Chefchaouen in the Riff Mountains

---

We are high in the Riff Mountains in a small town called Chefchaouen. It's steep and winding with lots of steps, people meandering the streets and donkeys carting goods. Its quaint and gorgoeus with all the houses and high street walls washed white and indigo blue - to stave off the heat in summer but also good to the eye.

The people here are relaxed, friendly, respectful and ready with a smile. There's no hassling you to look at their shops, just a hello please look, and an introduction follows, maybe some tea and then you look - nothing for you- no problem have awonderful day/life. Easy peasy!! That said they can bargain well and we have had to work hard.

We are staying at the Casa Perleta, a gorgoeous riad with open coutyard and roof terrace, helpful staff and comfy rooms - we have come along way since the days of our Tibetan and Cambodian accomodation! We have spent our time wandering the streets happily getting lost except for when its lunch time and we are straving and need a retaurant. There's plenty to see -the women washing their clothes by the river, where the water comes from high in the Riff Mountains and is clean and cool, the children playing marbles in the street, the women dressed in head scarf and jellaba chatting and laughing in small groups on street corners, the men in their jellaba with pointed hoods and babouch slippers. We have forgone the tshirts and have covered up our arms with shirts , added a scarf and longer pants and now receive far less looks and feel more comfortable on the streets.

We visited the Casbah for greast views over the town and it provide the opportunity for some antics - please see photos. It was also market day in the town square when all the Berber people come down from the mountains to trade their wares. Local berber dress includes a adding a striped piece of cloth over your jellaba and a fetching hat, a little Mexican in style. Up next of course was the compulsory carpet spiel which whilst long came with some great mint tea and a handsome man named Hassin who offered to take Rochelle off my hands for five camels. As a good friend should rightly do I insisted she was worth at least twenty. Of course I would need permission from my husband to purchase a carpet and this would require ringing home and sadly it its night time there so we wil return tomorrow - niffty escape clause we thought!

Yesterday the boundries well and truely came down or were literally discarded in a pile with our clothes when we braved a visit to the local hamman. Naked we found ourselves lying side by side on a warm handpolished limestone floor as deluge of hot water was poured across us by two equally naked women. Have to say that once over the initial "oh god she's seen me naked" and some immature water splashing by myself in response to the situation all was good and very relaxing. First we were washed then massaged with a thick goop (made from the resin of olives) and then out came the mitts and we were scrubbed to within an inch of our lives. The amount of skin that was removed we will not comment upon (a little like snakes shedding their skins) our hair was washed and then we were good to go - reborn without the inhibitions we went in with and a whole lot lighter thanks to their skin removal technique!

After this all that a lovely day required was a nice dinner and a spot of shopping both of which were accomplished in a state of relaxation. Then its off to bed at a reasonable time cause the call to prayer will awaken us at 5pm and we'll lie in our beds and listen to the rythmn of the call as it goes out across the town and into the near by hills.

Life is good, may peace be upon you or as they say here -es salaam alaykum.

Love to all Pier and Rochelle

---

Comments

[Lindy]

Fab Blog
Absolutely love your blog Pier. I am so jealous reading it. You certainly do it in style - even in Morocco. I dont remember being indulged by a massage and skin peel when I shlepped it around Morocco. The photos are terrific. Love the Rieses

[Pierest]

I may never come back Lindy - its fabulous!