Up North

This is an incredibly belated post, but at the beginning of the summer we took a trip up to northern Morocco to the cities of Asilah, Martil, Tetouan, and Tangier (or AMTT as they will be collectively referred to henceforth). I really like northern Morocco, partially because it is a little more western/European and partially because the weather is a lot more familiar to me. It is still hot in the north during the summer, but these spots are much cooler generally speaking, and there is a fair amount of humidity. AMTT are along the northern coast of the country, hence the humidity and easy breezy beautiful looks in some of my photos.

Aside from the familiar humidity, the feel of northern Morocco is very different than Meknes, per say. Meknes is much further inland, and while there are some really interesting historical landmarks in and around Meknes, it does not draw the same sort of tourist attention as AMTT. These cities have the perk of being just a boat ride of short plane trip away from several European countries, so tourism is really big and accounts for the more western vibe. Generally speaking, a lot of French and Spanish tourists visit Morocco, but specifically these cities.

I really enjoyed this trip and it was an interesting opportunity to get to know some of my classmates better, but I definitely was not prepared for how much of a treat it was in comparison to the heat of Meknes (even if we showed up to our accommodations in Martil only to find a lack of sheets/blankets, towels, TP, basically anything essential). One of the best things was that it actually got cold at night in Martil and I found myself wishing I had a little blanket to curl up under. I learned pretty quickly after this trip to always pack my super portable microfiber towel and a sheet. I was also glad to have brought some of my own TP and my UMD Terrapin pillow pet (make fun of me all you want, but that thing has come in handy more times than I can count!).

Here are some pics that myself or others took while on the trip:

Me, classmates, guides, language partners, and a random dude
with lots of almonds posing in front of a Bab (door) in Tangier.

Chilling on the beach in Martil. 

A view from inside Hercules Cave near Asilah.

A view of the water and the city walls in Asilah. 

Me on the balcony of a cafe that overlooked the ocean in Tangier.

I ended up getting really sick on this trip and taking a visit to the doctor for the first time, but I'll save that for the next post.