The Blues in Chefchaouen

CHEFCHAOUEN, MOROCCO -- April 17-19, 2006

After 4 hours on a chicken bus leaving Fes at 6AM, Said and I arrive in Chefchaouen a bit tired. But within minutes of arriving, there are smiles on our faces. It's contagious; it's in the air here.

Chefchaouen is quieter, more peaceful, more relaxed. It is the perfect place to end my stay in Morocco. It has a different vibe, a different look, even a different color. Nearly everything here is painted white or blue, and set against the lush green Rif mountains.

We wander the narrow, hilly streets. It is market day in the village, and women are displaying their vegetables for sale among the villagers. The streets are lined with blue-painted doors, walls, stones. The dead ends are easy to tell, as the entire set of houses is painted blue from top to bottom.

The views into the Rif mountains are amazing, setting off the white Andalusian-influenced architecture of the houses spilling down the mountainside. A lonely mosque, now only an empty shell, sits majestically on a small but lofty ridge, its minaret a brilliant white against a backdrop of emeralds. A small stream tumbles down the mountainside, a cascade of small waterfalls in its wake.

We wander the kasbah, peeking out of austere windows at the mountains and charming village all around. We handle the iron wrist and ankle cuffs now rusting in the lifeless prison cell.

Back in town, we munch some sweet dates and walnuts, and follow the sounds of a Moroccan band banging away from a small stone room. We join them, and Said impresses us all with his musical skills as he demonstrates his proficiency on not just one but two different instruments!

We wander to our hearts' content, and dine on bread and harire (soup) before crashing on backache-inducing mattresses.... Oh well, I guess nothing is perfect... Being in this tranquil place, with a good friend, and realizing my time in Morocco is dwindling to nothing, leaves me a bit nostalgic. I know there is much to look forward to. My adventures have only begun. But oh, the memories I have made here!

~Melanie