It is always, always and adventure in
the Medina’s of Morocco. Each major city in Morocco has a Medina. The Medina is my favorite place to go
interact with locals, try some different foods, try on jelabs, speak Arabic,
and just make people laugh. Many of
those working selling fruit, spices, clothes and perfumes are just genuine
human beings who are sweet, kind, and approachable.
The medina of Tetouan is a UNESCO
World Heritage site and is divided into three different sections: Andalusian, the Berber, and the Jewish. There are
homes, which have the Andalucian architecture and some with Berber influence.
I spent a couple hours speaking with a nice French couple who explained the history of Tetouan and the origin of the Berbers. The Berbers came to Tetouan before the Spanish developing their own language
and their own identity in ways. When you meet people who are Berber, they hold a strong sense of pride and always make the Berber distinction.
Within the medina, I walked into a few different Berber houses, which are converted into restaurants, hotels, or shops. The architecture is magnificent and consists of four rooms surrounding a big open space in the middle of the room with the sky light shining inside from the top. I admire the detail of the doors and the element of a royal home present in the design and structure. While I also loved the Andalucian architecture, the Berber homes are some of the oldest in the Medina, but by far some of the best.
Within the medina, I walked into a few different Berber houses, which are converted into restaurants, hotels, or shops. The architecture is magnificent and consists of four rooms surrounding a big open space in the middle of the room with the sky light shining inside from the top. I admire the detail of the doors and the element of a royal home present in the design and structure. While I also loved the Andalucian architecture, the Berber homes are some of the oldest in the Medina, but by far some of the best.
The medina in Tetouan has seven doors or gates and I visited 5 of them. The medina itself is not such a maze, like other medinas i.e. Fes and even Casablanca, but of course I managed to lose my direction. I ended up at the same door I started, which was not my intention. A couple boys on bikes walked me all the way to the city centre and this is where I was riding their bike through the medina and speaking Spanish. One of the Berber guys told me, "Keep riding beautiful all the way to India." I thought that was quite cute. These moments with locals and making such a funny scene in the medina, I often wonder, "Where are the video cameras for this?!"
Many of these are posted throughout the Medina
That is me up there=)
Door Obsession
The Tanneries
American Entertainment on Wheels
Pris Does Jelab
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