Photo Essay: Morocco

The North African sun was ruthless and our clothes were soaked with sweat as we wandered through the chaotic streets of Marrakech. There was an uneasiness in the air and a feeling that danger could lurk around every corner. For a moment, we began to question our decision to travel to this foreign land.

The souks, which are Arabic marketplaces, overflowed with hand-made merchandise. Colorful spices, formed like pyramids, sat precariously on tables along each corridor. Men in robes spoke to us in unknown languages and animals pulled carts through busy streets. It’s as if we had been transported to another place and time.

As the sun faded away below the horizon, the evening call to prayer was broadcast from the minarets and filled the city. The music soothed us and we began to feel more comfortable in our new surroundings. I was reminded of something I read in a book called the Pilgrimage:

“Sometimes we are called to dance on the wild edges of our lives and discover something new, or we have a sense that our lives have grown too small and we need to confront our fears of what is unknown. We need to welcome in strangeness to crack open unfamiliar parts of ourselves and of God.” Isn’t that why we travel anyway?

This is our story of Morocco in pictures: