The tower is the mosque. Note the terraces below the village.
Relaxing on the roof of a house overlooking the orchard of apple and walnut trees.
Houses and villages are connected to the main road by flimsy rope bridges across rivers that can flood to a raging torrent.
A SECOND TRIP INTO THE ATLAS MOUNTAINS
BABY CAMEL
POTS GALORE !
Two Extremes - Camels and Snowy Mountains !
Women making Argan oil, an oil made from nuts
Henna tattoo
Typical decorated Moroccan doors.
A rose at a perfume makers.
The river is lined with many small restaurants and cafes which are very busy in summer.
MOROCCAN FOLK EVENING
STORKS NESTING IN MARRAKECH