Morocco Memories: Donkey Park n’ Rides, Fish Juice & Unexpected Beauty

Before we go on, I must confess to a big mistake…HUGE! I didn’t bring my camera to Morocco. Sighhhh. My friend was going to bring her less expensive camera for us to use, but oops! she forgot to remove all her old photos from the card and didn’t have a charged battery. Ha! Isn’t that the way of the travel Gods? They grace you with magnificent visions and prevent you from proper photographic documentation.  Almost like it’s a lesson in zen.  Be in the moment.  Soak it in and absorb it. Awww pish! I wanted photos! (pout pout) The few pictures you see here were mostly, amazingly, taken on a disposable camera.  The fact that they still convey beauty attest to the impossibility of uglifying Morocco and the sights you will encounter there.

I must make note of the gorgeous landscape and countryside of both  Spain and Morocco.  We were blessed with a vision of wild flowers in hues of mostly white, yellow, purple and pink, with smudges of  lipstick red from the poppies.  There are pines, grass fields, mediterranean palms, ferns and shrubs.  The countryside in Morocco is so pristine, and the land so rustic, Ive decided it´s all a set up by the National Morocco Tourism Board.  I think they send out a party line call or RSS feed to the cell phones of all the peasants and farmers who live and work within 500 yards of the highway.  They tell them when the buses are coming so they can put away their laptops and start gathering bundles of sticks and bushels of wheat in their arms.  They also hand out these authentic, amazing straw hats with braided
wool adornments for them to wear for extra credit.  But really, the farmers all make their way to the highway with their donkeys where they tie them up at the side of the road while they continue on by bus to the market to sell their wares.  Sometimes you’d see five donkeys in the span of a few hundred feet….a veritable Donkey Park N´Ride.

Donkey Squeezing, Morocco

Eventually, we arrived at the city of Tetouan and were guided –  more like security flanked – through the markets in the old quarter.  I must applaud the Tourism Board here as well, for it is quite authentic.  I don’t think Ive ever seen anything so picturesque…as though were were launched into a past century…with ALL senses intact.
You really haven’t experienced Morocco until your foot slides off your sandal and becomes immersed in a sludge of fish juice and who- knows-what-else.  Are you still enjoying my adventures?  I did.   At least I didn’t step on a cockroach. That comes later…

Fish Seller, Morocco

The brave and “adventurous” ones of our group took a peek at the ancient and still operational slaughter grounds.  We had my friend’s camera and snapped one picture as we held back the bile.  It is indescribable…but allow me make an attempt:  The colors were strangely warm, of ochre and rust and  yes, red. There were no animals visible, just heaps of hides, and the most amazing and disturbing features were the deep round pits filled with various unidentifiable fluids and other substances.  I was still holding my breath as I stepped gingerly around those coming into the “arena”, and two of the young American girls in our student group cheerfully requested that I take their picture in front of the horrific scene.   I used my last remaining breath to exhale and squeak “NO!” as I made my way carefully around them – not daring to run in case I slipped on the slick dirt into the morass of one of  the pits.  And you all thought I was painting too pretty a  picture… 😉 Strangely, the photo turned out to be a favorite…beautiful and haunting in it’s own way.

Slaughter Yard, Morocco

I hope you enjoy these few, hard won photos. I intend to return for a photo safari..to stop, savor and yes, try to capture more of the authentic inherent beauty that infuses so many aspects of this land.

Stay tuned for more on Morocco…enchanting, picturesque, challenging…

All Photos by G.Stark, except the one of her!