Repost: A Thousand Shades of Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen, Morocco
January 7th, 2021
Twelve more days, and I am not talking about Christmas.
Today, we’re exploring the last stop on our virtual tour of Morocco: Chefchaouen. A closer look reveals a maze of paths, doorways, nooks and shops… one after another, up and down the hillside. Enjoy your walk around!
More tomorrow,
Kelly
Post of the Day: Adding a bit of light to the darkness as we get through the pandemic together. This series features travel photos from my archives, shared with you while staying close to home.
***
Chefchaouen, Morocco
Near the northern tip of Morocco, in a pocket of sunshine at the base of the Rif mountain range, we arrive at Chefchaouen. Often called the Blue Pearl of Morocco, the town is a collage of blue and white against the earth tones of the landscape.
Chefchaouen, Morocco
Since its founding in 1471, Chefchaouen has felt the influence of neighboring countries and cultures. Portuguese, Spaniards, Arabs and Berbers have all contributed to the town’s eclectic character and, according to many, the earliest Jewish residents left the most lasting, visible effect on Chefchaouen through their choice to paint the town blue — symbolic of sky, heaven and god above.
Chefchaouen, Morocco
Chefchaouen, Morocco
Wandering through Chefchaouen, the variations of blue feel cool and calming, aligned with the psychology of this color choice. Robes and rugs in warm hues contrast against the walls and the whole medina feels like an exercise in color theory. Johannes Itten would have loved this town.
Chefchaouen, Morocco
Chefchaouen, Morocco
Chefchaouen, Morocco
A shopkeeper, dressed in a shade of indigo, sits in front of a composition of orange. It’s as if he’s been surrounded by blue his entire life and has staged an unspoken revolt, creating a complementary universe.
Chefchaouen, Morocco
The beautiful imperfection of Morocco continues throughout Chefchaouen. Everything is handmade and nothing is a standard size. It’s fun to speculate what’s behind each door, especially this tiny work of art. Probably not a king-size bed!
The shades of blue shift lighter and darker as the sun comes and goes, shining into each narrow lane only for a brief amount of time each day. We wander downhill and eventually find Plaza Uta el-Hammam where everyone is passing through and hanging out on a peaceful afternoon in Chefchaouen.
Chefchaouen, Morocco
We meet a man who tells us he’s a trader from the Sahara desert. He has a stunning collection of jewelry, talismans and silver boxes. We’re drawn to a particular charm that he claims is a Bedouin compass. We buy it and he makes me a necklace for free. We’ve either paid too much for the compass or we’ve been given the gift of his kindness. I like to think it’s the latter.
The following day we take a day off from traveling and languish in our room. We’ve been on the road exploring for more than two weeks and it feels great to stop and rest for an entire day — something we rarely do. Perhaps the calming blues of Chefchaouen have had a deeper effect on us than we expected. It’s nice to sit and stay awhile.
Chefchaouen, Morocco
This blue is charming. Chefchaouen seems simpler than Fez, quieter too, perhaps more authentic. It is absolutely refreshing to travel to such places, to try to understand what is hidden behind the doors, behind the walls, delights or decay.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Definitely simpler, but there is an element of tourism here that we didn’t come across in Fez — girls dressed up doing photoshoots for their selfies being one example. That felt very inauthentic. But nonetheless, it is a charming city to get lost in for a while.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah those selfies! Well, if it encourages people to travel, there is still a benefit 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Have you ever wanted 2 weeks to go by so fast?
Can’t come soon enough.
Cool blue architecture! I’ve tried blue with no luck. . .
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ted! So nice to find you here. Only when waiting to depart on a big trip have I looked forward to two weeks being over as soon as possible. 🙂 Yes, isn’t the blue nice? A tough color for sure but it definitely works here, especially with the white. Thanks for your comment. Hope you enjoy the weekend!
LikeLike
Such good stuff here, Kelly! Your pics are amazing. I love the shades of blue, too. And the tree (or vine?) reaching between the walls in the one pic. 🌞
LikeLike
Thank you, Lisa! Chefchaouen is a photographer’s dream. Hard to take a bad photo here with so much beauty. Yes — the vine/tree is cool, huh?! I want to go back!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A wonderful gallery stunning in its blueness. Am I right in assuming that the subtext of this blueness is a celebration of the change that is only twelve days away. I am certainly celebrating with you. 💙
LikeLike
So keenly observed by you, the artist! Yes, I was thinking it was an ironically appropriate day for such a blue post. It was unplanned, just happened to coincide but symbolic nonetheless. Thanks Andrew!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The blue colour on the walls is so beautiful. Coupled with the narrow lanes and the rugs in such warm colours. Moroccans have a great sense of colour symphony …
LikeLike
Oooh, I love that! Colour symphony! A perfect way to describe it! 🙂
LikeLike
Oh, that one door with the pretty hint of mosaic! What a treasure of a place this is 🙂 🙂
LikeLike
Isn’t that door so pretty?! I wanted so badly to see what was behind it!! Enjoy the weekend, Jo!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love this. I wish I’d visited Chefchaouen when I was in Morocco – it’s so beautiful. Love the shot of the blue-shirted man in front of the orange.
Alison
LikeLike
Isn’t he great? The whole scene of his shop felt like such quiet rebellion even though it was probably nothing of the sort. If you ever get down to southern Spain, it’s pretty easy to hop across the strait to Tangier, and Chefchaouen just beyond…. you only need a night or two. Or just Tangier would be easy in a day. I think the ferry was only about 90 minutes and you get your visa on the ferry.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just cannot get enough of this town and its blues. It makes me happy!
LikeLike
Aw, that’s the best compliment for any place in the world! Go see it in person!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I sure hope to!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You really have a great eye ~ matched with the ability to frame your photos so well. Wonderful series, and my favorite shot is the first one. You capture so much with this simple pine tree it looks like starting out, with a perfect background of life 🙂 Cheers!
LikeLike
Hi, Randall! Always such a pleasure to hear from you! Thank you so much for your sweet comment. Isn’t that little pine tree the best? And all the kittens running around with the boy… it was one of those hurry-up-and-shoot moments. All I did was point the camera. Thanks again and cheers back to you! 🙂
LikeLike
Fantastic post and breathtaking photography! Adding this info to our travel list!
Best wishes and a health New Year!
LikeLike
Hey! Thanks, Pazeras! You will love Chefchaouen and the northern part of Morocco in general. So much to explore! Thank you for the NY best wishes. Hoping for a better year for everyone!
LikeLike