Too Short a Stay in Chaouen

NOTE:  As of January 17, 2012, I have moved my blog to my new website:  www.onegirlsadventures.com

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MERCI BEAUCOUP!

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Just got out of a hot shower to warm up a bit.  Chaouen had a nice, warm day for me today...but it is a mountain town (located in the Rif mountains just inland from Tangiers and Tetuoan) and gets a bit chilly at night.  I slipped on my pink Algerian house dress that was given to me as a gift during my stay there, and now I write my last blog post from Africa.  It was one month and 1 day ago that I landed in Senegal...but feels like it was just yesterday.  Tonight at dinner I went back and read some of my personal journal entries from my first days in Senegal and Mali. Wow!  was I stressed out :)...it is kinda amusing to go back to them now.  West Africa was definitely a challenge, but an experience I would never give up...I look back on it and cherish each moment, good, bad and unbearable!  North Africa has been a completely different experience, and I know that is because I have been surrounded by friends in Algeria and Morocco....in both countries I was with people that would take care of me no matter what.

I spent a very low key day in Chefchaouen....which was perfect as yesterday was a travel day and tomorrow will be another intense day of travel as I bus and ferry my way to Sevilla, Spain.  I spent most of the morning and afternoon wandering the medina admiring the buildings in all their shades of blue (which apparently is a tradition carried over from the town's previous Jewish population).  Chefchaouen was founded in 1471 by Moorish exiles from Spain....the Moriscos and Jews came here to escape the Spanish Reconquista in midevil times.  Carlos and Ana, my hosts at the B&B here, love Chaouen cuz it has a very Andulcian feel...much like Granada, Cadiz or Cordoba.  I love it because I finally can speak one of the foreign languages spoken here! The Spanish on the streets, in the restaurants and shops is music to my ears after being a mute for the last month :)...today as I was passing some Spanish tourists, I overheard them asking questions amongst themselves...ones I knew the answer to.....I  so wanted to answer them just because I finally could!  But bit my tongue instead :).  The men all try to charm me now in 4 languages too...Arabic (well Moroccan dialect arabic), French, English and Spanish :).  Everyone automatically assumes I am from Spain or another Latin country (I got Argentina today as well as Venezuela)...it is kinda fun to not be identified right away as America because, frankly, I usually am. :)

Every turn is a photo opp in Chaouen. 

The different shades of blue are so rich and so calming.

Almost like the door we have in Issaquah...a gift from Chaouen to us!

Picture from the market...I can't really tell you what all those colored powders are used for...I just thought they were pretty :)

I did have breakfast on the terrace!  What a morning it was too!

Ana made a delicious plate of scrabbled eggs (it was like she read my mind...it was just what I hoped for) and a spread of jams, tomato spread, olive oil, butter, bread, oranges and cafe con leche.  I think I ate like I hadn't eaten in days...the olive oil she uses is from her home town of Malaga.  They don't like to use the local olive oil because they said it is too bitter...I guess I will never know, but I did enjoy the Malaga alternative!

After breakfast I made the trek up behind the Medina to Hotel Atlas, which is known for its panoramic view of Chaouen.  Upon entering the hotel I was welcomed by a guy that was hanging out next to the hotel...after the hearty welcome he offered me hashish.  Chaouen and the countryside around it has a reputation for being a prolific source of kif (marijuana). The Chefchaouen region is one of the main producers of cannibis in Morocco!  For those wondering, I did decline the offer of hashish :)....I headed inside for a Fanta Limon instead.  I know, boring :)

View of the original, small fortress...there is now a lovely garden and museum inside.

One of the many water fountains that can be found within the medina.  The water in Chaouen is fresh and pure.  You can drink it straight form the tap or these public watering holes (it isn't super clear in the picture, but there is a little pink cup above the faucet that one can fill and take a swig from)...it is the only place in Morocco where this is true of the tap water.

I had to compare Moroccan couscous to Algerian couscous at dinner :). This couscoous seemed to be heavier than what I ate in Algeria..bigger too.  The sauce also had less tomato.....but the Moroccan's add raisins which I found as a nice additive.  It was piping hot when they brought it out to me...I think I let it sit for about 10 minutes and it was still too hot :)

Oh, that lemon tart was delicious!!!  And my new obsession are those little brown cookies, chibakia.  They are served during Ramadan with the traditional harira soup (which I had as a started)....it is a cookie soaked in honey..but not too sweet.  It was heavenly...so much that I asked for more so the server brought me out two more at dessert!  And he didn't charge me!

The best part of my time in Chaouen was seeing some of the friends I have made through the sister city relationship. Next to me is Taher, he is a principle at one of the schools in Chaouen, across from him is his son, Mohamed Ali, who works in the tourist industry and next to him is Mustafa, a lawyer and vice mayor of Chaouen.

If only I could travel with these little bowls!  I kept walking into stores admiring them....I love the colors and the designs...and they would be fun little soup or dip bowls.  Next commission member that goes back to our sister city I may have them pick some up for me :)

I am going to bed stuffed....I have definitely eaten well in North Africa!  I don't think I will be eating as much of Ana's breakfast in the morning. Ah, tomorrow, I am getting exhausted already thinking about all the transportation changes...it will be interesting to see how far I get.  I hope I get to Sevilla, but will be fine just getting to Spain not too late.  I am going from prayer calls, couscous and carriages pulled by donkeys to ornate churches, tapas and high speed trains....and it is all just a continent and 2 hour ferry ride away. 

I promised my friends in Chaouen I will be back....and, Inch'Allah, I will.  There are too many reasons not to come back to Africa. I just hope it will be soon.  Saying my last good-bye to Senegal, Mali, Algeria and Morocco.  Kisses and hugs to all the wondderful people that made my visit unforgettable.