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From Anti-Atlas to The Rif

Morocco

Annette
2005-08-29 22:40:15

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It was the year 1981 that I first set foot on Moroccan soil. It was to be the beginning of a long and loyal friendship with a country whose people and natural beauty beckoned repeated return visits. - I had found myself with a couple of weeks of time and the desire to see a country that would evoke images of Thousand-and-One Nights, ancient medinas and bazaars where I could bargain to my heart's content. Morocco did not disappoint: Since 1981, I have visited the country nine times, traveling between Atlantic and Atlas, Rif Mountains and Royal cities. Each time the airplane would approach Moroccan shores, I would get this elated feeling of "belonging". My Berber dancer soul must feel quite at ease in North Africa.

Morocco is a complex, diverse country. I found that discovering it is best done in bits and pieces. Taking a certain region, picking one or two towns in that region as home base, and then using the "spoke-and-wheel" system of traveling allows for an in-depth immersion. For example, from Tangier in the north of the country, a vacation that covers the following areas is a good starting point: Tangier itself, the sleepy fishing towns within a couple of hours drive to the south; then Ceuta, Tetouan, Chefchaouen, as well as the Rif Mountain area that stretches along the Mediterranean. A region like that can easily fill one week - certainly more if one has the time. It offers beautiful beaches, towns with labyrinthine markets to get lost in, as well as drives through breathtakingly beautiful countryside. - Other examples of 'pockets' of Morocco to take in are: From Rabat South along the Atlantic to Agadir. This would be a delightful stretch of seaside for the beach lovers and campers. From Agadir inland into the Anti-Atlas -The southernmost portion of the Atlas Mountains lets a traveler explore hilltop Kashbas,goats climbing Argana trees in search of leaves, as well as excursions into the vast desert to the south. - Another region ...