From the Hassan II Mosque to the Sahara Desert: A Multigenerational Voyage through Morocco’s Rich Tapestry
As our plane lands in Casablanca, I am overwhelmed with the fact that three generations of our family have finally made it to Africa after so many years of trying. As we leave the airport, the warm sun hits us and we see our guide smiling and waving at us.
We decide to begin our adventure immediately and head to the Hassan II Mosque, and even though we were told it was the biggest mosque in Casablanca its immenseness is amazing to behold. Looking through the windows overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and walking barefoot on the massive, beautiful rugs, I can already tell this trip will be special.
The next day is Eid and everyone we interact with is joyful and celebrating as we head toward Fez through Rabat. On the way, our guide, Aziz points out that the King is driving along with us on the way to one of his many palaces. When we arrive at our riad we are stunned by the beautiful tile and woodwork; nothing prepares you for how beautiful all the mosaics are, or the stained-glass windows. The staff is so accommodating and friendly- we learn about desert life from “Happy” who also gifted all five of us with Moroccan bracelets.
We are excited to tour an actual Medina and we get to do so in Fez with our guide Amal. She is a wealth of information and so passionate about Fez and all its magical history. Amal walks us through the narrow winding roads without street signs. How she is able to navigate the medina and not get lost is incredible- I would never been able to find our way back out. She takes to the tannery where the leather is still dyed the traditional way by hand and is so buttery soft it feels like silk. We carry on to try a Hammam which I will honestly admit was not something I was looking forward to, however I am glad I was convinced to try it and it was an unexpected highlight.
On our way to the Sahara Desert, we stop in Midelt, where we meet with a nomadic family. Mina and her family are so hospitable, allowing us into their home and offering us tea. Her home was so pleasantly warm from the fire, and you could smell the aroma of home cooking and spices. Mina laughs easily and always has a kind smile on her face, and even though we do not speak the same language I could tell how kind she was.
We continue on to the Sahara Desert, stopping along the way to admire the beautiful, picturesque views all around us and to buy colorful scarves that are wrapped around our heads so beautifully by the shop owner. Our excitement grows to see the desert, we stop for Moroccan “pizza” which reminded me of a calzone with stuffed meat and vegetables and it’s delicious. We make one more stop to listen to Gnawa music which replicates the sounds of slavery in a hauntingly beautiful way.
Ahh we’ve made it to the desert! Five camels await us, and we begin our hour-long trek tour camp up and down through the golden sand dunes. Our Berber guide beguiles us with his stories of living in the desert and has us take a break to sit on the sand and watch the sunset. Our camp is more luxurious than we could ever imagine, and we spend hours sitting and talking about our favorite part of Morocco so far; words cannot do justice to this magical experience. We are called to dinner, and the chicken tagine is some of the best we have had, and that’s saying something because all the food was phenomenal! We spend the rest of the night listening to music, learning how to play the drums and I journal about my experience under the desert stars.
Sadly, we are now on our way to our final destination- Marrakech. It is easy to see why so many people told me it was their favorite place in all of Morocco. Marrakech is such a stark difference between our tranquil time in the desert and our peaceful ride through the gorges. As we walk to our riad, there are people everywhere- selling souvenirs, food, everything you could ever imagine. That night we take a walk to the square which is still alive with people at 10 p.m. to watch the entertainers and wander explore the different stalls. There is never enough time to spend in Morocco, even though we have seen so much there is so much more we want to see and experience. We are grateful to have had Aziz as our guide – he was knowledgeable, fun, and welcoming. So, although we are sad to leave, we are excited to plan our trip back. Shukran Morocco.
