Chefchaouen is a beautiful, quaint, laid-back, hippy kind of town in the Rif Mountains of northern Morocco. The most striking feature is the blue-washed walls of the town - here are some photos, but they don't come close to capturing the feeling of walking around in a medieval medina bathed in soft blue hues. It's gorgeous!!
The overall pace of the town is much more relaxed than the bigger cities. My friend Erin and I spent time walking around the narrow streets of the medina, shopping, watching the artisans at work, exploring and bargaining. Most of the shopkeepers leave you alone unless you seem interested in something they have to offer, although the occasional proprietor likes to "just practice" his English speaking skills (and, in turn, try to rope you in to looking at his products). 
We did encounter two VERY friendly shopkeepers - they were beyond kind, funny and unique, and I'm glad we met both of them, though both Erin and I felt a little molested after the experiences in their shops! We chatted and laughed with each of them for a good while, and received an abundance of hugs and kisses from them both. Neither seemed to care that both Erin and I are married (we made it a point to tell them), so we aren't sure if the lack of personal space and over-the-top affection is just a cultural difference, or if we were, indeed, being molested. Either way, it was hilarious and we have some great stories and pictures from it! :-)We also did some light hiking outside of the town to see an old Spanish mosque that is supposed to be accessible to tourists (the mosques in Morocco are off-limits to foreigners). We made it up the mountain to the mosque to find it closed, but the views along the way and at the top were totally worth the trek.
If you ever find yourself in Morocco, I highly recommend some time in Chefchaouen. It's an awesome little town and totally worth the long bus ride to get there. I heart Chefchaouen!!
(this, ladies and gentlemen, is a SNAIL BAR):
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1 comment:
No molestar!
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