Chefchaouen

This was the view from our own private terrace at the beautiful Lina Ryad & Spa this morning as the sun rose...

 First course at breakfast this morning was a selection of Moroccan breads and baked goods, served with hand made jam, honey and local cheese and freshly squeezed orange juice.

Rachid had to work hard to get us away from this beautiful classy place and our wonderful breakfast with its limitless coffees and mint tea.  But we had a village to explore.......

Rachid led us through the blue washed, photogenic laneways, up to the source of the mountain water supplying the village and surrounding farms and then along a rocky path to an ancient mosque overlooking the town. We passed goat farmers and groups of men an women washing rugs in the fast flowing spring water.  I was interested in this wood fired oven sited a little way from a farm house on the mountain side.

We are really appreciating our guide Rachid. He is the Wikipedia of Morocco, but smart funny and perceptive with a good humoured cynicism we can all relate to.  We feel privileged to hear his well informed views on Middle East politics and religion (he is a proud Berber and an atheist).

These young women were carrying large bottles of goats milk back down to the village - the morning milk run?

We finished off our long morning walk at this little cafe beside the running spring water drinking big glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice, sharing more stories about the complexities of Moroccan history and the joys of growing grapes at Murrumbateman.

It was a hot walk back to the Ryad Lina by late morning - but a picturesque one.