From inside the medina of "The Blue Pearl"
LOCATION: Chefchaouen
What's happening?
What a treat that was - absolutely no need to board a plane or a bus today. Spent the day in Chefchaouen in foot AND even had time to draw up a nap in the heat of the day.
The Adventure
Our riad, Dar Echchaouen Maison, is so beautiful - a converted villa set into the mountain, is dripping with gardens and fountains, covered in mosaic tiles with seemingly endless nooks amd crannies set up with lounges, chairs, tables and lamps. Walking around the riad is almost a tour on its own.
We started the day with their breakfast offerings and wanted to join @TheRoyals at their outside table but after a good morning chat and catch up we laughingly took our leave. They were much braver than us - they were fighting the BEES for their food and juice. Swatting and swiping and waving the pesky little black buggers away. And throughout the day - we noted the bees very busy around lots of the food vendors as well and on our sunset walk there were about forty bee hives nestled on the rocky out rop of a cliff face.
Exploring the medina
Appreciated having @Mahommed with us for our four hour exploration of the medina. It was like stepping into a surreal blue labyrinth, where every corner and doorway was picture worthy and every cat seems to think it owns the place. For us, with an early start, on a Friday morning, we had the blue alleyways,almost to ourselves. We had beaten the heat and the crowds on the holy day.
What do you do in a medina? You stroll and talk, stop to take endless photos (@Bill is keen photographer - and has the angles and light covered), and in this one, try and avoid cats and cat poop. @Liz is the master - she seems to have a cat poop radar and made sure we were following her lead, dancing, dodging, hopping and side stepping the little poop piles. Pleased to report that no pile was flattend in our visit!
Can I just mention it is so good having this super small group! @Mohammed adjusts the pace so that everyone has time to do their thing, everyone gets to ask their burning questions and there is plenty of relaxed banter. Can't believe our luck.
The alleyways were all shades of blue and doorways and side streets opened into an endless array of market stalls. Not sure how anyone makes a living because the merchandise of hats and shawls and kaftans and shoes and stuffed toys and leather and trinkets seems on a rinse and repeat cycle. We were there as the marketeers were in the business of setting up for the day but I have to say, even as the hours progressed and they were in full swing, there was no aggressive marketing here. You can comfortably browse and inspect and think. I did "browse" a dozen water bottles. Resisted the temptation of replacing yesterday's loss.
@Mohammed assured us we wouldn't get lost. Hilarious, because at every turn there seemed to be a lost soul, who was being side eyed by a cat guarding a stairwell and the lost soul was asking @Mohammed for directions. The secret - stick to the grey of the pebble covered path - that always leads to an exit. If the path is blue, that's a dead end. Only complication- there are four gates to the medina - meant we had a one in four chance of being at the wrong place! Our little team's solution - stick with @Mohammed and, with your own side eye, bluff the cats into moving.
The exploration was built around discovering the four elements that are always found in a medina- the mosque, the community oven, the steam bath house and the Koranic school. And yes, we visted each of these and enjoyed @Mohammed's stories. Mind you, when I do my Dr Google, the four core elements are listed as the mosque, the souk, the fountain or water source and the walls and gates. No worries, we covered off on those as well.
Learning from an expert
Surprisingly, despite not being in South America, we happened upon some exotic birds. Couldn't resist a little photo op here definitely thinking of @Deb and @Lloyd.
We were stopped and pointed in the right direction for home back at our entrance to the medina and shared our plans for the free time. @TheRoyals were going to venture back into the medina to hunt down some wine and beer and also have late lunch and early dinner and @Mohammed was going to head to the "big prayer" for Friday's mosque gathering.
This prayer plan opened the conversation around " being a Muslim" and @Mohommed shared with us a very personal and moving insight into the role and purpose of his religion in his life. So there he was with four very transfixed tourists, on the corner of a blue alleyway, with dozens of passersbys, without hesitation, demonstrating the "actions" of his prayer ritual and elaborating on the cornerstones of his life: faith, charity, fasting and pilgrimage. Very special.
Our plans, nothing so brave or noble. We opted to take a breather and to catch our breath and, for me, add some sleep.
Sunset at the Spanish Mosque
I had contemplated wearing long sleeves for the "cold" and so glad that @Mac talked me out of that one. Even at our 7 pm departure, the sun carried a sting and comb8ned with the steps, the path and the incline we all worked up a sweat. @Mac even got his heart rate to a tick over 100 pm- but that was probably becaise he was dragging me along.
The Spanish Mosque (referred to this today as it was built in 1912 by the Spanish) is unused as a mosque but perched above the "Blue Pearl" it is the perfect vantage point for sunset views of the blue and white town and the Rif Mountains.
Yes, I struggled up the slope but @Mac was my tow rope and @Liz, who is recovering from a recent fall, had her walking stick. @Mohammed was constant in his "take a rest" or "have a drink" or " take in the views" advice as we joined the parade of visitors and locals to take up a vantage point at the Mosque.
It is billed as "serene and atmospheric." Definitely atmospheric. Not sure on the "serene " though as a busker set up an amplifier with a stringed instrument and blasted the serene over the cliff face. He did "read the room" and packed up and moved on about 20 minutes before the sun kissed the top of the mountain.
And yes, it was a magical burst of gold, followed by the pinks and purples as the sun did its disappearing act in about three minutes. It was so quick! There was also a bit of colour-changing magic on the blue of Chefchaouen. With plenty of light, the houses and buildings stood out as individual structures but as the light fades, so too did the distinct lines amd they seem to fade, merge and meld into a mosaic tile of blue amd white.
The walk down the hill had its own dramas. The stoned pathway, worn smooth by millions of footsteps was a little slippery slide. A few false alarms and minor slips, but we all managed to stay upright and compared with the 30 minite uphill grind this was much easier.
@Mohammmed was off to socialise, @TheRoyals cashed up and went to buy some (stuffed) monkeys and we nestled into an outdoor restaurant, on the edge of the medina, sitting right on the edge of the Ras El Maa waterfall.
On the downside, I wish I had my long sleeved jacket because it was cool, the bugs were prolific attracted by the decorative strip lighting and the kitten insisted on invading our personal space. On the upside, if was just a little stroll from home, was out among the locals (lucky to get a table), we were one row back from the stream and were not sitting with our feet in water like some, and the food and juices really hit the spot! An overwhelming win.
Welcomed by the last two lots of stairs to get into our room and dedicated a little time to packing ready to hit the road again tomorrow.
PS: @TheRoyals safely navigated the medina, had late lunch but no luck on the beer and wine - closed for Friday
PPS: @Mohammed got a spot inside the Grand Mosque and enjoyed his Friday couscous treat
PPPS: @Mac fought bravely to save his kingdom and I slept for FOUR hours - my longest uninterrupted stretch of sleep since leaving home!
PPPPS: i was cold at dinner. Put my arms inside my shirt. @Mac told me that i should do this at the airport so we could get priority boarding. He is sooooo funny.
Survival Barometer
Steps: 14 251
Weather: we had 17 drops of rain to start morning walk .. then steady 27 degrees till sunset
Can you believe that?
A little background from Co-Pilot.
Chefchaouen — The Cats Rule the Blue CityChefchaouen isn’t just blue — it’s run by cats.
Not metaphorically. The medina has territorial cat clans, each ruling a specific alley or staircase. Locals even know which cat “belongs” to which street. Some travellers swear the cats pose for photos like paid models.
It’s the only city where you can genuinely say:
“Turn left at the blue stairs until you reach the ginger cat — then you’re close.”
Today's Spot the J clue - there are lots!
"I've got a spare red water bottle here."
No comments:
Post a Comment