On the Road to Morocco Story and photos by Arlene Kelvin I’d never been to a country where the people spoke Arabic, before I visited Morocco last October. It is a very interesting country, with many cultures blended together—there’s still even a French influence, as well as a strong Jewish history. When the Jews were expelled from Spain, many went to Morocco, which lies just south of the country, separated by the Strait of Gibraltar. I saw an abandoned cemetery with a sign which read: “Est. 1492”! The landscape includes seashore, small towns inland, mountains, and of course, the Sahara Desert. After years of doing the family pictures, I have become more serious about photography as an art. I look for colors and patterns, as well as “travel” photos. The roadside stand picture was one of many such stands on the small highway connecting the towns. The woman seated was grinding argan nuts. The oil from the nuts is a skincare fad. I asked permission of the woman to take her picture, since Muslim women do not want their pictures taken. The colorful baskets were one of many such stands in the souk (marketplace). Roadside stand Kingdom of Morocco Capital: Rabat Largest City: Casablanca Official Language: Arabic Motto: “God, Homeland, King” Religion: Sunni Islam Population (2014): 33,848,242 Currency: Moroccan Dirham National Dish: Couscous National Drink: Sweet Tea with Mint Major Resource: Phosphate Major Organic Export: Citrus Fruit National Sport: Soccer Fun Fact: Traditionally, the heart is not the symbol of love; the liver is Woman grinding argan nuts for oil Bedouin tents at dusk Colorful handwoven baskets for sale Women buying fish in the outdoor marketplace CAMERA CLUB TRAVELS April 2017 ¢ NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER 41
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