same, same?

moroccan hat on Talitha Getty, moroccan hat on me.

the big picture.

hello everyone! could you please take a minute to like my travel photo on the Sydney Morning Herald traveller section of their website.  it is part of a contest that i have entered and would very much like to have a shot at winning (it's a trip for two to abu dhabi!). all you have to do is go here and hover over the image with your cursor- the Facebook like button should appear and if you are a Facebook user you can 'like' it. thank you!!!

i heart the sahara.

if you're ever headed to morocco, i highly recommend making time for the sahara (it was a three day round-trip from marrakech). to begin, the 1 and a half day road trip to first get there that you're dreading is not dreadful at all; it's absolutely fascinating. that's where you get to see moroccan townsfolk and the berber hill dwellers doing their thing; working the land, shepherding animals, selling apples, minerals and fossils on the side of the road, children working alongside their parents or playing in the fields. this is not the type of car trip where you doze off for a minute.
when you finally get to the sahara, you first have a glass of mint tea and a swim in solitude (if you came prepared), then get on your camel (dromeda actually- one hump, not two) for the mini-trek to your camp. you arrive at your camp just as the sun is setting, offering cool air and the most opportune time to climb to the highest peaks to check out the great expanse of burnt orange sand for ever and ever. you settle into your camp while your tour guide (of sorts) is busy making the most delicious feast in the make-shift camp kitchen; he is a saharan jack of all trades, because after guiding us out on camels, then cooking, he leads a musical moment with hand drums and singing.
we chose to sleep out under the stars which was absolutely magnificent. i did not have the most restful sleep, covered in dew and sand, but feeling so small in this big, big world for one night was a magical experience. the stars and moon had shifted above you each time you opened your eyes; the milky way shone oh so bright and there were shooting stars galore.
you awake at dawn and there is no sight quite like a saharan sunrise. whhhhhooooooaaaaaaaaahhhhhh.

 

i heart the atlas mountains (and beyond).

to get to the sahara from marrakech, we headed through some of the most incredible landscapes; they seemed to be changing by the hour. from rocky mountain ranges, to sparse desert, to palm oasis, to a studio town in the middle of nowhere- ouarzazate- known as the hollywood of africa, to expanses of land that looked like you could be on mars. my eyes were enriched with so many visions they had never seen before- we even had to pass a nomad family on the move. this was one road trip i will never forget!

i heart marrakech.2.

some more goodies from that gem of a city in north africa. love.

 

i heart marrakech.

On my recent around the world trip that took me to Canada, France, Spain, Morocco and Hong Kong; Morocco was expected to be the most stand-out adventure- and it was.  Everything you've ever seen in a photo of Morocco or what these photos suggest, is exactly what you get when you are there.  It's incredible!  The colours, the smiling faces, the achingly beautiful wares-silver, textiles, ceramics, leatherworks-the food, the architecture (!!!) complete with every finishing touch you can imagine down to the last tile, to a gold hand-shaped knocker on a door or a fresh rose accent in a vase.  

The main square in Marrakech on day one was rather overwhelming for me, but it is safe and exciting and has been around for almost 1000 years!  All around you there are snake charmers, donkeys, motorbikes, horse and carriages, musicians, stand upon stand of fresh squeezed orange juice & moroccan mint tea (yum) and my favourite- a man with a school sized little desk, selling a collection of single teeth and full dentures under a big umbrella.  

When you step into your Riad it is as if you are stepping into a sanctuary from the crazy streets of the Medina.  The service for my entire stay was second to none, but not over the top; you feel right at home right away.  

We also ventured into the desert for 3 days...I could not go to Africa without riding a camel in the Sahara!  The long drive there which we were semi-dreading turned out to be the best part of the whole desert trip.  The landscape was constantly changing and like nothing I had ever seen before.  First there would be Berber villages built right into the mountains, then you'd come across kasbahs (castles) that look like actual life-sized sandcastles, then a tiny town that looks as if it were a hollywood set built specifically for a spaghetti western- and it probably was.  The changing colours of the earth from light sand, to rosy-hued, to deep red informed the colours of the town with all the homes being built mostly with mud and hay; so stunning.  Along the way you would see the women working the land, men shepherding sheep and proper nomad families on the move with their camels, donkeys and chickens.  The Sahara did not disappoint- it's just like in the cartoons!  We trekked for one hour into the dunes where there was a camp set up, rectangular style tents draped in Moroccan rugs and Handira (wedding blankets)- ridiculous!  The guide makes you a beautiful feast in the make-shift camp kitchen, plays some drums and then we got set up on cots with fresh sheets to sleep under the stars.  This was a highlight, just little you with the one you love in the big wide open and the brightest night sky above you- I saw at least ten shooting stars! *photos of saharan adventure to come.

Then back to Marrakech for a delectable hammam and feeling more comfortable cruising the streets in search of more allure and delicious food (it's easy). I'm ready to go back!

here are a few images to give you an idea of marrakech's colours, richness and vitality. my story was beautifully shared here with more photos too.

*these just happen to be the gopro version of events. more to follow :)