Chefchaouen

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It was a short hop this morning from Tetuan to Chefchaouen - a trip of 1 and a half hours by local bus.



It was cold and wet when I arrived in the morning. When I arrived I spent some time looking around various lodgings till I found one I liked.



Whilst I was wandering the streets looking for hotels, I was offered kif (hashish). I refused all offers very firmly. Kif is a local industry in the area, for want of decent prices for other products for the local farmers.



I spent the day walking around the town - its not very big. But the medina is very attractive, and the town is in a stunning location, in a valley in the Rif Mountains. Fortunatly the sun came out later in the afternoon, after I had spent some time in a carpet shop. Yes, I let myself be entertained by a Moroccan Carpet Sales Man! I even bought a rug for someone for Christmas. I even enjoyed the bargaining.



Chefchaouen is a much more relaxed place than Tangier or Tetuan, but it is a lot of a travellers hang out.



I was reading JeNeSuisPasLapin's latest journal entry, and I agree with him that as an outsider it is not easy to get a handle on Moroccan Culture. He has the advantage on me - as he is studying Arabic and will probably spend much longer in Morocco than me. I'm just passing through, on my way around the world. This is going to be a problem as I travel - I will rarely have the time to really understand the cultures of the countries I visit. I am also aware of having been watched and presumably talked about - I've had people approach me in the street who I've never met, who know where I'm staying.



The cliché is that travel broadens the mind. Does it? And does it matter?

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Photos

Chefchaouen
Plaza Uta el-Hammam, with the 15th Century Kasbah on the right of the picture

Chefchaouen
The Medina.

Chefchaouen
The Medina

Chefchaouen
Medina at night

Chefchaouen
Eating chicken Tagine at the Restaurant Chefchaouen.