Moroccan Makers
In October of this year I visited Morocco with my mom, three sisters and my aunt. We travelled around the country for two weeks and spent time in five different cities: Casablanca, Tangier, Chefchaouen, Fes and Marrakech. Every stop had its own special quality, but I’d have to say Fes, with its rich handicraft history, really stood out to me. This was an incredible trip that will stay with me for the rest of my life–especially since I got to share it with my favorite women. I hope you too get the chance to visit one day.
I’ve decided to make today’s post into a bit of a visual essay, or photo diary if you will. So I’m keeping the words to a minimum. Please let me know what you think, or if you’d like any more info on the places we visited.
Morocco has a deep connection to handcrafted goods and is well known for its hand painted ceramics… and for its kittens posing as pots.
The wool dyeing and copper making districts of Fes. These districts are connected by an intricate maze of narrow streets that you will almost certainly get lost in without a guide.
A close-up of the beautiful zellige tile work at the Al-Qarawiyyin University in Fes, the oldest existing and continually operating educational institution in the world.
These are just a couple of the many pictures I took of beautiful walls across Morocco. They were works of art in themselves.
Makeshift places to gather and rest could be found all over the medinas of the cities we visited.
A narrow street, barely shoulder width in places, spits you out at the tanneries in Fes. From the rooftops of the shops you can watch leather first being tanned with pigeon poop, then dyed with vegetable dyes. You’re even given a complimentary sprig of mint to keep the unsavoury tanning smells at bay.
Turn your head in any direction and you’ll see incredible craftsmanship wherever you look.
Small pieces of art with a range of different occupations were sold on the streets of Marrakech. I’m not sure of their origin or history, but I kind of regret not buying one.
It’s impossible to talk about Morocco and not mention the food. The photo on the left was taken to document the best Tagine of the trip: served in a traditional Berber house in the foothills of the Atlas mountains. On the right is a photo of an olive shop in Tangier’s souk. Morocco has an incredible olive culture and olives are served with pretty much every meal, including breakfast!
On that note, I hope you receive this as your gift over the holiday season.
Just some things that made me smile.
How we ended many a night: on a rooftop, playing cards, sometimes drinking and always laughing.
Our last blurry sunset over Marrakech.
Thanks for reliving this experience with me. Morocco is such a beautiful country with warm people and a ton of good vibes. In my opinion, there is no better travel destination than a quirky, bustling African city and in Morocco you’ll get plenty of that!
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