Monday, May 3, 2010

Oh, the Places You'll Go


"Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads." -Doc Brown

On Friday morning we explored the Medina in Fes, which is one of the largest medinas in the entire world. It consists of 12,000 winding alleyways lined with shops selling everything imaginable--spices, fruit, scarves, extravagant lamps, hand-woven rugs, leather goods, olives, flowers, vibrant ceramics, handmade jewelry, everything you can think of. How anyone manages to navigate this market is beyond me; some of the passageways are expansive and open to the sky, some are narrow and covered and require single file lines, some are straight and dark, some curve in circles, and none of them have names. There is not a single map in the world of this place. It is a flood of smells, sights, and noises. Men leading donkeys that are carrying the products yell "Balak " as they descend down the alleys. Stray cats and dogs litter the streets. The strong Moroccan spices fill the air along with the overwhelming smell of the tanneries.

One thing you don't see in the medina are women. We are the exception because we are tourists, but we're still gawked at and called out to. Even when we see children laughing a playing, we never see a girl older than 5. North African countries are renowned for the lattice work on their windows. This actually cultural and is so the women can sit in their homes and watch but not be seen. It's harder to appreciate the beauty knowing the purpose they serve. But that's also what's so great about traveling here--I'm experiencing a culture that is completely unlike any that I've ever known before, and although it's not the life that I would chose, it is "normal" for a large population of the world.

After blindly wandering in the Medina for a bit, we stopped for lunch at a traditional Moroccan restaurant. One thing we learned very quickly is that even if you think you've eaten enough food to constitute an entire meal, the meal is never over until AFTER they bring out the tagine. And there is always a tagine. The rest of our journey through the Medina consisted of a visit to a traditional rug making store, a spice/medicinal shop, a tannery, and finally a ceramics store. Of course I made sure I bought a tagine and some spices so that I can bring a taste of Morocco back to the States :)

On Saturday we started the trek down to the Sahara desert which took a little over 7 hours by bus, a long journey none of us were particularly eager to sit through. However, the bus ride was surprisingly entertaining largely due to the ever-changing landscape and the excellent company. We finally reached Erfoud, a small village at the edge of the Sahara. From there we couldn't continue in the bus because of the lack of roads. So we continued on in 4 by 4's for close to an hour just watching the sand dunes pass by. We arrived at the haiimas (tents) shortly after dusk. And we found ourselves quite literally in the middle of nowhere.

Once I finally collected myself and recovered from the bumpy desert ride, I stopped and actually looked at where I was. I couldn't see much landscape because of the sheer blackness that surrounded me. There was not a light in sight which was actually slightly unsettling and a bit eerie for someone who is very accustomed to the constant city sounds and brightness. But then I looked up. This sky was unlike anything I have ever seen before. I felt like I could physically reach my hand out and touch the stars--I could have grabbed a whole handful and there still would have been millions and millions more. As soon as I became aware of what was above me, I felt the indescribable need to lay down in the sand and just try to soak it all up, to take it all in. When you lay down and look up, the sky extends all around you. The only place where there are no stars is in the sand underneath you…other than that, you're engulfed.


Soon there was a group of us all laying down, all experiencing the same awe, and people started excitedly pointing out constellations. Personally, I've never been able to see much more than the big dipper and that's usually only if someone points me in the right direction. To me the stars looks completely random and I have a difficult time finding any pattern in them. It makes me wonder about people that use the sky as a map. To them the constellations are roads that help them navigate. I can't imagine that for myself--navigating the endless sand using the stars alone to guide you. I'm overwhelmed just thinking about it.

I went to bed in that night thinking about all the different circumstances that had carried me to such a spectacularly new place. All the different roads I've taken. I wouldn't take back a single one, because all of my different paths somehow combined to take me on an amazing journey and to amazing places that I could have never foreseen. And that's the great thing about traveling, and the great thing about life, you never in your wildest dreams can begin to predict where you'll end up.

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