Introducing Tales of Summer, for Treasure Journal. From sunrise in the Sahara to the courtyard of a quiet riad, this edition of Treasure Journal follows @danirenaeh as she explores Morocco, wrapped in culture, color, and styled in Andrea Iyamah.
Here are some of the moments collected that shaped her trip:
From Staying in traditional riads, where architecture keeps the spirit and the air is cool and grounded.
To bargaining in the Medina, and returning home with perfumes, paintings, and memories stitched into each treasure.
To a soul-stirring stop in the Sahara, her 11th country visited and a view unlike any she’d ever seen.
Continue reading the full interview.
1. What do you recommend people experience when traveling to Morocco and why? First, I recommend everyone stay in riads at least once during their trip to Morocco. The architecture is so beautiful you’ll wish you had a courtyard in your house. Riads are also very private, with all windows and rooms facing inward. That same inward-facing design helps keep the courtyard cool, even without air conditioning.
2. Tell us about the Moroccan food. What do you suggest travelers try while visiting?
Moroccan food is savory, sweet, and surprisingly less spicy than it looks. I recommend trying tagine, which can vary from chicken, prune, kefta, or mutton. Couscous is also consistently delicious and usually comes on the side with the main dish. And if you’re wanting something a little more sweet, Chicken pastilla is also a good recommendation.
3. What experience in Morocco left the biggest imprint on you and why?
During my trip, I was on a tour bus traveling from Dades to the Sahara camp, and we stopped for lunch at a cafeteria in Ksar Labour. I left the tour group and wandered for about eleven minutes before coming upon a quiet, family-owned restaurant called Gîte Restaurant Youftne.
I knocked on the door, and a man and his wife, Moha and Fatima, welcomed me with the best Morrocan hospitality. Fatima was the chef, and I can’t stress enough that she made the BEST chicken tagine I had in all of Morocco. I wrote down every spice (up to 9) she used and took pictures of the dish as steam rolled off it.
During and after eating, Moha and I talked about his family, the garden connected to their home where they grow their own ingredients, the strangers they’ve met, and the importance of sustainable tourism. He told me that when tour groups stop for meals, the guides often choose large-scale restaurants for convenience.
Many of these places are operated by big companies, not local families, and the food often sits out all day with little regard for freshness. He said that sometimes travelers choose to wander off, like I did, and end up finding their restaurant. And whether the visitor has dirhams or not, Moha and Fatima still welcome them, feed them, and accept whatever amount they are willing to offer from the heart.
