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A Voyage through the South of Morocco

Magical Morocco

Annette
2005-08-29 23:05:06

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Dear Reader: Please be forewarned. Events you are about to encounter in Morocco may force you to rethink your opinions of time and place. You may experience magic in the making, and see events come full turn. That, at least to me, has been a recurring experience whenever I have visited Morocco - all in all eight times over a period of nineteen years. Who can truly explain why it is that a person is drawn to a particular part of the world? Why certain scents in the air , -maybe the sweet fragrance of mint, or the smoke of charcoal, - will instantly lead to a level of alertness that goes beyond the normal? Why something I would call a sense of heightened awareness of each particular moment allows for clarity, and lets the senses take in surrounding images precisely, almost frame by frame ? The questions go unanswered; they fall within the realm of the unexplainable. It simply is that way, and as such, it is good.

Curiosity aroused, a stroll through an ancient medina allows glimpses down lanes laid out like a maze. In a narrow spot, with stretched arms, my hands can touch both walls. It is cool and calm down here. A woman approaches, completely covered, with a scarf around her head and a young child by the hand. They swiftly walk by. The little girl glances at me out of beautifully large and curious eyes. I smile at her, and now she sneaks a timid wave of the hand toward me, her mother dragging her forward. The little one continues to look back, flashing more smiles. I am a stranger in this neighborhood - everyone knows everbody here, and an outsider is quickly noticed. Down another lane, a motorbike leans against a wall. The lane is part packed earth, part ancient, worn stone. The colors fuse and blend into warm shades; ochre, rose and earthtone brown. There is a tiny window facing the lane, covered by a decorative wrought-iron grill. Further up, a wooden window shutter keeps the sunlight out. Doors with brass knockers interrupt the flow of walls. ...