The Colors of Morocco

Silvia brings us everything bright in part 7 of her Moroccan adventures.

Part one shared important information all travels should know before going, like whether they need specific vaccinations. In part two she delves into why she chose a small group tour for her Morocco trip, part three explored Moroccan Riads with part four sharing all the food of Morocco you should try! She shared her adventurous camel ride in part five. Part six explored the markets of Morocco.

When a door opens…

One of my very serious hobbies is baking. Cakes, cookies etc. The fancy stacked types. Out of all my cutters, my favorite shape cutters I own is called the Moroccan window. I’ve always had a love for doors and windows, house fronts and Morocco is a dream come true for someone like me! You can find beauty at every turn.

You will find elaborate shapes on windows, doors, and oh the tile work. Everywhere! Walkways, windows, doors arches, walls, showers, furniture, outdoor fountains – if they can tile it, they do. The color combinations are bold and they really work there. My advice is before buying something, think of how it will fit in with your environment at home. It’s easy to get caught up in the cobalt blue and lemon yellow that are so appealing and common in Morocco. The very last thing you want to do is invest in a piece and then hide it away!

Getting Schooled in tiles

On one of the first days of this wonderful 10-day tour, we visited a pottery school where the average time to graduation ranged from 3 to 5 years! Painting and making patterns for intricate designs is part of the training, as are the foundation parts of mixing clay, glazing and firing (baking). As a self-proclaimed hobby junky (I see it and want to try), I felt an immediate pull to sit and get my hands dirty. Someone get me a paint brush!!!

Alas, that wasn’t part of the tour. I couldn’t help but flashback to the Royal Delft museum in the Netherlands where you can actually sit and paint your own classic blue and white piece! I loved it and still use my hand painted windmill platter. A “Sil” original! Perhaps this should be added for future tours?! The final stop of the pottery school tour is of course the store they run, so while you can’t paint your own, you can certainly purchase your own in the wonderful shop chocked full of beautiful pieces.

Color, color and more color

I’ve said it before – Morocco is land of contradictions…there are lots of areas of desert full of lots of brown – tans – greys, of course since it’s sand! I think being surrounded by so much monochrome colors is part of the reason they dive into color for things they own. Pottery, carpets, scarves…bright! Bright! BRIGHT! It’s like a neutral canvas to showcase the color.

Doors & Windows

In all of Morocco, a favorite stop to admire doors and windows was certainly the Kasbah (fortified city) Udaya in Rabat. You cross into the walled section and immediately the landscape is changed. Interesting doors and windows for sure, a section with some artisans, views of the river, a charming garden to visit. It’s enchanting. Many areas are white walls with the bright cobalt blue that make you wonder if the Greek may have influenced this wonderful place. Make it a must see if you visit. I think my collection of door and window pictures has now doubled thanks to this trip and possibly most of that from Kasbah Udaya.

Take the time to admire the workmanship and the artistry that they put into their architecture. In so many spaces that could have been a simple functional rectangular opening, they made it magically intricate and special. Like my cakes, it will taste good but if it looks good to, that is a bonus. My kind of people.

Guest Blogger

Silvia Latour lives in Montreal, Quebec. She currently works as a Sales Specialist and Business Intelligence Analyst for a major Pharmaceutical Company. She enjoys spending time with friends & family, travel, photography, volunteering and baking. Her life philosophies include: So many places to go and so many things to bake! Shoot with a camera and be kind. Follow her sweet creations on Facebook.