Category: Photo POSTCards

 

I like to use my PhotoPOSTCard series to showcase a favorite image or to bring attention to a special event or activity.

PhotoPOSTcard: Modern Transport in the Marrakesh Medina

Besides motorcycles and mopeds, the other mode of wheeled transportation in the old Medina area in Marrakesh is the donkey pulled cart. The lanes and alleyways are narrow and large motorized vehicles can’t fit. So if you have to haul a large quantity of stuff through these passages, a donkey and cart will do the work, just like they did in the 11th century when Marrakesh was built. In this case, the load is leather hides that have been processed the old fashioned way by men thigh deep in water treated with pigeon poop .

Thanks for visiting.

Rose

PhotoPOSTcard: This is Marrakesh

For me, this photo summarizes my Marrakesh experiences in the Medina – the old, historic district of the city. Colorful carpets for sale hanging on the ocher colored walls that are characteristic of all the buildings in Marrakesh. The Zellij  tiles that decorated so many of the Moroccan buildings. And the ubiquitous mopeds that I had to constantly dodge and avoid as I wandered the old lanes of the Medina.  Marrakesh was a colorful and noisy assault on all my senses.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose

PhotoPOSTcard: In Essaouria, Morocco

Essaouira sits on Morocco’s Atlantic coast and has a laid back beach vibe that feels a little more Caribbean than African. The city’s ramparts, which were built in the early 1500’s by the Portuguese, protected the natural harbor from invaders, and also provided a sanctuary to the pirates that at one time set anchor here. Today Essaouria is known for its music and arts scene and the ramparts are a draw for photographing tourists.

Please note that my visit to Essaouria was hosted by Time Out Marrakesh. All content is my own.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose

PhotoPOSTcard: A Living Movie Set

On the way to the Sahara desert, we made a brief stop at the Ait-Ben-Haddou UNESCO site. The site is recognized as a great example of a ksar, a collection of earthen dwellings built behind defensive walls which are reinforced by angle towers. At one time, the village was part of a thriving commercial trading route between the Sudan and Marrakesh. Today however, the site has been abandoned except for tourists, hawkers selling their wares, and the film industry. The guides make sure to let you know that the movie Gladiator and scenes in The Game of Thrones were filmed here.

My Sahara Desert experience was hosted by Merzouga Luxury Desert Camps. All content is my own.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose

 

PhotoPOSTcard: Hospitality in the Sahara Desert

Adorable four year old Hisna and her grandfather Mbarek treated us to hot Moroccan tea under their low slung tent as we toured the Moroccan Sahara desert. The tent was basically a large cloth supported by posts under which the family had placed many cushions and a few round tray tables. Hisna’s family are Berber nomads who live the six colder months in the desert and then move with all their belongings to the mountains for the six warmer months. Like most little children, Hisna was initially shy in our presence, but then quickly warmed up to us, eventually going round and giving everyone kisses. Meeting this family and sharing their hospitality was a truly unique and humbling experience.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose

 

 

PhotoPOSTcard: Glamping in the Moroccan Sahara

Bucket list item: glamping under a sky full of stars in the Sahara desert. Check.

Despite a crescent moon hanging low in the sky, the milky way and a million other stars were visible in the night sky as I lay on a sand dune in the Sahara desert, looking up and contemplating the vastness of the universe.

Thanks to Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp for hosting such an amazing experience.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose