the colours of morocco

having visited morocco recently, i have since been totally influenced by the earthy tones;  you can easily change the mood of a room by adding soft furnishings in contrasting colours – its a quick and inexpensive way to throw colour into a room. you can buy direct from moroccan artisans the anou.com – lots of the items are sourced from co operatives so you feel that you are giving something to the community.

if you feel brave, you can retile a bathroom or kitchen floor, or even add some moroccan inspired tiles to the walls – a border in the kitchen always looks good.  you can buy some lovely reclaimed tiles, including moroccan designs from bert & may.

for moroccan paint colours, try the shades old ochre and delilah’s secret , both from fired earth, etruscan red from craig and rose. 

the medieval streets of the medina

our town of Vejer is twinned with other towns which share social or cultural similarities. Understanding other cultures has enabled each town, in their own way, to strengthen and extend their cultural links. Vejer is currently twinned with Amboise in France, Chefchaouen in Morocco and with Agüenit, and a Saharan refugee camp in the Tindouf region of Algeria. Legend has it that when Spain was Muslim territory, Moulay Rachid Ben Ali fell for Zhora (Catalina Fernandez), a girl of Vejer de la Frontera. When Christians were expelled from the Iberian Peninsula, Morocco and emigrated there to ease the longing that his beloved had of her people, the emir built one in its image and likeness, Chefchaouen .  Chefchaouen is next on my list to visit, it looks fascinating and apparently very unspoilt.

The process of twinning with Amboise began in the year 2004 when a group of immigrants from Vejer noticed historical similarities between the two towns and the traces left by generations of Spanish immigrants.   did you know that London is twinned with Kaula lumpur, New York, Beijing, Paris and Rome?

the castle in vejer (just opposite our house) stems back to the 10th and 11th century, the streets of the medina of fes go back as early as the 9th century – there are so many similarities  between vejer and the medinas of morocco, except being in morocco really makes you feel that you have stepped back many centuries with the street vendors and makers and donkeys.

 

Azaren

have been staying in morocco for a few days joining some friends who have been given this amazing modern house which is situated just outside of Marrakech and close to the atlas mountains. Azaren is idyllic – beautifully designed and furnished and filled with gorgeous  local handicrafts. It’s the perfect house for a special celebration- I feel extremely privileged to have been invited.  the house is situated with views of the atlas mountains and landscaped amongst stunning gardens and plants.   i will post more photos of my few days –   i actually  left my computer at home for a change, so it was a real break.   its funny, you think that you are going to miss your computer, but its quite refreshing to have not seen any TV or been on any websites.