Between Fez and Tangier, where we had to go to catch our ferry back to Spain, are the Rif Mountains, the second-biggest range in Morocco after the Atlas, and the prettiest town in the Rif is called Chefchaouen. We were told that the town's two most abundant resources are rock-climbing cliffs and kif, the Moroccan name for hashish, which is grown in the mountains. This makes it a veritable heaven for backpacking hippie college kids in search of cheap dope. We were on a tight budget, and drugs are wrong, so we didn't smoke any, but the town was amazing, as we discovered on an early morning walk/hike we took...
First off, the entire town is painted sky blue. Here's an old woman blue-washing her patio, right as we happened to be walking by...
And blue doors...
blue art...
blue stairs...
Kat said that it looked as if a massive wave of blue paint had rushed through the streets of the village, painting everything in a random, slipshod manner, and only reaching up to a certain height. I thought that was a nice way to put it...
Someone in the street told me, when I asked, that the town is blue because of a tradition that the Jews who lived their ages ago started... they paint everything blue, and it keeps the mosquitoes away. This should be a lesson to the outdoors-inclined in my blog audience. Screw bug spray, paint yourself sky blue.
This kid told me that I shouldn't worry about it, and that rather I should take his picture and then give him money. In this shot, I'm negotiating a price...
We eventually left the village and hiked out into the mountains a little bit, past a waterfall that ran a mill where all the women washed their clothes in the early morning...
We were headed along a little path, covered with cactuses, of all things, towards a ruined mosque at the top of one of the foothills at the bottom of the mountains that flank the city...
At the top it was beautiful...
and we could see the whole city, with its streaks of blue in the streets...
and when we came back down, it was still a beautiful morning, so we sat at a café in front of the main mosque...
and had a glass of 'Moroccan scotch whiskey'... the ubiquitous green-and-mint tea that's so sweet, so warm, and so good after an early morning hike...
That's all for now, as I'm back in Salamanca, doin' my normal thang. Everyone please leave comments, because I love to hear from you.
Love,
Robbie
12 comments:
hey robbie,
these pictures are phenomenal, as are your descriptions of all your travels. i feel like i was right there with you. which i wish i was, cause it looks awesome. you are so adventurous. i can't wait till the next update, even though we're missin' you here in the greatest city in america (not as great since you're not here).
much love,
lisa
robbie robbie robbie
loved reading about morroco.
janki
Hey nephew Robbie - Chetchaouen is amazing - all that blue. Just got back from Italy and we're ready to see Spain. Abrazos, Tia Martha
Robbie:
Just started reading your blog--looked at the pictures of your early jaunts, and read all about Morroco. Sweet! (except for the waiter taking a beating part).
Saw pictures of your new niece and nephew! Being an Uncle (or Aunt) is an awesome responsibility, but I feel I've done my job admirably (look how well you turned out).
Han is at a Kanye(sp?)West concert tonight.Are you a fan?
-Tia Amy
I am sort of a fan of Kanye's. His first album was just a tad overrated, I feel. Too much 'I'm the savior of hip-hop' stuff and not enough solid rapping. The new one just came out, and a friend of mine over here has it, but I haven't heard it yet.
He was a very, very good producer (that means he makes beats and instrumentals, aunt amy) before he became a producer/rapper, and he still is.
However, as a responsible aunt/mother, you should be proud of your decision to let Hannah go to a Kanye concert, because as rappers go, he's one of theh least threatening and most positive-minded. What I'm saying is, it's okay for Cheltenham kids to like him.
Love,
Robbie
oh goodness I have a longing for the sweet mint green tea right now!
ROBBIE!!!
Hey it's Hannah, your cousin. Haha I love your discussions about the Kanye concert. It was awesome by the way.
Your blog is amazing! I just started reading it and now I kind of have an idea of what you're up to. It looks like so much. I hope you're having an amazing time.
I better get back to my homework... SO MUCH WORK. Anyway, enjoy and I hope to see you soon.
Love, Hannah
Hey man,
I havn't spoken to you in a long while, but the pictures are awsome. Keep taking those Cartier-Bresson pics. I like 'em. Anyways man, we're missing your music advice back here. Keep posting.
stay warm,
matt
p.s. the last comment was matt canfield (in case you're wondering)
Robbie, How are the riots in Paris affecting your studies?
Couple of things:
1. Alex got together Atticus and Stewart to form a David Bowie cover band.
2. Gary Glitter, the genius who provided the world with "Rock and Roll Part 2", has been arrested in Vietnam for child molestation charges. It seems that he had moved to Vietnam for the sole purpose of molesting children (for which he has three pending counts in Britain).
3. I hope that you're having fun waking up in the middle of the night, trembling and drenched in sweat, in the midst of a horrifying dream about a gypsy creeping in through your window and ogling the shit out of your camera.
Marmar
Couple of things:
1. Alex got together Atticus and Stewart to form a David Bowie cover band.
2. Gary Glitter, the genius who provided the world with "Rock and Roll Part 2", has been arrested in Vietnam for child molestation charges. It seems that he had moved to Vietnam for the sole purpose of molesting children (for which he has three pending counts in Britain).
3. I hope that you're having fun waking up in the middle of the night, trembling and drenched in sweat, in the midst of a horrifying dream about a gypsy creeping in through your window and ogling the shit out of your camera.
Marmar
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