Reminiscences of Morocco

[Barley-Mow]

Sorry in advance if this is posted in the wrong section.

It's odd, the souvenirs you bring back. While on my first trip to Morocco earlier this year, staying in Moulay Idriss, I decided my boots needed a bit of bulling up. A visit to the local market produced a small tin of Chinese-made polish and a good sturdy brush made in Spain, wrapped in the ubiquitous small black plastic bag.

They're still in the boot box at home, and every time I go to clean boots or shoes all the memories of that happy time and the faces of the people I met come flooding back.

Travel isn't just about the journey, or the places, it's the people you meet along the way. The lovely English couple I stayed with at Fawlty Fincas, just outside Tarifa; Christina, in Assilah, who before she moved to Morocco had run a B & B in Southwold, not far from me in Norfolk; Faisal at dar Zerhoune in Moulay Idriss, and his dad, Mustapha, whose kindness made such a difference to my stay; the Pastor on his Harley who I met on the motorway back to Tangier and who has a commute of 400 miles return from Casablanca to Tangier to take the weekly service there, or the guy I met at Orleans, returning to his native Belgium from a round the world trip on his GS via the Far East and USA and thence via Portugal. It's they and all the other friendly faces along the way that you bring back with you.

I do hope I'll be able to return soon.

 

[Timolgra]

Travel isn't just about the journey, or the places, it's the people you meet along the way.

I'm unlikely to go all weepy eyed at a bag of boot polish but you're absolutely right

 

[Giles]

My other half and I went to Sienna back in the spring. We came across a big flea / antiques market in one of the little squares on the city outskirts - the square was almost like a veranda; you could see over the rolling hillsides for miles and miles, she was absolutely in her element, and was cooing over this and that, chatting to the locals, the sunday morning church bells were ringing out, swallows swooping and whistling, the smell of coffee, fresh pastrys, It was a perfect Tuscan morning!
She bought an unpolished peridot (jem stone) from a old guy on a jewelry stall. I've got it now, and have given it to a local jeweler along with an old silver bracelet, and I've asked her to make a ring for Christmas. The peridot is worth bugger all, but I just know, the finished product will take her back there every time she looks at it. Cool! She'll absolutely love it!!!