July 4: A Morocco To Be Missed
Standing on the stern of my ship watching the frothy white wake recede into the distant horizon and thinking of all the wonderful adventures in Africa that I left behind, I pondered what it was exactly that I would miss so much about Morocco. The answers might surprise you.
One of the coping tools I use during difficult times is to conjure up lists of things that I am grateful for, whether big or small. When I was healing from the aftermath of my second divorce, a wise friend and neighbor suggested I start a gratitude journal.
So, each night in addition to praying and reading my Bible, I would write a full page of gratitude statements. Some were as mundane as “I’m glad I have socks to wear” while others related to more significant concerns such as how blessed I was to have three wonderful children whom I adore. I continued with this daily discipline for more than a month after my divorce and found it to be very healing.
A few days ago, I was struggling with negative thoughts after being woken up by someone hours before my intended departure that morning, making for an exhausting day on the bike. Rather than let myself fixate on how unfortunate it was to be so tired on a big riding day, I decided to start a list in my head of what I most appreciated about Morocco.
One of the firs things that popped into my mind was how much I enjoyed drinking Moroccan tea. There are so many different variations of what locals like to call “Moroccan Whiskey,” but the essential ingredients are green tea and fresh mint. This treat is always served up piping hot in a silver teapot with a curved handle and spout and poured into a short narrow glass cup similar to a shot glass.
Locals are passionate about their version of this delicacy, describing in detail how they have concocted it. For example, the hotel I stayed at in Marrakesh had an employee dedicated to making tea who boasted that he used 21 different herbs and spices. The kind biker that I met on this ship carries his own teapot and tea with him and generously shared some with me last night after describing how he includes ginger, rose leaves, and thyme in his personal recipe.
Another unique aspect of Morocco that I will truly miss is the donkeys. It seems that no matter where I turned during my travels in northern Africa, a donkey was part of the landscape. Donkeys were tied up to hitching posts outside local markets, led through city streets with loaded up saddlebags, and ridden through the country with large bundles of wood or produce on their backs. I even had a donkey at my place on the coast visit the private garden in front of my room and insist on being scratched behind his ears. There is something so simple and charming about how the locals work with these beautiful creatures to accomplish necessary daily tasks.
Finally, and probably of most significance, I will miss the kindness of the Moroccan people. Although there were many times where my limited French and almost nonexistent Arabic made it difficult for me to communicate with the Africans that I encountered, there were so many occasions where they went out of their way to help me, nonetheless.
For example, when I first arrived in Morocco, I made a rookie mistake and put my bike key in the same pants pocket as my toilet paper. So, when I used the bathroom right after clearing customs, I accidentally dropped the key on the ground. Shortly after returning to my bike, I realized what had happened and approached one of the security personnel for help. Less than a minute later, a sweet lady with a colorful hijab approached us with my key in her hand and a smile on her face.
On my way to Merzouga after almost dumping the bike riding across deep sand in the road, I pulled my bike over in Rissani, clearly rattled by the unexpected and unfamiliar danger. The gas station employees there offered me free water and a seat in the shade, encouraging me to rest for a minute and get my bearings.
When I finally arrived at my camp in the dessert, exhausted after spending 13 hours in triple digit heat, the camp staff took me immediately to my air-conditioned tent, telling me that filling out the paperwork for my visit could wait until later and making sure I had everything I needed in my tent.
There are so many different examples of how locals in all the places I visited made me feel welcome, provided me with exceptional service, or went out of their way to answer a question that I asked. I’m sure many wonderful adventures await in the days ahead. But I will treasure these positive memories of my time in Morocco.
