I’m afraid that there’s not a great deal to tell in this blog as today’s trip was interesting, but without any spectacular scenery or major points of interest.
Before leaving Fez, we visited a lookout where we could see across the city. It looked to be (as we thought) a large compact city. It seemed rather incongruous that we were looking across a cityscape that reminded me of images from biblical times yet to see dozens of satellite dishes on the roofs of these quite humble looking buildings was out of character.
Chefchaouen is about 200 kilmetres to the north of Fez and is in the northern part of the country. Our drive along a variety of country roads took about four hours as well as a stop for lunch at a nice outdoor restaurant.
We made a number of stops along the way. One of them was at this tourist market on a hillside that overloooked a dam.
We drove across rolling hills with various froms of agriculture – olives, wheatfields and orchards. We saw many flocks of goats beign atteneded to by a shepherd along sections of the roadway. I don’t fancy that job all – it would be lonely and out in all sorts of weather.
Again, there was really nothing special to report on – just an interesting day with lots of varied scenery. We arrived in Chefchauoen in the early afternoon, checked into our accommodation for the night and then headed out to explore the Medina
Chefchaouen was founded in 1471 in the Rif mountains by Jews and Moors fleeing Spain. Beautifully perched beneath the raw peaks of the Rif, it is one of the prettiest towns in Morocco, an artsy, blue-washed mountain village that feels like its own world. While tourism has definitely taken hold, the balance between ease and authenticity is just right. The old medina is a delight of Moroccan and Andalusian influence with red-tiled roofs, bright-blue buildings and narrow lanes converging on busy Plaza Uta El Hammam and its restored kasbah.
The town has rapidly gentrified from its height as a source of drugs in the 1960s and now offers a range of quality accommodation, good food, lots to do and no hassles to speak of. This seems a great place to relax and explore.
For a photographer, it is the most difficult place in Morocco to take photos of people. Before Covid, the masses of Chinese tourists that came here would stick a camera into the face of everyone in the town as soon as they walked out of their doorway. Now, people living here, refuse to be photographed and will not allow it. It’s perhaps possible to take some images from behind them, but we do not try to take photos of people face-on in the street.
The Medina (old town) is the focal point of interest for most visitors to the town. It’s quite a change from the hustle and bustle of cities like Marrakesh and Fez. I dont know why the ciy is painted with so much blue. One theory is that after WWII, when the Jewish community in the area grew as people fled Nazi persecution, blue was painted on the walls, floors and steps as a religious practise, to represent the colour of the sky and connect the city to heaven and God.
I guess I’d get fed up with cameras in my face too.