The North

The visa process in Morocco is very complicated so, in order to prevent overstaying our ninety day welcome, Badr planned a trip to the North. The way in which we got around the ninety day rule is quite comical actually. There are two cities on the African continent, in the North of Morocco, that belong to Spain; one could say that Melillia and Ceuta are still colonized. Basically, we took a weekend tour of Northern Morocco and spent a few hours in Spain (Ceuta). Then, with refreshed passports, we walked right back over the border into Morocco.

Before our day in Ceuta (or Septa in Arabic), a majority of MOJ spent the night in Chefchaouen. We took the CTM bus service, driving for four hours through rural Morocco. The scenery was beautiful: mile after mile of well planted fields, donkeys pulling carts along the highway, four or five boys hanging off the back of a truck. The sun had set by the time we arrived so I was shocked to whip around a curve and see the city lit up below us from our vantage point in the Rif Mountains. After descending into Chaouen and settling into our hostel, we met up with Louis, Stacy, and Vemo who had arrived the night before. They were new people! A day in Chaouen can be very refreshing. They took us up above the Old Medina, from which we could see the whole city and the Rif behind us. It was completely silent and dark and we sat on rocks for a while talking and looking at the stars.

Chaouen is a popular tourist destination and a vacation spot for Moroccans. Hikers love its famous twin peaks. The air just feels different in Chaouen! We didn't have enough time for a hike, but we explored the beautiful medina. All of the buildings are painted in calming blue and white and shop keepers are welcoming, but less pushy than in the cities. The town is well known for its textiles and is even home to a cooperation for blind weavers.

After meeting up with Badr for lunch, we mounted the small bus from our Southern excursion and set off for Fnideq, the last town before Ceuta. Fnideq was nothing special and we really just spent the night there. We enjoyed seeing the Mediterranean and it was interesting to see the cheap, smuggled goods from Spain for sale in plain view and en masse.

The next morning we arrived at the border early to beat the crowds. We saw many Moroccans making a daily commute. Badr pointed out some women with a change of clothes. He said that they would likely return that afternoon appearing thirty pounds heavier, with packs of diapers or another product hidden under their more spacious second outfits. Badr and Vemo actually couldn't come with us into Ceuta because they didn't have visas (visas are not required for Americans so the rest of us were allowed in) so we waved goodbye as if we were leaving for our first day of elementary school.

We shuffled into a cage type passageway and walked ten feet or so before entering Ceuta. "We are not in Morocco anymore", we all said to each other. Driving around on a bus tour, it was clear that, although technically still in Morocco, we had entered Europe. Ceuta's streets are trash free, decorated with flowers, and smell as if they've been sprayed with perfume. Men and women were jogging in skimpy outfits and people displayed public affection. Ceuta seems like an idyllic place to live for Spanish citizens who want something a little different. It is a tax free zone so everything is very cheap yet salaries are higher than usual. The city has a beautiful harbor on the mediterranean occupied by small, private yachts. I felt as if I were on a more European virgin island. On the tour we were taken to the city's highest point from which we could see the Rock of Gibraltar! After our bus tour we were set free for hours with fifteen euros each. Some people flirted with the idea of taking a ferry to the Spanish mainland. Louis, Kirsten, Eboni, and I broke off and explored a bit. We bought picnic supplies at a grocery store and had a picnic on the beach with Ashton, Jackie, and Stacy. It was incredible!

When my host family in Rabat discovered I'd be traveling to Ceuta they gave me money and asked me to buy ten boxes of a certain medication for a very ill family member. I didn't feel comfortable buying so many (I didn't want to become a drug mule!), but I did bring one box back across the border without a problem. After we met up with Badr and Vemo back in Morocco we set off for home. Jackie and Stacy had bought a door curtain that we converted into string for friendship bracelets. On the long ride home we made bracelets and played camp games. Also, during dinner the night before, someone proposed the idea of a "wedding" for Louis and Princess. This became the theme of the trip and a source of constant enjoyment. On the bus ride home, after lots of prompting from his twelve female classmates, Louis indulged us and proposed hahah (see the video on facebook). It was a fun end to a culturally intriguing trip.