المغرب
Morocco
Morocco is a special place. I spent three weeks exploring all around the country, and it’s a place that has it all. From ancient, historic cities, to beaches, deserts, and high mountains.
There’s too many favorite places to choose, from the blue houses of Chefchaouen to the dusty markets of Marrakesh and the mighty Sahara Desert.
It’s a place I know I will go back to one day.
Tajine and Mint Tea. Two quintessential components of Moroccan culture.
Morocco introduced me to Arab culture and the Muslim world. I was fascinated by the differences with my own culture.
When I started college after my backpacking trip, I began to study Arabic. I would continue to study it for three years in college as I learned Levantine and Modern Standard Arabic. I still have a lot to go, but it’s a beautiful language, that I am grateful to learn.
The nature in Morocco is one of the many highlights. You can go from 100 degrees in the desert to below freezing temperatures in the mountain tops in a matter of hours.
One of my favorite memories of the trip is climbing Toubkal, known as the Roof of North Africa. It is the tallest peak in the region at 13,671 feet high. The climb took two days as we hiked from the modest village of Imlil to Base Camp. On our second day, myself and a friend I made a week earlier woke up at 3am to begin our ascent. We hiked up and up, through wind and snow, sun and cold. We watched the sun rise over the nearby peaks as we made our way to the top.
It was by no means an easy trek. But reaching the top and looking down on the Atlas Mountains was an amazing reward.
