Morocco: Home away from home

Me and Hajja relaxing at Aicha's house.

Summer 2009. I stepped off the plane in Casablanca. The air was smoggy, hot and dry. There was the distinct smell of diesel fuel, stale perfume and ocean air in the distance. I visited Morocco once before in 2006 to meet my husband’s family for the first time. They threw an amazing three day wedding celebration for us. This visit there would be no major celebrations, just time to visit and see more of the country.

Hajja (my mother in law), Omar (my brother in law) and Aziz (the mister) met me at the airport.  It was wonderful to see them again. My mother in law has a fantastic sense of humor always smells faintly of orange blossoms. Omar is kind and gentle- he is a devout Muslim and has the dark marks from regular prayer on his forehead. It had been six weeks since I had seen Aziz. he looked strong, tan, rested and refreshed.

We packed my luggage into Omar's Fiat and headed to Aziz's sisters house. When we arrived, Aïcha had dates and milk scented with orange blossom water. She and her daughters had prepared a feast- a welcome treat after 17 hours of travel. They had prepared mint tea, msemmen bread with honey and butter, an array of cookies, olives, flat bread with cheese, a variety of tapas like salads, roasted chicken and piles of the sweetest, freshest tree ripe fruits. Several family members had also purchased some clothing for me. Mostly brightly colored, long gauzy dresses with embroidery and bead work adorning the neck and sleeves. Coming from San Francisco, the heat of Morocco in the summer can take some getting used to. A cool shower and slipping into one of the climate appropriate dresses is a luxury I greatly look forward to.

I’ve had the privilege of taking two trips - a total of 2 ½ months in Morocco. I’ve spent time in Casablanca, Marrakesh, Tangier, Fez and Meknes as well as smaller cities and towns like Essaouira, Agadir, Chefchaouen, Tetouan, Ifrane, and Imouzzer to name a few. Of all the places I’ve been, Marrakesh and Tangier are my favorite large cities, and Chefchaouen for small towns. Over the next few weeks, I will be dedicating blog entries and sharing images from most of these areas.

Each city has such a different feel- from the people to the architecture to the food. Each location could have a novel dedicated to it. I have a few acquaintances traveling to Morocco this month. I hope they enjoy their time there and come to love it as much as I do.