Morocco

My last visit to Morocco goes back to the late sixties when my parents used to regularly visit an aunty of mine and her family who lived in Fez.  Although we practically lived next door in Algeria at the time, I always looked forward to those visits.  To me it was going on an adventure to a different country, another culture, a feeling of the unknown and mystery.  Fifty years later, I returned to Morocco and explored another part of this fascinating country.  I arrived in Marrakesh direct from Madrid after a few wonderful days in the spectacular Spanish island of Lanzarote.

Morocco is a North African country with coastlines on both the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.  It borders Western Sahara to the south, Algeria to the east and is just across the Strait of Gibraltar from Gibraltar.

Ethnically speaking, Morocco is composed mainly of Arabs and Berbers.  Sizeable numbers of Berbers live mainly in the country’s mountainous regions, where they have preserved their language and culture.  Some segments of the population are descendants of refugees from Spain and Portugal who fled from the” Reconquista”, the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula, which spanned until the 15th century.

Only a few hours from Europe, Morocco has everything to overwhelm you with its amazing colours, smells and the sounds of Islamic Africa.  Bustling souks, spice markets, stunning mosques, white-washed sea side towns and medieval city centres. With panoramic views varying from snow-covered peaks in the High Atlas to the endless sand dunes of the Sahara, there is something for everyone in this beautiful country.  French is widely understood and spoken in Morocco due to its history as a French protectorate and it is taught in schools from relatively early grades.

 

Places visited in Morocco

• Essaouira
• Marrakesh
• Ouarzazate
• Zagora